title: Effects of long-term hormone replacement therapy on arterial wall thickness, lipids and lipoproteins, fibrinogen and antithrombin III.
abstract: We aimed to study the effects of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in menopausal women on lipoproteins, blood coagulation, arterial blood pressure and markers of atherosclerosis. A total of 186 postmenopausal women were studied; 98 used HRT (0.625 mg 17 beta-estradiol plus 10 mg progestin) and were followed for 48 months, and were matched with 98 women without therapy. Low-density lipoproteins, high-density lipoproteins, triglycerides, antithrombin III, systolic and diastolic arterial pressure and intima-media thickness were measured at 6, 12, 24, 38 and 48 months. In users of HRT, we found a significant reduction of the lipoproteins, triglycerides, systolic and diastolic pressures and intima-media thickness; however, we found an increase in high-density lipoproteins and anthitrombin III in comparison with non-users. This study has shown a protective effect of HRT on such risk factors and on certain markers of atherosclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine A. Francaviglia, Angiology Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Catania, Sicily, Italy.
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Signorelli
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sciacchitano
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Di Pino
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pennisi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Caschetto
mesh_terms: D000990:Antithrombin III / Q000378:metabolism*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011372:Progestins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids; D011372:Progestins; D014280:Triglycerides; D004958:Estradiol; D000990:Antithrombin III; D005340:Fibrinogen; D002784:Cholesterol