Effects of intranasal estradiol treatment on serum paraoxonase and lipids in healthy, postmenopausal women.
OBJECTIVE
Serum lipid concentrations worsen after the menopause because of estrogen deficiency, leading to an increased atherogenic pattern. It is known that serum paraoxonase (PON1) activity prevents the development of atherosclerosis. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to observe the effects of intranasal 17beta-estradiol (300 microg/day) on serum PON1 and lipid levels in healthy postmenopausal women.


METHODS
48 healthy, postmenopausal women were enrolled into this cross-sectional study. 28 subjects without an intact uterus and ovaries were using single-dose (300 microg/day) intranasal 17beta-estradiol and 20 subjects with spontaneous natural menopause were not on any hormone therapy. Body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, serum follicle-stimulating hormone, estradiol, fasting glucose, insulin, lipid fractions and PON1 levels were measured. Homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-R) was used to estimate insulin resistance.


RESULTS
The higher estradiol, high-density lipoprotein and salt-stimulated paraoxonase (SSP) levels were observed in intranasal 17beta-estradiol users in comparison with non-users. There were no statistically significant differences in BMI, blood pressures, other lipid fractions, basal paraoxonase, arylesterase, fasting glucose and insulin levels, HOMA-R between the groups. SSP was inversely associated with fasting insulin levels and HOMA-R.


CONCLUSIONS
These observations may suggest that intranasal 17beta-estradiol does not have harmful effects on the PON1 activity and lipid metabolism.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kocatepe University, School of Medicine, Afyon, Turkey. veyselfenkci@yahoo.com
Ibrahim Veysel
IV
Fenkci
Mustafa
M
Serteser
Semin
S
Fenkci
Ahmet Melih
AM
Akyol
D000281:Administration, Intranasal; D000328:Adult; D043303:Aryldialkylphosphatase / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004958:Estradiol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects*
D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D008055:Lipids; D004958:Estradiol; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D043303:Aryldialkylphosphatase