Hormone replacement therapy and lipid-lipoprotein concentrations.

Objective: To evaluate the links between hormone replacement therapy and lipid-lipoprotein concentrations (total cholesterol [T.Ch] triglycerids, high density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-C], low density lipoprotein cholesterol [LDL-C] and very low density lipoprotein cholesterol [VLDL-C]) in a total of 6416 postmenopausal women.

Methods: Open prospective longitudinal study. Of the 2184 surgical postmenopausal women, 1102 received conjugated equine estrogen (CEE), and 1082 transdermal estradiol (TDE2). Of the 4232 natural postmenopausal women: 1073 received CEE+medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA), 1068 CEE+dydrogesterone (DD), 1044 TDE2+MPA, 1047 TDE2+DD. Lipid-lipoprotein concentrations were evaluated by using a SPSS program at 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 years of therapy and cumulatively.

Results: Cumulative evaluation of the data on estrogen only replacement therapy revealed a significant decrease in T.Ch, LDL-C and VLDL-C, and an increase in HDL-C; however, the increase in HDL-C and triglycerids was significantly higher in CEE than TDE2 (P<0.01). Cumulative evaluation of the data on estrogen progestin hormone replacement therapy revealed a significant decrease in T.Ch, LDL-C and an increase in HDL-C for all; however, triglycerides and VLDL levels decreased in TDE2+MPA and TDE2+DD groups (P<0.05).

Conclusions: Both the natural and surgical menopause patients were found to have more favorable lipid profiles after treatment with estrogen progesterone combined formulations and estrogen only replacement.