[The influence of modified sequential therapy on lipid metabolism in postmenopausal women]

The study was performed in 50 women aged 49 to 55 years, divided into two groups. Group I received transdermally at a rising dose of 2 to 8 mg, altogether 16 mg during the therapeutic cycle of 20 days. Group II received estriol intravaginally 0.03 mg/day 10 days and 0.06 mg/day for 10 days. During the second part of the therapeutic cycle all women were given progesterone sublingually 25 mg/day for 6 days and 50/day for 6 days. Measurements in serum of total cholesterol, free cholesterol and triglycerides using an enzymic method, of HDL-Ch and LDL-Ch using a precipitation method and of cholesterol esters using thing-layer chromatography were performed before and after 3 months of therapy. It was found that the use of estradiol leads to a significant decrease in the level of triglycerides, total and free cholesterol, LDL-Ch, with a rise in HDL-Ch. The use of estriol leads to a decrease in LDL-Ch only. No changes in the composition of cholesterol esters were found in both groups, with the exception of an insignificant rise in the percentage of cholesterol oleate.