Nunes, ElsaGallardo, EugeniaNunes, SaraMoutinho, José Fonseca2024-12-102024-12-102022Nunes, E., Gallardo, E., Morgado-Nunes, S., & Fonseca-Moutinho, J. (2022). Steroid hormone levels in postmenopausal hysterectomised women with and without ovarian conservation: the continuous endocrine function of the ovaries. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 43(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/01443615.2022.2141618http://hdl.handle.net/10400.11/9222This study aims to clarify the effect of postmenopausal bilateral oophorectomy on plasma steroid hormone levels. Women who were submitted in the postmenopausal period to hysterectomy for uterine benign conditions were divided into two groups: 18 women had isolated hysterectomy and 11 had hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. In both groups serum hormone levels were quantified by solid phase extraction and gas chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry. Differences in dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), testosterone, androstenedione and oestradiol were determined in both groups. The analysis revealed lower steroid levels in the bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy group when compared to the isolated hysterectomy group with statistically significant differences found for DHEA (5.8 ± 3.2 vs. 9.4 ± 4.4 ng/mL; p ¼ 0.019) and oestradiol (0.69 ± 0.4 vs. 1.48 ± 4.3 ng/mL; p ¼ 0.007). The results are consistent with a significant endocrine activity of the postmenopausal ovary. The clinical consequences of these findings need to be clarified and postmenopausal prophylactic bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy re-evaluated.engMenopauseOophorectomyAndrogensOestrogensDehydroepiandrosteroneIntracrinologyjournal article10.1080/01443615.2022.2141618