title: Effect of raloxifene on the ovarian circulation in women after menopause.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We sought to determine whether raloxifene effects the ovarian circulation in women after menopause.
  
  
  METHODS
  The resistance indices of the ovarian blood flow were assessed in 130 women after menopause who were randomly assigned to receive either 60 mg of raloxifene, a continuous combined estrogen-progestin tablet daily, or neither treatment for 24 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The women who received raloxifene or hormonal replacement therapy had a significant time-related decrease in the resistance index of the ovarian artery blood flow compared to baseline values (resistance index, 0.91) starting after 12 and 18 months of treatment (resistance index, 0.88 and 0.89, respectively; P <.002 and.001, respectively). Whereas significant increases in the resistance index respective to the prestudy values were observed in the nontreated women at 24 months (resistance index, 0.93; P <.0001). The mean (+/-SD) resistance index of the ovarian blood flow at the end of the study (resistance index, 0.89) was significantly lower in the women who were treated with raloxifene than in the women who were treated with hormone replacement therapy (P <.002). No changes in the ovarian dimensions or appearance were noticed during the entire study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Daily therapy with raloxifene has significant ovarian vascular-relaxing effect in women after menopause. This potentially important direct vasculoprotective long-term effect of raloxifene on cardiovascular disease deserves further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the Gertner Institute For Epidemiological Studies, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
authors.forename: Arie L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Lidor
authors.forename: Shlomo B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: Daniel S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Seidman
authors.forename: Ilya
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Novikov
authors.forename: Jaron
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rabinovici
authors.forename: Shlomo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mashiach
authors.forename: Shlomo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lipitz
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004958:Estradiol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008593:Menopause / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009640:Norethindrone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077563:Norethindrone Acetate; D010053:Ovary / Q000098:blood supply*; D020849:Raloxifene Hydrochloride / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000187:drug effects; D020845:Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; D020845:Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators; D020849:Raloxifene Hydrochloride; D004958:Estradiol; D000077563:Norethindrone Acetate; D009640:Norethindrone