Prospective evaluation of body weight and body fat distribution in early postmenopausal women with and without hormonal replacement therapy.
OBJECTIVE
In order to assess the effects of menopause and hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) on body weight and body fat distribution (determined by dual energy X-ray), early postmenopausal women were given either oral calcium (500 mg/day, control group, n=13) or HRT, a combination of estradiol valerate (EV, 2 mg/day for 21 days) with cyproterone acetate (CPA, 1 mg/day in the last 10 days of the treatment cycle, n=18; Climen, Schering).


RESULTS
There were no differences in basal body weight and body fat distribution in the two groups before the study. In control group, a significant (P<0.05) increase in body weight (from 63.5+/-2.0 to 68.7+/-2.0 kg after 36 months) paralleled a shift to a prevalent central, android fat distribution with a slight but significant (P<0.05) increase in total body fat mass (from 23.4+/-2.1 to 29.1+/-2.1 kg), an increase in trunk (from 10.1+/-0.4 to 12.7+/-0.4 kg, P<0.05), arms (from 2.4+/-0.2 to 2.9+/-0.2 kg, P<0.05) and legs (from 6.5+/-0.4 to 7.8+/-0.4 kg, P<0.05) fat. In the HRT group total body bone mineral showed a significant increase (from 1086+/-21 to 1128+/-19 mg/cm(2), P<0.05) increase after 36 months, with no significant increase in body weight (from 62.6+/-1.8 to 65.0+/-1.9 kg), and no modifications in trunk (from 10.0+/-0.2 to 10.1+/-0.2 kg) and arms (from 2.4+/-0.1 to 2.6+/-0.1 kg) fat, but a significant increase in legs fat (from 6.9+/-0.3 to 9.9+/-0.4 kg, P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Present results demonstrate that menopause is associated with an accelerated increase in body weight and body fat, with a prevalent central, android fat distribution, that can be counteracted at least in part by oral HRT.
Gambacciani
M
M
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Piero Fioretti, University of Pisa, Via Roma 67, 56100 Pisa, Italy. margamba@tin.it
Ciaponi
M
M
Cappagli
B
B
De Simone
L
L
Orlandi
R
R
Genazzani
A R
AR
D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000273:Adipose Tissue; D001823:Body Composition / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D017373:Cyproterone Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology; D004958:Estradiol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy; D006801:Humans; D008593:Menopause / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies
D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D017373:Cyproterone Acetate; D004958:Estradiol