Long-term hormone implant therapy--hormonal and clinical effects.

Long-term effects of hormone implants (estradiol or estradiol plus testosterone) were examined in 75 menopausal women. Both therapies relieved vasomotor symptoms with a return of significant flushing after six months, thus reimplantation was performed every six months. Estradiol levels had not returned to baseline by six months, and significant accumulation of estradiol occurred by three years. The patients given testosterone experienced a similar accumulation of testosterone. There was no significant change in mean weight, blood pressure, or liver function tests during three years. Both therapies reversed the bone biochemical changes of menopause, and in both groups there was no significant loss in bone density. Supplementation of estradiol with testosterone in implant therapy was not observed to provide additional benefit in terms of the parameters studied.