Effect of raloxifene on the ovarian circulation in women after menopause.
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.
Lidor
Arie L
AL
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the Gertner Institute For Epidemiological Studies, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
Cohen
Shlomo B
SB
Seidman
Daniel S
DS
Novikov
Ilya
I
Rabinovici
Jaron
J
Mashiach
Shlomo
S
Lipitz
Shlomo
S
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
D004338:Drug Combinations; D020845:Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators; D020849:Raloxifene Hydrochloride; D004958:Estradiol; D000077563:Norethindrone Acetate; D009640:Norethindrone