The effect of oral contraceptives on aromatase and Cox-2 expression in the endometrium of patients with idiopathic menorrhagia or adenomyosis

Figures & data

Figure 1 Aromatase expression in the glandular epithelium of the endometrium, in a patient with a normal uterus and symptoms of menorrhagia. Arrows point to areas of aromatase expression in the glandular epithelium.

Figure 2 Cox-2 expression in the endometrial glands of a patient with idiopathic menorrhagia.

Abbreviation: Cox-2, cyclooxygenase-2.

Table 1 Aromatase and Cox-2 expression in the endometrium of patients with idiopathic menorrhagia or adenomyosis

	Aromatase (% positive)	Cox-2 (mean score)
Idiopathic menorrhagia	36/45 (80%)	1.7
Adenomyosis	32/43 (74%)*	1.6**

Notes:

* P = 0.7 (NS);

** P = 0.18 (NS).

Abbreviations: Cox-2, cyclooxygenase-2; NS, not significant.

Figure 3 Aromatase expression in both the atrophic endometrial glands and decidual stroma, in a patient with idiopathic menorrhagia who was experiencing breakthrough bleeding during the use of an oral contraceptive containing drospirenone in an extended regimen.

Table 2 Aromatase expression in oral contraceptive users in relation to the presence of breakthrough bleeding, when compared with nonusers

	Positive aromatase expression
Nonusers (groups A + B)	68/88 (77%)
Oral contraceptive users (group C)	7/39 (18%)*
Oral contraceptive users in amenorrhea	0/27 (0%)
Oral contraceptive users with breakthrough bleeding	7/12 (60%)**,***

Notes:

* Significantly less than in nonusers (P < 0.001);

** not significant when compared with nonusers.

*** significantly different from the group of oral contraceptive users with amenorrhea (P < 0.01).