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Updated: Jun 1, 2026
An In Vivo Estrogen Deficiency Mouse Model for Screening Exogenous Estrogen Treatments of Cardiovascular Dysfunction After Menopause
Published on: August 13, 2019
Plasma leptin and adiponectin levels in hormone replacement therapy and contraception: effects of different
Costantino Di Carlo1, Giovanni A Tommaselli, Nicoletta De Rosa
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy. costantino.dicarlo@unina.it
Objective:
To evaluate the impact of hormone replacement therapy and oral contraceptives containing different progestogens on adiponectin and leptin serum levels.
Design:
Prospective, longitudinal, semi-randomized study.
Setting:
General gynecology clinic of a university hospital.
Patient(S):
Forty-five healthy postmenopausal and 45 healthy premenopausal women.
Intervention(S):
Thirty postmenopausal women were randomized to receive either drospirenone (DRSP) 2 mg + E(2) 1 mg (n = 15) or norethisterone acetate (NETA) 0.5 mg + E(2) 1 mg (n = 15). Thirty premenopausal women were randomized to receive either ethinilestradiol (EE) 0.020 mg + DRSP 3 mg (n = 15) or EE 0.020 mg + desogestrel 0.15 mg (n = 15). Furthermore, 15 postmenopausal and 15 premenopausal untreated women served as controls.
Main Outcome Measure(S):
Adiponectin and leptin serum levels before and after 6 months of hormonal therapy.
Result(S):
No significant differences in leptin levels were detected in any group after 6 months. Adiponectin levels were significantly reduced in the NETA + E(2) group and increased in the EE + DRSP group, while remaining unmodified in all other groups.
Conclusion(S):
Hormone replacement therapy with NETA, but not with DRSP, decreases serum adiponectin levels. Oral contraceptives containing DRSP increase serum adiponectin levels.
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