Lipoprotein levels during hormone replacement therapy by vaginal ring pessaries

Nineteen women who had had a surgical menopause had a vaginal ring pessary containing levonorgestrel and oestradiol in situ for a period of 3 months. Fasting lipoprotein levels were measured before, and after 1 and 3 months on therapy. After 3 months total triglyceride levels were significantly lower than baseline values (P less than 0.01) as were very-low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (P less than 0.01), low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (P less than 0.05) and high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (P less than 0.001) levels. These changes suggest that in this preparation the effects of the progestogen component are dominant.