[Cyclical gestagen (MPA) supplement for continuous transdermal or oral estrogen substitution in postmenopause:...

Since postmenopause unopposed oestrogen replacement therapy (ERT) increases the incidence of endometrial carcinoma, the addition of a progestin in non-hysterectomised women is mandatory for hormonal substitution. On the other hand, progestins have a negative influence on serum lipids and may thus put in question the benefits of the ERT with regard to the cardiovascular risk. Progestins lower HDL and increase LDL in a dose-dependent way according to their chemical structure. In the present non-randomised study, the influence of a cyclic combined oestrogen progestin substitution on the serum lipids has been measured. From a total of 90 apparently healthy postmenopausal patients, 59 received a transdermal ERT with 17 beta-Estradiol (Estraderm TTS 50), whereas 31 women obtained a daily dose of 0.625 mg conjugated equine oestrogens (CE) perorally. Additionally all patients were given 10 mg medroxyprogesterone-acetate (MPA) daily during the first 10 days of each month. After 6 months of therapy, the following changes of serum lipids, expressed as percentage of initial values, were measured: total cholesterol in the transdermal group -2.3% (n.s.), in the peroral group -11.8% (p < 0.00001); triglycerides -3.7% (n.s.) resp. +8.6% (n.s.); HDL cholesterol + 0.2% (n.s.) resp. -1.8% (n.s.); LDL cholesterol +1.3% (n.s.) resp. -14.8% (p < 0.00001). The calculated atherogenic indices showed a decrease in the peroral substituted group of -6.5% (n.s.) for the HDL/total cholesterol ratio and -14.8% (p < 0.002) for the LDL/HDL ratio.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)