When considering the reason for the abnormal liver-function tests in subjects to whom oral contraceptives have been administered it has been suggested that either the oestrogen or the progestogen component is responsible for the changes in these tests (Adlercreutz, 1964; Eisalo et al., 1964; Boake et nl., 1965; Stoll et al., 1966) or that a synergetic action of the two components takes place (Borglin, 1965; Eisalo et al., 1965).The present study concerns liver-function tests in subjects who have received synthetic oestrogen, progestin and their combinations. Synthetic steroids widely used as oral contraceptives were employed in the study.
Subjects and MethodsThe series consisted of 40 postmenopausal women divided into four groups, each comprising 10 subjects. For 28 consecutive days the first group was administered daily 0.15 mg of mestranol (3-methoxy-l7a-ethinyloestradiol), the second group 5 mg of lynoestrenol (1 7a-ethinyloestrenol), the third 0.05 mg of 17aethinyloestradiol, and the fourth 4 mg of megestrol acetate (1 7a-acetoxy-6-methylpreg-4.6-dien-3.20-dione). One woman refused to take mestranol on trial. After the initial phase the experiment was continued for a consecutive period of 28 days by combining the treatment in the oestrogen groups with the progestin compound and in the progestin groups with the