Effectiveness of lower-dose sexual hormone therapy to prevent bone mineral loss in Chinese postmenopausal women / 中华全科医师杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To determine the effects of sexual hormone therapy at varied doses on prevention of bone mineral loss in Chinese postmenopausal women. Methods From March 2002 to March 2003, 90 Chinese postmenopausal women were randomly divided into three groups, each given one of the following regiments for 12 months, estradiol valerate (EV) 1 mg plus medroxyprogesterone (MPA) 2 mg for group A (31 subjects), eonjngated estradiol (ethinylestradiol-3-cyclopentylether, CEE) 0.45 mg plus MPA 2 mg for group B (29 subjects) and livial 1.25 mg for group C (30 subjects), respectively. In addition, 400 mg of elemental calcium were given daily to all those women. Bone mineral density (BMD) of the 2nd to 4th lumbar vertebra (L2～4) and biochemical markers of bone turnover, urine N-telopeptide of type Ⅰ collagen/creatinine(NTX/Cr) and serum total alkaline phnsphatase (ALP), were measured before and after drug administration. Results After treatment for 12 months, BMD of the L2～4 increased significantly by 0.039 g/cm2(P<0.01) in group B, but not significantly in group A or group C (P<0.05). Increases in BMD of the L2～4 was more in group B than that in group A and group C, respectively (P < 0.05), but no significant difference in BMD increase between group A and group C was found (P >0.05). After treatment for 6 months, urine NTX/Cr reduced from the baseline for all the three groups (P < 0.05), but no significant difference among group A, group B and group C was found (P >0.05). After treatment for 12 months, serum ALP significantly reduced from the baseline for all the three groups (P <0.01), but no significant difference among group A, group B and group C wag found (P > 0.05). Conclusions Sexual hormone therapy at varied doses lower than regular one for 12 months was effective in preventing bone mineral less in postmenopausal women.