Adiponectin and endothelial markers in postmenopausal women taking oral or transdermal hormone therapy

To assess the concentration of adiponectin, soluble E-selectin, soluble thrombomodulin and tissue activator plasminogen antigen in postmenopausal women who received oral or transdermal hormone therapy.

Case-control study.

Polish university hospitals.

Seventy-six healthy postmenopausal women.

Forty-six women who received oral (n = 26) or transdermal (n = 20) hormone therapy and a control group without such medication (n = 30), all aged 44-58 years.

Plasma concentrations of adiponectin, soluble E-selectin, soluble thrombomodulin and tissue activator plasminogen antigen by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

We found a significantly higher concentration of adiponectin in women on oral and transdermal therapy in comparison to the control group and a significantly lower concentration of soluble E-selectin in women who received oral hormone therapy vs. the control group. A significantly higher concentration of tissue activator plasminogen antigen was obtained in the group of women using transdermal menopausal hormone therapy compared with those receiving oral therapy and with the control group.

Reduced levels of soluble E-selectin in women using menopausal hormone therapy could lead to reduction in the intensity of expression of the adhesion factors on the surface of the vascular endothelium. Menopausal hormone therapy might have advantageous effects on vascular endothelial function through adiponectin. Transdermal therapy may have adverse effects associated with elevated tissue activator plasminogen antigen levels and thereby the higher risk of ischemic heart disease.