CAROTID PLAQUE REGRESSION ON ESTROGEN REPLACEMENT - A PILOT-STUDY

Objective: To investigate the effect of unopposed oestrogen on atherom atous carotid plaques. Subjects: Seventeen postmenopausal women with k nown carotid disease. Methods: Carotid intimal thickness and plaque le ngth and thickness were measured prior to and following 3 and 6 months of treatment, using Duplex ultrasound. A total of 22 plaques were fol lowed up. Results: There was a reduction in plaque length after 3 (-8. 14%, p = 0.001) and 6 months (-28%, p = 0.001) of treatment. The reduc tion in plaque thickness (-18%, p = 0.004) was significant after 6 mon ths of treatment. Reductions in intimal thickness were not statistical ly significant. Conclusion: Our results suggest that oestrogen replace ment is associated with significant plaque regression.