CAJ | 학술논문

Objective To investigate the relationship between estradiol, progesterone and endothelin (ET) and abnormal uterine bleeding after using sub-dermal contraceptive implant Materials & methods A prospective self-control clinical trial was conducted in 29 women in the self-control group. Blood samples were obtained on four occasions across the different phases of menstrual cycle before and after using implant. A blood sample was taken for a single determination in another 59 women in the already-use implant group. Plasma of estradiol, progesterone and endothelin were determined by using radioimmunoassays (RIA) in both groups.Results The level of estradiol and progesterone had no significant differences in women before and after using implant in self-control group. The level of estradiol,progesterone had no differences between women with normal and abnormal menstrual cycle in both groups. The levels of plasma endothelin (ET) in women with abnormal bleeding pattern were higher than women with normal bleeding pattern, but difference was not significant. Women with abnormal bleeding pattern had significantly higher ET level than that in women with normal bleeding pattern before using implants,especially in early-proliferative phase and mid-proliferative phase. the level of plasma endothelin was significantly higher in women with disturbed bleeding pattern than that in normal women in the already-use group.Conclusion High serum concentrations of ET are likely to be correlated with abnormal uterine bleeding in long-term subdermal contraceptive implants users.