ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the influence of estrogen therapy and estrogen-progestin therapy on homocysteine and C-reactive protein levels in postmenopausal women. METHODS: In total, 99 postmenopausal women were included in this double-blind, randomized clinical trial and divided into three groups: Group A used estrogen therapy alone (2.0 mg of 17β-estradiol), Group B received estrogen-progestin therapy (2.0 mg of 17 β-estradiol +1.0 mg of norethisterone acetate) and Group C received a placebo (control). The length of treatment was six months. Serum measurements of homocysteine and C-reactive protein were carried out prior to the onset of treatment and following six months of therapy. RESULTS: After six months of treatment, there was a 20.7% reduction in homocysteine levels and a 100.5% increase in C-reactive protein levels in the group of women who used estrogen therapy. With respect to the estrogen-progestin group, there was a 12.2% decrease in homocysteine levels and a 93.5% increase in C-reactive protein levels. CONCLUSION: Our data suggested that hormone therapy (unopposed estrogen or estrogen associated with progestin) may have a positive influence on decreasing cardiovascular risk due to a significant reduction in homocysteine levels. .
Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Middle Aged , C-Reactive Protein/metabolism , Estrogen Replacement Therapy/methods , Estrogens/therapeutic use , Homocysteine/blood , Postmenopause/blood , Progestins/therapeutic use , Age Factors , Brazil , Cardiovascular Diseases/prevention & control , Double-Blind Method , Drug Combinations , Estradiol/administration & dosage , Follow-Up Studies , Longitudinal Studies , Norethindrone/administration & dosage , Norethindrone/analogs & derivatives , Patient Dropouts , Prospective StudiesABSTRACT
Endometrial biopsies were obtained from one hundred Thai NET-EN users who were treated for at least 5 yrs. Seventy-four and 26 per cent of them were obtained twelve and 1 wk after last injection, respectively. The endometrium gave an inactive progestational pattern in 75 per cent, proliferative phase 23 per cent and secretory phase 2 per cent. No endometrial carcinoma occurred in this study.
Subject(s)
Adult , Biopsy , Contraceptives, Oral, Synthetic/pharmacology , Endometrium/drug effects , Female , Humans , Norethindrone/analogs & derivativesABSTRACT
We studied the effects of oral contraceptive pills (OCP) supplied by the Govt of India in its Family Welfare Campaign, on serum lipid levels of women. The OCP, containing 30 micrograms ethinyl estradiol and 1 mg of norethisterone acetate were administered to the women for six months continuously and serum lipid levels were estimated after three and six months of the treatment. There were no significant changes in serum cholesterol, high density lipoprotein (HDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL), serum triglycerides and very low density lipoprotein (VLDL). In a simultaneous study we also measured serum lipid levels at 3 and 6 months after withdrawal of the pills in women who had been receiving OCP containing 50 micrograms of ethinyl estradiol and 0.5 mg of one of the progesterones for the past 1 1/2 to 2 years continuously. Only serum LDL level fell significantly (P less than 0.01) on 3 months withdrawal period. It is concluded that 6 months of usage of the OCP marketed by the Govt. of India does not affect the serum lipid profile.
Subject(s)
Adult , Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal/administration & dosage , Ethinyl Estradiol , Female , Humans , Lipids/blood , Lipoproteins/blood , Norethindrone/analogs & derivativesSubject(s)
Acid Phosphatase/metabolism , Alkaline Phosphatase/metabolism , Animals , Contraceptive Agents, Female/pharmacology , Female , Lipid Metabolism , Medroxyprogesterone/analogs & derivatives , Medroxyprogesterone Acetate , Norethindrone/analogs & derivatives , Rats , Rats, Inbred Strains , Uterus/drug effectsSubject(s)
Adult , Chloroquine/metabolism , Contraceptives, Oral/pharmacology , Contraceptives, Oral, Combined/pharmacology , Contraceptives, Oral, Synthetic/pharmacology , Drug Interactions , Ethinyl Estradiol/blood , Female , Humans , Kinetics , Malaria/prevention & control , Norethindrone/analogs & derivatives , Progesterone/metabolismABSTRACT
The effect of Norethisterone-oenanthate (NET-OEN), a long acting injectable contraceptive on cervical spinnbarkeit and protein content were studied in adult female virgin rats. A single injection of NET-OEN (1 mg/rat) and sacrificed after 3 vaginal cycles produced a highly significant reduction (P less than 0.001) in the spinnbarkeit and a non-significant increase in the protein content of the cervical mucus. But two successive injections of NET-OEN (1 mg/rat each) produced a highly significant decrease (P less than 0.001) in the spinnbarkeit as well as a significant increase (P less than 0.01) in the protein content. The increased protein content of cervical mucus corroborates the hypothesis that NET-OEN exerts its contraceptive effect primarily through effect on cervical mucus.
Subject(s)
Animals , Cervix Mucus/analysis , Female , Norethindrone/analogs & derivatives , Proteins/analysis , RatsABSTRACT
The effect of Norethisterone-oenanthate (NET-OEN), a long acting injectable contraceptive on cervical spinnbarkeit and protein content were studied in adult female virgin rats. A single injection of NET-OEN (1 mg/rat) and sacrificed after 3 vaginal cycles produced a highly significant reduction (P less than 0.001) in the spinnbarkeit and a non-significant increase in the protein content of the cervical mucus. But two successive injections of NET-OEN (1 mg/rat each) produced a highly significant decrease (P less than 0.001) in the spinnbarkeit as well as a significant increase (P less than 0.01) in the protein content. The increased protein content of cervical mucus corroborates the hypothesis that NET-OEN exerts its contraceptive effect primarily through effect on cervical mucus.