Tibolone improves myocardial perfusion in postmenopausal women with ischemic heart disease: an open-label exploratory pilot study.
OBJECTIVE
We sought to determine the effect of tibolone on myocardial perfusion in postmenopausal women with ischemic heart disease.


BACKGROUND
Tibolone is a steroid that relieves climacteric symptoms and prevents osteoporosis. Recent studies have suggested a cardioprotective effect of this compound. However, its role on myocardial perfusion remains uncertain.


METHODS
Single-photon emission computed tomography myocardial perfusion imaging was performed in 26 postmenopausal women. Patients were randomly assigned to tibolone for six months (treatment group) or to usual care (control group). All women underwent cardiac imaging at baseline and at six months.


RESULTS
Mean stress perfusion defect (summed stress score) was moderate and did not differ between the two groups (8 +/- 3 vs. 9 +/- 4; p = NS). Summed difference score also was similar for both groups (7 +/- 3 vs. 8 +/- 3; p = NS). The six-month study revealed that summed stress and summed difference scores significantly improved in the treatment group (to 3 +/- 3 and to 2 +/- 2; p < 0.001) whereas it remained unchanged for control patients (to 10 +/- 4 and to 8 +/- 2; p = NS).


CONCLUSIONS
In postmenopausal women with ischemic heart disease, six months of therapy with tibolone significantly improved stress myocardial perfusion and the "amount of ischemia."
Campisi
Roxana
R
Instituto de Cardiología La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina. roxanacampisi@aol.com
Camilletti
Jorge
J
Mele
Aníbal
A
Erriest
Juan
J
Pedroni
Pablo
P
Guiglioni
Ariel
A
D000368:Aged; D003326:Coronary Circulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009652:Norpregnenes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017698:Postmenopause; D020845:Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left
D009652:Norpregnenes; D020845:Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators; C027385:tibolone