We have identified a deficiency in the exercise induced increase in bone mass in stressed bones of premenopausal amenorrheic women. The lack of bone strengthening which usually occurs in this setting appears to lead to an increase in fracture rate particularly in women with delayed menarche. This problem is of considerable importance to an exercising female population. We wish to examine the effects of estrogen replacement in this group to determine if this normal physiologic response can be reinitiated with hormonal therapy. Sixty exercising amenorrheic ballet dancers will be allocated randomly into two treatment groups: (A) estrogen treated, (B) placebo. After two years treatment, the participants will continue in the study for one year. The women will be randomized into four subgroups: (A) hormone treated unchanged, (B) placebo treated unchanged, (C) hormone treated to placebo, and (D) placebo to hormone treated. A control group of 25 normal dancers will be followed. All subjects will receive 10OOg calcium/day during both studies. The response of the skeleton in exercising women will thus be examined on estrogen replacement to determine if a normal increase in bone mass occurs with therapy and determine of the pattern persists after withdrawal of therapy. Injury rates in all groups will be followed to determine if there is a relation to injury and compared to normal controls on no medication. Further understanding of the role of estrogen deficiency on the skeleton of the premenopausal exercising women would radically alter attitudes towards the importance of therapy to prevent injury and would lead to the formulation of effective treatment to prevent stress fractures, particularly in a young population.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01HD022171-07
Application #
2198470
Study Section
Reproductive Biology Study Section (REB)
Project Start
1986-08-01
Project End
1995-07-31
Budget Start
1992-08-01
Budget End
1995-07-31
Support Year
7
Fiscal Year
1992
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
St. Luke's Roosevelt Hosp Center (New York)
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
New York
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
10025
Schneider, Lisa F; Monaco, Sara E; Warren, Michelle P (2008) Elevated ghrelin level in women of normal weight with amenorrhea is related to disordered eating. Fertil Steril 90:121-8
Schneider, Lisa F; Warren, Michelle P (2006) Functional hypothalamic amenorrhea is associated with elevated ghrelin and disordered eating. Fertil Steril 86:1744-9
Warren, Michelle P; Brooks-Gunn, Jeanne; Fox, Richard P et al. (2003) Persistent osteopenia in ballet dancers with amenorrhea and delayed menarche despite hormone therapy: a longitudinal study. Fertil Steril 80:398-404
Warren, Michelle P; Brooks-Gunn, Jeanne; Fox, Richard P et al. (2002) Osteopenia in exercise-associated amenorrhea using ballet dancers as a model: a longitudinal study. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 87:3162-8
Kaufman, Becky A; Warren, Michelle P; Dominguez, Jennifer E et al. (2002) Bone density and amenorrhea in ballet dancers are related to a decreased resting metabolic rate and lower leptin levels. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 87:2777-83
Graber, J A; Brooks-Gunn, J; Warren, M P (1999) The vulnerable transition: puberty and the development of eating pathology and negative mood. Womens Health Issues 9:107-14
Warren, M P; Holderness, C C; Lesobre, V et al. (1994) Hypothalamic amenorrhea and hidden nutritional insults. J Soc Gynecol Investig 1:84-8
Holderness, C C; Brooks-Gunn, J; Warren, M P (1994) Eating disorders and substance use: a dancing vs a nondancing population. Med Sci Sports Exerc 26:297-302
Jonnavithula, S; Warren, M P; Fox, R P et al. (1993) Bone density is compromised in amenorrheic women despite return of menses: a 2-year study. Obstet Gynecol 81:669-74
Linday, L A; Greenblatt, D J; Warren, M P et al. (1991) Changes in salivary antipyrine pharmacokinetics during adolescence, correlated with age, hormonal levels and Tanner stage. Dev Pharmacol Ther 16:194-202

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