Effects of menopause and tibolone on different cardiovascular biomarkers in healthy women.
OBJECTIVE
The effects of tibolone on cardiovascular risk is not yet fully understood today. We designed this study to assess the effect of the menopausal status and tibolone treatment (2.5 mg/day for 3 months) on different biomarkers of cardiovascular risk in healthy women.


METHODS
Blood arterial pressure were measured, and blood samples collected for glucose, lipid profile (total cholesterol, high density lipoproteins, HDL, low density lipoproteins, and triglycerides), inflammatory (C-reactive protein, Interleukin-6, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor alpha, TNF alpha) and oxidative stress (hydroperoxides and antioxidant capacity) evaluation in 15 premenopausal (mean age: 30 +/- 4 years) and 15 postmenopausal (mean age: 52 +/- 3, mean time from menopause 1.4 +/- 0.4 years) women before and after tibolone treatment.


RESULTS
The menopausal status is associated with increased systolic and diastolic pressure (p<0.05), higher IL-6 (p<0.05) and TNF alpha (p<0.01), and lower antioxidants (p<0.01). However, blood pressure (p<0.05), glucose (p<0.05), TNF alpha (p<0.05) and HDL (p<0.05) fell after tibolone, which did not significantly affect levels of the other biochemical parameters.


CONCLUSIONS
As menopause is associated with increased blood pressure, inflammation and oxidative stress, tibolone restores blood pressure and has beneficial effect on inflammation and glycemia without worsening oxidative stress, although it also reduces HDL levels. Such modifications should be taken into account when tailoring menopausal therapies to specific requirements of each woman.
Vassalle
Cristina
C
Fondazione G. Monasterio CNR-Regione Toscana and Institute of Clinical Physiology, CNR, Pisa, Italy. cristina.vassalle@ftgm.it
Cicinelli
Ettore
E
Lello
Stefano
S
Mercuri
Antonella
A
Battaglia
Debora
D
Maffei
Silvia
S
D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002320:Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena / Q000187:drug effects*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D020847:Estrogen Receptor Modulators / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008593:Menopause / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009652:Norpregnenes / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood
D000975:Antioxidants; D001786:Blood Glucose; D020847:Estrogen Receptor Modulators; D015850:Interleukin-6; D009652:Norpregnenes; D014280:Triglycerides; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D002784:Cholesterol; C027385:tibolone