Antioxidant effects of hormone replacement therapy in postmenopausal women.
OBJECTIVE
Postmenopausal women are more likely to develop coronary artery disease than premenopausal women of the same age. Postmenopausal oral oestrogen therapy is associated with increased levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and decreased levels of lowdensity lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. In this study we investigated the direct contribution of hormone replacement therapy on total antioxidant capacity rather than its effects on the serum lipid profile.


METHODS
At the time of enrolment and after the drug delivery plasma total cholesterol, triglycerides (TG), HDL, LDL, uric acid, total bilirubin, albumin, oestradiol levels and total antioxidant capacity of plasma were assessed.


RESULTS
Levels of plasma TG and total antioxidant capacity were significantly increased in the study group.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that oestrogen has an antioxidant effect following 3 months of hormone replacement therapy. Progesterone in combination with oestrogen does not have this effect. Also plasma TG levels increased in those patients receiving HRT after 3 months.
Delibasi
Tuncay
T
Ankara Numune Hospital, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Ankara, Turkey. tuncay@delibasi.net
Kockar
Cem
C
Celik
Alper
A
Kockar
Olga
O
D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000494:pharmacology; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood*
D000975:Antioxidants; D014280:Triglycerides; D011374:Progesterone; D002784:Cholesterol