Effects of raloxifene on serum macrophage colony-stimulating factor and interleukin-18 levels in postmenopausal women younger than 60 years.
OBJECTIVE
Macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) and interleukin-18 (IL-18) are cytokines expressed predominantly in atheromatous plaque, and overproduction of these has been found to be associated with coronary artery disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of raloxifene, a selective estrogen receptor modulator, on serum M-CSF and IL-18 levels, cytokines that are presumably involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.


METHODS
A total of 70 postmenopausal women (age, 56.45 ± 1.52 y) without previously confirmed cardiovascular disease were enrolled in a 6-month prospective, randomized, controlled study. Women were randomly assigned to two groups: 35 women received oral administration of 60 mg/day raloxifene for 6 months and 35 were in the control group and received no medications. Serum lipid concentrations and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), M-CSF, and IL-18 levels were measured at baseline and at the sixth month in both groups.


RESULTS
Compared with the control group, the raloxifene group had a significant decrease in serum IL-18 concentrations and a 25.29% reduction in serum hs-CRP concentrations. M-CSF levels were reduced by 5.94% in the raloxifene group, but the difference was not statistically significant. At the sixth month, 60 mg/day of raloxifene significantly decreased the median serum total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels when compared with the baseline levels.


CONCLUSIONS
Raloxifene reduces serum total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, hs-CRP, and IL-18 levels. According to the results of our study, it is suggested that raloxifene may have a favorable effect on the prevention of cardiovascular disease in healthy postmenopausal women younger than 60 years.
Oztas
Efser
E
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ufuk University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey. efseroztas@yahoo.com
Kurtay
Gulay
G
D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000097:blood*; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood; D016173:Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000097:blood* / Q000187:drug effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000097:blood*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020849:Raloxifene Hydrochloride / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020845:Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
D020382:Interleukin-18; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D020845:Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators; D020849:Raloxifene Hydrochloride; D016173:Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D002784:Cholesterol