Progesterone challenge test and estrogen assays in menopausal women with endometrial adenomatous hyperplasia

Abstract

In an attempt to detect asymptomatic endometrial adenomatous hyperplasia in postmenopausal women, 40 cases were subjected to progesterone challenge test (PCT), measurement of serum estrogen and endometrial curettage. Group A (n = 30) included asymptomatic postmenopausal women, while group B (control group; n = 10) were cases with adenomatous hyperplasia (AH) diagnosed by biopsy. PCT showed a 100% sensitivity, 92% specificity, 71.4% predictive value of a positive test and 100% predictive value of a negative test in the detection of AH. Mean serum concentrations of E1 and E2 were significantly higher in patients with AH compared to cases with other endometrial histologies. Serum E1 and E2 and PCT can be used as screening tests to identify postmenopausal women with endometrial AH and thus at a greater risk of developing carcinoma.