The comparative effects of the administration of cortisone, estrogen-progestin, and placebo on the clinical manifestations of the polycystic ovary (Stein-Leventhal) syndrome.

ABSTRACT

PIP To test the use of cortisons administration in treating the polycystic ovary syndrome, 26 patients were treated with placebo tablets for 6 months, followed by 50 mg cortisone acetate daily for 3 months and then 25 mg cortisone acetate daily for 12 months. The patients were then treated with 2.5 mg norethynodrel and .1 mg mestranol daily for 6 months. Basal body temperature, vaginal hormone cytology, glucose tolerance tests, total urinary gonadotropin assays and steroid profile studies were conducted throughout the treatments. The placebo and cortisone therapy failed to regularly induce ovulation, regulate the menstrual cycle, or otherwise improve the patients' condition, and in some of the patients during the cortisone phase, their acne and hirsutism worsened. The estrogen-progestin treatment did cause a considerable improvement in the patients' acne and hirsutism. It is concluded that cortisone administration is not useful in treating the polycystic ovary syndrome and that the syndrome's symptoms are of ovarian rather than adrenal origin.^ieng