OBJECTIVE: Postmenopausal women have higher risk of cardiovascular events compared with premenopausal. The aim of this clinical study was to evaluate the effect of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on the atherogenic profile in apparently healthy postmenopausal women.
METHOD: The subjects were 76 healthy postmenopausal women, aged 45 to 59 years, and 15 premenopausal women with regular cycles, aged 40 to 45 years. 63 postmenopausal women completed the study. None of the participating women had a history of hypertension, diabetes mellitus or medications known to affect the cardiovascular system. Twenty seven postmenopausal women received daily 50 micrograms of transdermal estradiol and 100 milligrams of oral progesterone. Thirty six dit not receive HRT. Checkups were preformed at baseline and after six months of treatment, except the group of premenopausal women (only at baseline). Examinations consisted in measurement of body weight, length, waist/hip ratio and plasma levels of biochemical parameters.
RESULTS: Estradiol levels were higher among premenopausal women than among treated and non-treated postmenopausal women (83 +/- 78.47 versus 10 +/- 3.99; 12 +/- 4.56 mg/l, p < 0.0001). Levels of serum cholesterol (198 +/- 30.2 versus 236 +/- 33.7; 228 +/- 32.8 mg/dl; p < 0.002), LDL-cholesterol (120 +/- 25 versus 151 +/- 34.2; 144 +/- 31.5 mg/dl, p < 0.02), uric acid (3.98 +/- 0.5 versus 4.6 +/- 1; 4.8 +/- 1 mg/dl, p < 0.004) and homocysteine (9.8 +/- 3.3 versus 13 +/- 3.1; 11 +/- 1.7 mmol/l, p < 0.02) were higher among postmenopausal women than among premenopausal women. The treated women showed higher levels of serum estradiol (49 +/- 34.43 versus 10 +/- 3.99, p < 0.0001) and CRP (0.11 +/- 0.06 vs. 0.24 +/- 0.12 mg/l, p < 0.05), lower waist/hip ratio (0.82 +/- 0.06 versus 0.83 +/- 0.05, p < 0.03), glucose (78 +/- 15.4 versus 85 +/- 14.3 mg/dl, p < 0.03), cholesterol (215 +/- 33.2 versus 236 +/- 33.7 mg/dl, p < 0.03), triglycerides (90 +/- 30.1 versus 106 +/- 47 mg/dl, p < 0.003) and calcium (9.4 +/- 0.4 versus 9.5 +/- 0.4 mg/dl, p < 0.0005) than postmenopausal women without hormone replacement.
CONCLUSION: That HRT may have a favourable effect on atherogenic profile in apparently healthy postmenopausal women.