Skip Navigation


Human Reproduction Update Advance Access originally published online on July 14, 2007
Human Reproduction Update 2007 13(6):567-580; doi:10.1093/humupd/dmm023
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
13/6/567    most recent
dmm023v1
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (2)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Horne, F. M.
Right arrow Articles by Blithe, D. L.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Horne, F. M.
Right arrow Articles by Blithe, D. L.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Published by Oxford University Press 2007

Progesterone receptor modulators and the endometrium: changes and consequences{dagger}

Frances McFarland Horne1 and Diana L. Blithe2,3

1 Rose Li & Associates, Inc., Bethesda, MD 20817, USA 2 Contraception and Reproductive Health Branch, Center for Population Research, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institute of Health, 6100 Executive Boulevard, Room 8B13, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA

3 Correspondence address. Tel: +301-435-6990; Fax: +301-480-1972; E-mail: blithed{at}mail.nih.gov

Progesterone receptor modulators (PRMs) have been used for contraceptive research, as well as for treatment of fibroids, endometriosis and heavy or irregular menstrual bleeding. Long-term treatment with these compounds results in changes to the endometrium resulting in potential confusion in trying to characterize endometrial biopsies. A meeting was held to discuss the properties of PRMs, the effects of perturbed hormonal control of the endometrium and the need for further understanding of the biology of progesterone receptor action to facilitate the development of new PRMs. A panel of pathologists was convened to evaluate endometrial changes associated with a minimum of three months of chronic treatment with PRMs. Four different agents were used in the treatment regimens but the pathologists were blinded to treatment regimen or agent. The panel agreed that the endometrial biopsies did not fit into a classification of either proliferative or secretory endometrium but exhibited an unusual architecture that could be characterized as glandular dilatation. There was little evidence of mitosis, consistent with a proposed anti-proliferative effect of PRMs. The panel concluded that the biopsies did not reveal evidence of safety concern and that pathologists and investigators familiar with endometrial effects of chronic PRM exposure should consider working with pharmaceutical companies and regulatory agencies to develop standard descriptions of PRM-associated endometrial changes as well as the types of histologic changes that would signal a need for intervention.

Received on March 22, 2007; revised May 14, 2007; accepted on June 6, 2007


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?




Disclaimer:
Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.