title: Effects of combined estriol/pravastatin therapy on intima-media thickness of common carotid artery in hyperlipidemic postmenopausal women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Several studies show that 17beta-estradiol (E2) has protective effects on atherosclerosis in the arterial wall in postmenopausal women. Little information is, however, available regarding the effect of estriol (E3) on atherosclerosis. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of E3 alone and combined E3/pravastatin therapy on intima-media thickness (IMT) of common carotid artery in postmenopausal women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-three postmenopausal women were allocated to four groups: daily treatment with E3 (2 mg) alone (E3 group, n = 10), pravastatin (10 mg) alone (pravastatin group, n = 6), combined treatment with E3 (2 mg) and pravastatin (10 mg; E3/pravastatin group, n = 7) and untreated control group (n = 10). All women attended the Kobe University Hospital once a year for routine gynecological and ultrasonographic examinations for the evaluation of atherosclerosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant decrease in IMT was noted in the E3/pravastatin group compared with that in the untreated control group (p < 0.05), whereas there was no significant difference in the reduction rate of IMT in the pravastatin group, E3 group and untreated control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The combined E3/pravastatin therapy appeared to retard the progression of atherosclerosis in postmenopausal women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan. yume-810@nmc-kobe.org
authors.forename: Yoshihiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamanaka
authors.forename: Hiroya
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matsuo
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kurachi
authors.forename: Noriyoshi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Oki
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakago
authors.forename: Kyousuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takeuchi
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maruo
mesh_terms: D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017536:Carotid Artery, Common / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects*; D018450:Disease Progression; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004964:Estriol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage; D017698:Postmenopause; D017035:Pravastatin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000187:drug effects; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000187:drug effects; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D004964:Estriol; D017035:Pravastatin