A group-comparative study of effects of Ovestin cream versus Premarin cream in post-menopausal women with vaginal atrophy.

Fourteen post-menopausal women with vaginal atrophy applied, intravaginally, Ovestin cream (0.5 mg oestradiol/day; 7 patients) or Premarin cream (1.25 mg conjugated oestrogens/day; 7 patients) for 3 wk. Effects on plasma E1, E2, E3, FSH, LH, PRL, TRH-stimulated PRL release, SHBG, and on maturation value (MV), ferning (F) and spinnbarkeit (S) were studied. Endometrial biopsies at pre-treatment and at 2 wk were obtained from 2 patients from each group. Premarin induced a significant and progressive rise in E1 and E2 levels and in SHBG, whereas Ovestin induced no changes. Both creams increased E3 slightly and suppressed FSH and LH, Premarin suppression of FSH and LH being significantly greater. No significant changes in PRL or TRH-stimulated PRL release occurred with either cream. A similar, marked rise in the MV occurred, but the effect of Premarin on F and S was significantly greater. Endometrium remained atrophic in the 2 Ovestin-treated patients, but moderate proliferation occurred in the 2 Premarin-treated patients. The data showed Ovestin cream to be superior to Premarin cream because of the absence of undesirable effects on E1 and E2 levels and the subsequent changes in SHBG and endometrium.