title: Short-term estrogen replacement therapy reduces platelet marker levels in Malaysian postmenopausal women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In healthy postmenopausal women (PMW) increased platelet activation has been associated with adverse cardiovascular events. There is much debate about the relationship between platelet function and serum estradiol level in PMW. This study assessed the effect of short-term oral estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) on platelet activation markers (CD62P and PAC-1) and its correlation with age and body mass index (BMI) among healthy PMW.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective intervention study was conducted at Hospital University Sains Malaysia, involving 48 healthy PMW who were evaluated for platelet activation marker levels as determined by flow cytometry, before and after two weeks of oral ERT with 0.625 mg of conjugated equine estrogen once daily. The pre- and post-ERT platelets activation markers difference was analysed by paired t-test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The pre-ERT, mean ± SD percentage levels of CD62P and PAC-1 were significantly reduced from 7.00 ± 5.91 and 41.75 ± 26.85 to 3.05 ± 2.47 and 20.86 ± 19.02, respectively, after two weeks of ERT (P value < 0.001). The correlation of platelet activation markers was significant with estradiol but not with age and BMI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Short-term ERT leads to reduction in platelet activity, which might contribute to protection against cardiovascular diseases in healthy PMW.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Medical Sciences, Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kotabharu, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Shabbir Ahmad
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Sheikh
authors.forename: Tariq Mahmood
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Roshan
authors.forename: Muhammad Naeem
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Khattak
authors.forename: Atif Amin
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Baig
authors.forename: Shahreza Johan
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Noor
authors.forename: Rosline
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hassan
authors.forename: Nik Mohamed
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Zaki
mesh_terms: D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000187:drug effects*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D008296:Malaysia; D008875:Middle Aged; D019007:P-Selectin / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects; D015539:Platelet Activation; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000097:blood* / Q000187:drug effects*; D045167:Progesterone Congeners / Q000494:pharmacology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D019007:P-Selectin; D045167:Progesterone Congeners; D004958:Estradiol