Associated response in bone and lipids during hormone replacement therapy.
OBJECTIVE
In postmenopausal women, we investigated if the response in bone mineral density (BMD) was associated with the response in the atherogenic lipid profile during hormone replacement therapy.


METHODS
We performed an exploratory, post-hoc analysis of data from a prospective double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Healthy postmenopausal women were randomised into five groups, each receiving different combinations of 17 beta-estradiol and gestodene or placebo. A total of 133 women completed the study. The study period was 3 years. The response in bone mass was expressed as the percentage change in BMD from baseline calculated by linear regression from semi-annual measurements. The change in lipid profile was evaluated as the average of three mid-cycle and end-cycle values in percentage from baseline in order to account for cyclic changes during sequential hormone therapy.


RESULTS
A significant correlation between the increase in BMD of the spine and hip and forearm with the decrease in serum low density lipoprotein (LDL) and cholesterol was found. Additionally, the decrease in atherogenic lipids correlated significantly with the response in biochemical bone markers for resorption and formation.


CONCLUSIONS
In conclusion, our study shows that it is the same women who have a favourable response in BMD as in the lipid-profile during hormone replacement therapy (HRT). The association is most likely driven by a common response in FSH to exogenous estradiol therapy. This indicates that common denominators for the response to HRT exist. Further studies are needed to explore and identify such predictors.
Thomsen
Anne Bloch
AB
Center of Clinical Basic Research, Ballerup Byvej 222, 2750 Ballerup, Denmark. abt@ccbr.dk
Silvestri
Sandra
S
Haarbo
Jens
J
Christiansen
Claus
C
Bjarnason
Nina H
NH
D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects*; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000187:drug effects*; D003718:Denmark; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004958:Estradiol / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009652:Norpregnenes / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011372:Progestins / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012044:Regression Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D015415:Biomarkers; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D009652:Norpregnenes; D011372:Progestins; C033273:Gestodene; D004958:Estradiol