Progesterone Therapy in Dermatoses of Pregnancy (Herpes Gestationis)

Herpes Gestationis

“…A reduced scrum level of progesterone and a reduced excretion of pregnanediol and oestrogen have been reported [8,14]. The most commonly reported abnorm ality has been an elevated excretion of gonadotrophins [5,8,12,14,17], but the significance of this finding is unknown. In our cases the excretion of chorionic gonadotrophin was within the range of normal [13,21].…”

Herpes Gestationis.

“…Weidmami in 1938 reported that the pruritus was proportional to the level of gonadotropie principle. Eostenberg (1940) found that urinary gonadotropins persisted post-partum ; Keaty et aL (1951) found that the serum gonadotropins were increased and Gianotti (1954) also reported an increase of urinary gonadotropins. Kappeller-Adler in 1951 reported that gonadotropins decreased histaminase activity.…”

“…Gianotti (1954) found that the blood histamine level was increased but was rendered normal by ACTH. It has been observed that progesterone or testosterone may be beneficial whereas oestrogens may aggravate the condition (Arnold, 1951 ;Beggs, 1952 ;Gianotti, 1956 ;Jones and Howard, 1953 ;Keaty et al, 1951 ;Nonclercq and Boufftoux, 1955 The similarities and differences between these two conditions can be expressed as follows :…”

Herpes Gestationis?a Reconsideration

“…Progesterone has been tried by several authors, bnt Tommasi (1924) considered that it had no infiuence. Kamf (1940) and Keaty et al (1951) administered 25 to 50 mgs. daily and considered that there was a definite remission in all 10 cases.…”