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Thromb Haemost 2002; 88(04): 605-610
DOI: 10.1055/s-0037-1613263
Review Article
Schattauer GmbH

Effects of Transdermal and Oral Oestrogen Replacement Therapy on C-Reactive Protein Levels in Postmenopausal Women: A Randomised, Placebo-Controlled Trial

M. S. Post
1   Project “Ageing Women” and the Institute for Cardiovascular Research-Vrije Universiteit (ICaR-VU), Departments of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
,
M. J. van der Mooren
1   Project “Ageing Women” and the Institute for Cardiovascular Research-Vrije Universiteit (ICaR-VU), Departments of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
,
C. D. A. Stehouwer
2   Internal Medicine
,
W. M. van Baal
1   Project “Ageing Women” and the Institute for Cardiovascular Research-Vrije Universiteit (ICaR-VU), Departments of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
,
V. Mijatovic
1   Project “Ageing Women” and the Institute for Cardiovascular Research-Vrije Universiteit (ICaR-VU), Departments of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
,
C. G. Schalkwijk
3   Clinical Chemistry, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
,
P. Kenemans
1   Project “Ageing Women” and the Institute for Cardiovascular Research-Vrije Universiteit (ICaR-VU), Departments of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
› Author AffiliationsThis work was supported by research grants from the Netherlands Heart Foundation (grant 95.201), Biocare Foundation (grant 96.312), and Schering AG (Berlin, Germany, grant 96.083)
Further Information

Publication History

Received 21 January 2002

Accepted after resubmission 26 June 2002

Publication Date:
09 December 2017 (online)

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Summary

To investigate the effect of postmenopausal oral and transdermal hormone therapy on plasma levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), we performed a randomised, double-blind, double-dummy, placebo-controlled, 15-month study. One hundred and fifty-two healthy hysterectomised postmenopausal women received daily either placebo (n = 49), or transdermal 17 β-oestradiol (E2) 50 µg (tE2 group, n = 33), or oral E2 1 mg (oE2 group, n = 37), or oral E2 1 mg combined with gestodene 25 µg (oE2 + G group, n = 33) for thirteen 28-day treatment cycles, followed by four cycles placebo for each group. Data were collected at baseline and in cycles 4, 13 and 17. In cycle 13, CRP was significantly increased in the oE2 group compared to placebo (P = 0.004). The median percentage change from baseline versus placebo was +75% (P <0.001). In cycle 17, significantly lower values were observed in the oE2 group compared to cycle 13 and to the placebo group (-49%, P <0.001). There were no significant changes versus placebo in the other groups. In conclusion, oral E2 significantly increased CRP levels. This change was larger than the increase found during oral E2 + G. Transdermal E2 did not affect CRP levels.

Keywords

C-reactive protein - postmenopausal - hormone replacement therapy - oestrogen - gestodene
 

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