Sex hormones in postmenopausal women receiving low-dose hormone therapy: the effect of BMI.
The aim of our study was to evaluate the effect of BMI on the change in circulating sex hormone in postmenopausal women during 6 months of oral continuous combined low-dose hormone therapy (HT). Fifty postmenopausal women were allocated to receive daily one tablet containing combination of 17β-estradiol (1 mg)/norethindrone acetate (0.5 mg) for 6 months. Serum levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol, total testosterone, sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), free androgen index (FAI), free estrogen index (FEI), Δ4-androstendione (Δ4A), and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate were assessed at baseline and at the end of 6 months. Mean absolute values and percent changes from baseline were compared between lean and overweight women. Mean FSH decreased and mean 17β-estradiol increased significantly in both groups (FSH lean: 82.3 ± 26.7 decreased to 45.0 ± 17.0 mIU/ml, P = 0.0001; FSH overweight: 85.5 ± 22.1 decreased to 52.3 ± 23.8 mIU/ml, P = 0.003; P between groups = 0.661; E2 lean: 23.24 ± 12.55 increased to 53.62 ± 28.29 pg/ml, P = 0.006; E2 overweight: 24.17 ± 10.88 increased to 68.36 ± 53.99 pg/ml, P = 0.0001; P between groups = 0.619). Lean individuals had statistically significant higher increments of FAI and specifically FEI compared to overweight (FEI lean; 0.14 ± 0.09 increased to 0.29 ± 0.14, P = 0.009; overweight 0.23 ± 0.18 increased to 0.52 ± 0.40, P = 0.126; P between groups = 0.034). Although BMI does not affect total 17β-estradiol changes, free sex steroid concentrations increase more steeply in lean compared to overweight women receiving oral low-dose HT.
Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Athens, Aretaieio Hospital, Athens, Greece. ilambrinoudaki@aretaieio.uoa.gr
Irene
I
Lambrinoudaki
Eleni
E
Armeni
Demetrios
D
Rizos
Eythimios
E
Deligeoroglou
Panagiotis
P
Kofinakos
George
G
Kaparos
Andreas
A
Alexandrou
Maria
M
Creatsa
Emmanuel
E
Logothetis
Evangelia
E
Kouskouni
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D000728:Androgens / Q000097:blood; D000735:Androstenedione / Q000097:blood; D015992:Body Mass Index; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000097:blood; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy; D004967:Estrogens / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D006115:Greece; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin / Q000378:metabolism; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
D000728:Androgens; D004967:Estrogens; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; D013739:Testosterone; D000735:Androstenedione; D004958:Estradiol; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone