The efficacy of dietary intervention alone or combined with hormone replacement therapy in postmenopausal women with hypercholesterolemia in Seoul, Korea.
BACKGROUND
Women have an increased incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) due to hormone imbalance-induced changes in blood lipid profiles after menopause.


OBJECTIVE
This study was done to compare the effects of dietary intervention and hormone replacement therapy, alone or in combination, on blood lipids and body weight in Korean postmenopausal women with hypercholesterolemia.


METHODS
The subjects were treated by one of three different treatments for 12 weeks: hormone replacement therapy (HRT group, n = 8), dietary intervention (DIET group, n = 8) and hormone replacement therapy combined with dietary intervention (HRT+DIET group, n = 8).


RESULTS
Serum TC and LDL-C levels decreased by 13-16 % and 24-28 % in the HRT group, by 17-19 % and 21-23 % in the DIET group and by 19-26 % and 32-39 % in the HRT+DIET group, respectively ( P < 0.05). Serum HDL-C levels decreased in the DIET group (-6.4 %, P < 0.05) but not in the HRT and HRT+DIET groups. Serum TG levels increased in the HRT group (18 %, P < 0.05) but decreased in the DIET group (-24.4 %, P < 0.05). In the HRT+ DIET group, serum TG levels did not change. Body weight decreased only in the DIET group.


CONCLUSIONS
We can conclude that dietary intervention produces a considerable improvement in blood lipid profiles and body weight, even though our study is limited by the sample size. Thus, the treatment to reduce risk of CVD should be individualized on the basis of the patient's dietary intake status, and at least, HRT should not be substituted for dietary intervention.
Korean Living Science Research Institute, Hanyang University, 17 Haengdang-dong Sungdong-ku, Seoul, 133-791, Korea. kaj0417@hanmail.net
Kyungah
K
Jung
Sangyeon
S
Kim
Jeongik
J
Woo
Yookyung
Y
Chang
D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D018752:Diet, Fat-Restricted; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000097:blood / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000502:physiology
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol