Micturition complaints in postmenopausal women treated with continuously combined hormone replacement therapy: a prospective study

Objectives: To study parameters of the micturition pattern in postmenopausal women and the effect of an oral continuously combined HRT-regimen. Methods: Hormone therapy consisted of 2 mg 17 beta-oestradiol in combination with either 2,5, 5, 10 or 15 mg dydrogesterone, orally once a day. The baseline assessment was done just before starting hormone replacement therapy, the second assessment took place after 6 months of hormone therapy. Data were collected using a standardized questionnaire and focused on diurnal urinary frequency, nocturnal urinary frequency and urinary incontinence as parameters of the micturition pattern. Furthermore, bacteriuria was assessed. Results: One hundred and two women entered the study and 95 women completed 6 months of hormone replacement therapy. Urinary incontinence was reported by 44.1% of the women, in 19.6% of the women it occurred more than twice a week. Both diurnal frequency and nocturnal frequency was reported by 28.4% of the women. For women with frequency or nocturia, the number of voids significantly decreased after 6 months hormone replacement therapy. Nocturia disappeared in 65.4% of the women after treatment and 23.3% reported to be cured of their urinary incontinence. Bacteriuria was present in the same seven women before and after hormone treatment. Dydrogesterone dose did not influence treatment outcomes. Conclusions: Postmenopausal women report improvement on urinary incontinence and nocturia after 6 months of a continuously combined hormone replacement therapy regimen The improvement was most outspoken with regard to nocturia. Bacteriuria was not influenced. Different doses of dydrogesterone did not effect these findings. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.