Gd. Giraud et al., EFFECTS OF ESTROGEN AND PROGESTIN ON AORTIC SIZE AND COMPLIANCE IN POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN, American journal of obstetrics and gynecology, 174(6), 1996, pp. 1708-1716
OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to determine whether sex steroids alter aor
tic size and compliance in postmenopausal women. STUDY DESIGN: Twenty-
six postmenopausal women were randomized to receive either conjugated
estrogens 0.625 mg per day (group 1) or conjugated estrogens 0.625 mg
per day and medroxyprogesterone 2.5 mg per day (group 2). Aortic cross
-sectional area was measured by magnetic resonance imaging before and
after 3 months of hormone therapy. RESULTS: Estradiol levels increased
in both group 1 and group 2 (p < 0.0001). Ascending aortic cross-sect
ional area increased from 439 +/- 7 mm(2) to 466 +/- 7 mm(2) in group
1 (p < 0.008) but was unchanged in group 2, Within the range of aortic
pressures studied, no change in aortic compliance could be detected.
CONCLUSION: Estrogen therapy in postmenopausal women was associated wi
th an increase in aortic size; but this effect was not detectable with
the addition of progestin. The potential antagonistic effect of proge
stin on estrogen-induced aortic enlargement suggests that the favorabl
e cardiovascular effects of postmenopausal estrogen therapy cannot be
automatically extended to the combination estrogen-progestin.