Effect of tibolone compared with sequential hormone replacement therapy on carbohydrate metabolism in postmenopausal women.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of tibolone on carbohydrate metabolism, and to compare these effects with those of a sequential regimen of conjugated equine estrogens and medrogestone.


METHODS
This was an open-label, multicentre, comparative study. Seventy-two postmenopausal women were randomized to receive either tibolone 2.5 mg/day or conjugated equine estrogens 0.6 mg plus sequential medrogestone 5 mg (CEE/M) for six 28-day cycles. Carbohydrate metabolism was evaluated at baseline and after three and six cycles of treatment by an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). A blood sample was taken at 30, 60, 90 and 120 mm after glucose 75 mg dosing for determination of plasma glucose, insulin and connecting peptide (C-peptide) levels.


RESULTS
The changes from baseline of glucose, insulin and C-peptide area-under-the-curve (AUC) values were not statistically significant after 3 and 6 months of tibolone or CEE/M treatment. There was a small transitory decrease in HbA(1C) after three cycles of treatment with tibolone.


CONCLUSIONS
The effects of tibolone and CEE/M on carbohydrate metabolism were considered to have no clinical significance.
Wiegratz
Inka
I
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, J.W. Goethe-University Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, D-60590 Frankfurt, Germany.
Starflinger
Franz
F
Tetzloff
Wolfgang
W
Leifels-Fischer
Beate
B
Helmond
Frans A
FA
Dericks-Tan
Jeanne S E
JS
Kuhl
Herbert
H
D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D002096:C-Peptide / Q000097:blood; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D020847:Estrogen Receptor Modulators / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004966:Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008524:Medrogestone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D009652:Norpregnenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017698:Postmenopause
D001786:Blood Glucose; D002096:C-Peptide; D020847:Estrogen Receptor Modulators; D004966:Estrogens, Conjugated (USP); D007328:Insulin; D009652:Norpregnenes; D008524:Medrogestone; C027385:tibolone