Metabolic and hormonal effects of 25-mg and 50-mg 17 beta-estradiol implants in surgically menopausal women.
A prospective study involving 12 surgically menopausal women was undertaken to determine whether 17 beta-estradiol pellets could maintain bone mineral content without inducing adverse cardiovascular side effects. Surgically menopausal women were randomly selected to have either 25-mg or 50-mg pellets implanted subcutaneously. The bone mineral content of the midshaft of the nondominant radius in the combined group--measured by single photon absorptiometry--increased by 1.8% over the two-year period of observation (P less than .03); the distal bone mineral content of the radius was maintained at 0.8% per annum. No adverse effects were noted in the coagulation profiles or in the coagulation inhibition and fibrinolysis assays of both groups. Serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides were unaltered, but serum cholesterol values decreased during the six-month period of observation by 14 mg/dL (P less than .05) and 11 mg/dL in the 25- and 50-mg groups, respectively. Carbohydrate and insulin metabolism was unaffected, as was the systolic and diastolic blood pressure. There were no significant intergroup differences in any of the parameters measured. The serum estradiol/estrone ratios of 1.45 and 1.59 reflected a physiologic estrogen milieu at the 25- and 50-mg dosages. Subcutaneous 17 beta-estradiol pellets can effectively maintain the bone mineral content of surgically menopausal women without inducing adverse cardiovascular side effects.
Notelovitz
M
M
Center for Climacteric Studies, Inc., Gainesville, Florida.
Johnston
M
M
Smith
S
S
Kitchens
C
C
D000328:Adult; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000378:metabolism; D004343:Drug Implants; D004958:Estradiol / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008593:Menopause; D008875:Middle Aged; D008903:Minerals / Q000378:metabolism; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D010052:Ovariectomy; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
D004343:Drug Implants; D008055:Lipids; D008903:Minerals; D013739:Testosterone; D004958:Estradiol