title: Effects of raloxifene and hormone replacement therapy on markers of serum atherogenicity in healthy postmenopausal women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effect of raloxifene (RLX) and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on non-high density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) levels and the apolipoprotein-B/apolipoprotein-A1 (apo-B/apo-A1) concentration ratio, markers of serum atherogenicity, in postmenopausal women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred and ninety healthy postmenopausal women aged 45-72 years were enrolled in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel trial at eight outpatient sites in the United States. Women were randomly assigned to receive continuous combined HRT (0.625 mg/day conjugated equine estrogen and 2.5 mg/day medroxyprogesterone acetate), 60 or 120 mg/day raloxifene, or placebo for 6 months. Serum concentrations of non-HDL cholesterol and the apo-B/apo-A1 concentration ratio were measured in serum samples obtained at baseline and at 6 months of treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At 6 months, non-HDL-C and apo-B/apo-A1 were significantly reduced by 60 mg/day RLX (10 and 11%, respectively), 120 mg/day RLX (9 and 12%, respectively) and HRT (10 and 12%, respectively), compared with placebo. The effect of all treatments to lower non-HDL-C and apo-B/apo-A1 was greatest in women with hypercholesterolemia (total-C>240 mg/dl) at baseline. Among women with undesirable (>160 mg/dl) non-HDL cholesterol at baseline, RLX and HRT lowered the percentage of these women remaining above this threshold after 6 months (placebo, 89%; 60 mg/day RLX, 61%; 120 mg/day RLX, 74%; HRT, 58%). Similar results were observed for women with high (>190 mg/dl) non-HDL cholesterol at baseline.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In healthy postmenopausal women, RLX and HRT lower serum non-HDL-C and apo-B/apo-A1, indicators of serum atherogenicity, to a similar extent.
authors.affiliation: Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Lilly Corporate Center, Indianapolis, IN 46285, USA. anderson_pamela_w@lilly.com
authors.forename: P W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sashegyi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Paul
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Silfen
authors.forename: B W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Walsh
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016632:Apolipoprotein A-I / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects*; D001055:Apolipoproteins B / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004966:Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy; D006801:Humans; D017258:Medroxyprogesterone Acetate / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause; D045167:Progesterone Congeners / Q000008:administration & dosage; D020849:Raloxifene Hydrochloride / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020845:Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D016632:Apolipoprotein A-I; D001055:Apolipoproteins B; D004966:Estrogens, Conjugated (USP); D045167:Progesterone Congeners; D020845:Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators; D020849:Raloxifene Hydrochloride; D002784:Cholesterol; D017258:Medroxyprogesterone Acetate