Restovar--new low-dose, combined, oral contraceptive. Effects on serum proteins, free testosterone and clinical efficacy
Cullberg, G.; Adelgaard, J.; Andersen, J.N.; Andersen, E.S.; Berg, H.; Bergink, E.W.; Buhl, G.; Pedersen, J.H.; Poulsen, L.
Contraceptive Delivery Systems 5(2): 97-104
1984
ISSN/ISBN: 0143-6112 PMID: 12266201 Document Number: 403524
A combined oral contraceptive (OC, Restovar, Organon) containing 0.0375 mg ethinyl estradiol and 0.75 mg lynestrenol was investigated. Various clinical and laboratory variables were studied in 164 women over 1376 treatment cycles. No pregnancies occurred. In common with other low-dose combined preparations, Restovar also caused some intermenstrual bleeding but acceptability was good in the majority of women. The frequency of general complaints was low. The estrogen-sensitive proteins, ceruloplasmin and transcortin, increased in proportion to the estrogen content of the preparation. The estrogen-androgen-sensitive proteins, sex hormone binding globulin, and thyroxin binding globulin, increased to a rather high level. Free testosterone decreased significantly. The elevation of sex hormone binding globulin level was accompanied by a decrease in free testosterone. The strong increases in sex hormone binding globulin and thyroxin binding globulin indicate that the preparation has a very low androgenic activity. The latter was confirmed in 2 women with initially low sex hormone binding globulin levels who showed a marked improvement in hirsutism and acne during treatment; this improvement was correlated with an increase in sex hormone binding globulin and decreased free testosterone levels.