Effects of a long-term treatment with raloxifene on insulin sensitivity in postmenopausal women.
OBJECTIVE
Our aim was to investigate the effect of long-term administration of raloxifene, a selective estrogen receptor modulator, on insulin sensitivity, glucose tolerance and plasma lipid concentrations in a group of postmenopausal women.


METHODS
A total of 24 women with postmenopausal osteoporosis were consecutively enrolled and randomly assigned to take raloxifene, 60 mg/day for 12 months or placebo. At baseline and after 6 and 12 months, in each subject insulin sensitivity (M-index) was assessed by means of an euglycaemic hyperinsulinaemic clamp. Plasma concentrations of total cholesterol, triglycerides and HDL-cholesterol were also measured and glucose tolerance was evaluated.


RESULTS
In the raloxifene-treated group, the M index decreased after 6 and 12 months with respect to the placebo group (-21%, p=0.042 and -23%, p=0.018, respectively). Neither fasting plasma glucose nor glucose tolerance changed in the raloxifene-treated group, compared to the placebo group. Low density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations decreased at 12 months (-13%, p=0.047).


CONCLUSIONS
A long-term treatment with raloxifene in osteoporotic, otherwise healthy post-menopausal women can reduce insulin sensitivity without affecting glucose tolerance.
Lasco
A
A
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Messina School of Medicine, 98100, Messina, Italy. alasco@unime.it.
Gaudio
A
A
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Messina School of Medicine, 98100, Messina, Italy.
Morabito
N
N
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Messina School of Medicine, 98100, Messina, Italy.
Previti
M
M
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Messina School of Medicine, 98100, Messina, Italy.
Mileto
A
A
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Messina School of Medicine, 98100, Messina, Italy.
Frisina
N
N
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Messina School of Medicine, 98100, Messina, Italy.
Cucinotta
D
D
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Messina School of Medicine, 98100, Messina, Italy.
D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D015309:Glucose Clamp Technique; D006801:Humans; D006946:Hyperinsulinism; D007328:Insulin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010919:Placebos; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D020849:Raloxifene Hydrochloride / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020845:Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D010919:Placebos; D020845:Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators; D020849:Raloxifene Hydrochloride