Short-term effect of transdermal estrogen on autonomic nervous modulation in postmenopausal women.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of short-term transdermal estradiol-l7b on cardiac autonomic nervous modulation in postmenopausal women.


METHODS
Prospective study.


METHODS
A tertiary medical center.


METHODS
Twenty-one postmenopausal women.


METHODS
Transdermal estradiol or placebo therapy for 3 weeks in randomized, double-blinded, crossover fashion.


METHODS
Heart rate variability measures in both time and frequency domains, serum biochemistry, and climacteric symptoms were compared among baseline, placebo and transdermal estrogen therapies.


RESULTS
Plasma concentration of estradiol rose significantly from 11.0 +/- 5.2 pg/ml to 48.2 +/- 34.0 pg/ml after transdermal estrogen. The standard deviation of RR-interval increased significantly from 30.3 +/- 9.9 ms (placebo) to 31.3 +/- 7.4 ms (transdermal estrogen), and the coefficient of variation of RR-interval increased significantly as compared with the baseline session. The total power was marginally increased as compared among baseline, placebo, and transdermal estrogen sessions. The irritability symptom decreased significantly after transdermal estrogen therapy, as compared with baseline and placebo treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Transdermal estradiol for 3 weeks could significantly increase the global heart rate variability and reduce the irritability symptom in the postmenopausal women. Short-term transdermal estrogen for 3 weeks could improve cardiac autonomic nervous modulation and climacteric symptoms, and might have some cardioprotective effect in postmenopausal women.
Chao
Hsiang-Tai
HT
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Kuo
Cheng-Deng
CD
Su
Yi-Ju
YJ
Chuang
Shin-Shin
SS
Fang
Ya-Jing
YJ
Ho
Low-Tone
LT
D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000368:Aged; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004967:Estrogens / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013997:Time Factors
D004967:Estrogens