Influence of Hormone Replacement upon hs- CRP in Korean Postmenopausal Women

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: According to several recent researches, some reports showed that the hormone replacement therapy in postmenopausal women had no cardiovascular protective effects. Furthermore, some reported that the hormone replacement therapy in postmenopausal women increased the risk of cardiovascular diseases and the high sensitivity C-reactive protein, abbreviated as hsCRP which is a sensitive marker of cardiovascular risk, was increased by hormone replacement therapy. But there are only few studies that investigated the relationship between hsCRP and hormone replacement in postmenopausal women in Korea. The aim of this study was to explore the influence of hormone replacement therapy upon the level of hsCRP, the predictive factor of cardiovascular diseases. METHODS: We recruited 81 postmenopausal women to visit the cardiologic and the climacteric clinic in Gil Hospital, Gachon University of Medicine and Science for hormone therapy since January 2003. Those with diseases which may have influence on the serum levels of hsCRP were excluded. Then, we measured serum hsCRP levels at initial visit and at 6th month after the hormone replacement therapy. RESULTS: The level of hsCRP prior to treatment was 0.1019 mg/dl. After the hormone replacement therapy, the serum level of hsCRP was 0.1826 mg/dl. The level of serum hsCRP was increased significantly after the hormone replacement therapy compared to the baseline (P<0.05). The level of hsCRP in Korean postmenopausal women had been significantly increased from 0.1019 mg/ dl to 0.1826 mg/dl through 6-month hormone replacement therapy (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The hormone replacement therapy significantly increased the level of serum hsCRP in healthy Korean postmenopausal women. But well controlled prospective investigations should be considered.