Effects of surgical menopause and estrogen replacement therapy on atrio-ventricular conduction and ventricular repolarization.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of surgical menopause and estrogen replacement therapy on atrio-ventricular conduction and ventricular repolarization in women.


METHODS
In a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial 50 women underwent hystero-salpingo-oophorectomy. Twenty-five women were treated with 50 microg/die of transdermal estradiol and the other 25 were treated with placebo patches. The duration of the treatment was 12 cycles. Before surgery and after 12 cycles of treatment, a standard electrocardiogram was performed to evaluate atrio-ventricular conduction time and cardiac repolarization time.


RESULTS
No significant variations in atrio-ventricuar conduction time and cardiac repolarization time were detected between the two groups at entry, nor was there any difference in both groups after 12 cycles of treatment with transdermal estradiol.


CONCLUSIONS
Surgical menopause and estrogen replacement therapy do not modify atrio-ventricular conduction and ventricular repolarization in women.
Siniscalchi
M
M
Department of Geriatrics and Metabolic Disease, Second University of Naples, Piazza Miraglia, 80138 Naples, Italy. dario.giugliano@unina2.it
De Franciscis
P
P
Palomba
S
S
Di Palo
C
C
Colacurci
N
N
Nappi
C
C
Giugliano
D
D
D000328:Adult; D001283:Atrioventricular Node / Q000187:drug effects*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy; D008593:Menopause / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010052:Ovariectomy; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D016276:Ventricular Function / Q000187:drug effects*