title: Effect of oral hormone replacement therapy on plasma homocysteine levels.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Various inherited or acquired conditions can lead to mild or severe hyperhomocysteinemia, which has toxic effects on the vascular endothelium. It has been reported that hormone replacement therapy is associated with decreased homocysteine plasma levels, but this is still a controversial issue.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare homocysteine plasma levels in women before and after 3 months of oral hormone replacement therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-four women were selected to take part in the study. Blood samples were collected immediately before hormone replacement therapy (cyclic association of 2 mg of estradiol valerate and 1 mg of cyproterone acetate) and three months after the beginning of hormone replacement therapy. Samples collected before hormone replacement therapy were used as controls. Plasma homocysteine levels and the presence of C677T mutation in the methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase gene were evaluated in all participants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase gene mutation was detected in 8 women (33.3%) in heterozygosis, in 3 (12.5%) in homozygosis, and 13 women (54.2%) did not present the mutation. No significant differences were observed in homocysteine levels before and after three months of oral hormone replacement therapy, regardless of the C677T genotype.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results obtained indicate that homocysteine plasma levels are not affected after three months of oral hormone replacement therapy.
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais,Brazil.
authors.forename: Daniela Amorim Melgaço
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Guimarães
authors.forename: Jarbas
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cardoso
authors.forename: Luci Maria Sant'ana
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Dusse
authors.forename: Romerson Martins
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Franco
authors.forename: Hilton de A
authors.initials: Hde A
authors.lastname: Franco
authors.forename: Túlio César
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Alvim
authors.forename: George da Silva
authors.initials: Gda S
authors.lastname: Teixeira
authors.forename: Maria das Graças
authors.initials: Md
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.forename: Ana Paula
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Fernandes
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D017373:Cyproterone Acetate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004958:Estradiol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy; D004966:Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D020138:Hyperhomocysteinemia / Q000235:genetics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D042965:Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2) / Q000235:genetics; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation
chemical_list: D004966:Estrogens, Conjugated (USP); D006710:Homocysteine; D017373:Cyproterone Acetate; D004958:Estradiol; D042965:Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2)