Endometrial hormone receptors in women with dysfunctional uterine bleeding.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

The objective was to study the estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) expression in endometrium of women with dysfunctional uterine bleeding (DUB) as compared to women with normal menstrual cycles.

METHODS:

In this study, 30 patients and 20 controls were selected. Transvaginal ultrasound and endometrial sampling for histology and ER and PR estimation immunohistochemically was carried out for all the subjects. Student's t-test and linear correlation was used for statistical analysis. Their response to treatment was assessed by clinical follow-up.

RESULTS:

Endometrial thickness and ER and PR levels in DUB patients were significantly higher. In cases showing hyperplastic endometria, ER and PR levels were higher than patients with normal histology. In contrast to hyperplastic tissue, steroid receptor levels decrease in hyperplastic tissue containing atypia.

CONCLUSION:

Altered endometrial morphology and increased receptor levels in DUB patients suggest that unopposed estrogen effect could have an important role in the pathogenesis of DUB. Cases of DUB, which showed atypical hyperplasia, may have a down-regulation of these receptors and could be a precursor lesion to carcinoma and thus do not respond to medical therapy by hormones.

• Authors: Samhita Chakraborty, Nita Khurana, Jai B Sharma, K Uma Chaturvedi
• Journal: Archives of gynecology and obstetrics (Arch Gynecol Obstet) Vol. 272 Issue 1 Pg. 17-22 (Jun 2005) ISSN: 0932-0067 [Print] Germany
• PMID: 15300446 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Receptors, Estrogen
• Receptors, Progesterone

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Case-Control Studies
• Endometrium (metabolism)
• Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
• Female
• Follow-Up Studies
• Humans
• Immunohistochemistry
• Linear Models
• Middle Aged
• Receptors, Estrogen (analysis)
• Receptors, Progesterone (analysis)
• Regression Analysis
• Uterine Hemorrhage (metabolism)