title: Evaluation of risk of thrombosis during use of low-dose ethinylestradiol-desogestrel oral contraceptive.
abstract: Thirty healthy young women, non-smokers and of normal weight, used a combined oral contraceptive consisting of 20 micrograms ethinylestradiol and 150 micrograms desogestrel for 9 cycles. Before and during the 3rd, 6th and 9th cycles of contraceptive use, the following parameters were measured: triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, apolipoprotein A and B, prothrombin time, partial thromboplastin time, fibrinogen, antithrombin III, protein C, plasminogen, antiplasmin, tissue plasminogen activator, platelet count, platelet aggregation, beta-thromboglobulin and platelet factor 4. The ratios of total cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol and apolipoprotein A/B remained constant or showed only a slight increase. The clotting/fibrinolytic balance showed a similar trend. There was however, an inconstant but significant increase in antithrombin III and protein C. Platelet count and platelet function parameters were unmodified. Hence the contraceptive induced no substantial changes in lipid balance or blood clotting, at least during the study period.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Massafra
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Butini
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Cavion
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Minuto
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Colombini
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000990:Antithrombin III / Q000378:metabolism; D001054:Apolipoproteins A / Q000378:metabolism; D001055:Apolipoproteins B / Q000378:metabolism; D001780:Blood Coagulation Tests; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D003278:Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017135:Desogestrel / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010958:Plasminogen / Q000378:metabolism; D011486:Protein C / Q000378:metabolism; D012307:Risk Factors; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000139:chemically induced*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D000979:alpha-2-Antiplasmin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001054:Apolipoproteins A; D001055:Apolipoproteins B; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D003278:Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal; D011486:Protein C; D014280:Triglycerides; D000979:alpha-2-Antiplasmin; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol; D017135:Desogestrel; D000990:Antithrombin III; D010958:Plasminogen; D002784:Cholesterol