HT treatment with estrogens alone or in combination with progestogens was associated with a small to moderate improvement in sexual function , particularly in pain , when used in women with menopausal symptoms or in early postmenopause ( within five years of amenorrhoea ) , but not in unselected postmenopausal women .
The current evidence does not suggest an important effect of tibolone or of SERMs alone or combined with estrogens on sexual function .
BACKGROUND The perimenopausal and postmenopausal periods are associated with many symptoms , including sexual complaints .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effect of hormone therapy ( HT ) on  sexual function in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women .
Effects of ospemifene (FC-1271a) on uterine endometrium, vaginal maturation index, and hormonal status in healthy postmenopausal women.
OBJECTIVE Selective estrogen receptor modulators ( SERMs ) are drugs that exhibit both estrogen agonistic and antagonistic effects that are tissue-specific . Ospemifene ( FC-1271a ) is a novel SERM compound , which has been shown in animal models to have estrogen-like effects on bone and the cardiovascular system , while having antiestrogen-like effects in uterus and breast . In this study , we investigated the effects of ospemifene on the uterine endometrium , vaginal maturation index and hormonal status in healthy postmenopausal women . METHODS The study was conducted as a double-blind , placebo-controlled phase I study , where 40 healthy postmenopausal women volunteers were r and omized to receive daily oral doses of ospemifene either 25 , 50 , 100 or 200 mg or placebo for 12 weeks . Vaginal ultrasonography and endometrial biopsy were performed and vaginal maturation index determined at baseline and at 12 weeks ' visit . Serum concentrations of estradiol , luteinizing hormone , follicle stimulating hormone ( FSH ) , sex-hormone binding globulin ( SHBG ) , parathyroid hormone and prolactin were determined from sample s taken at baseline , at 4 days and at 4 , 12 , and 16 weeks ' visits . Climacteric symptoms were assessed using 12 visual analogue scales ( VAS ) at baseline and at the end of the study . RESULTS No clinical ly significant changes were seen in endometrial thickness at any dose level . Ospemifene exerted a very weak estrogenic effect on endometrial histology . On the other h and , it induced a clear estrogenic effect on vaginal epithelium . Among the endocrine parameters only FSH and SHBG showed significant dose dependent changes ; FSH decreased and SHBG increased during the treatment . In general , ospemifene was well tolerated . The 25 and 50 mg doses tended to reduce climacteric symptoms , but no statistically significant differences were observed between different doses of ospemifene and placebo . The highest dose level ( 200 mg ) induced more subjective adverse reactions , especially hot flushes , than lower doses . CONCLUSION Our study suggests that a safe and well tolerated dose of ospemifene for potential clinical use may be between 25 and 100 mg . Further studies are needed to substantiate the results of this Phase I pilot study
HT treatment with estrogens alone or in combination with progestogens was associated with a small to moderate improvement in sexual function , particularly in pain , when used in women with menopausal symptoms or in early postmenopause ( within five years of amenorrhoea ) , but not in unselected postmenopausal women .
The current evidence does not suggest an important effect of tibolone or of SERMs alone or combined with estrogens on sexual function .
BACKGROUND The perimenopausal and postmenopausal periods are associated with many symptoms , including sexual complaints .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effect of hormone therapy ( HT ) on  sexual function in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women .