ALPHA-TOCOPHEROL AND BETA-CAROTENE SERUM LEVELS IN POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN TREATED WITH TRANSDERMAL ESTRADIOL AND ORAL MEDROXYPROGESTERONE ACETATE

Estrogens exert a protective effect against atherosclerosis. It is wel l known that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can effectively decreas e LDL-cholesterol and increase HDL-cholesterol and Ape-Al serum levels . Some recent studies have suggested that estrogens alone or in associ ation with progestins may exert an antioxidant effect on lipids. Besid es sex steroids, also vita mins exert an antioxidant effect on LDL and may preserve the endogenous antioxidants of LDL, The aim of our study was to evaluate whether HRT can improve alpha-tocopherol and beta-car otene serum levels in post-menopausal women. Fifteen postmenopausal wo men with climacteric symptoms were treated with 50 mu g/24 h estradiol transdermally applied twice a week for 21 days. A daily dose of 10 mg oral medroxyprogesterone acetate was added for 12 days in each treatm ent cycle. This therapy lasted 6 months. A significant reduction was f ound in total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol after treatment. Besides , our study has shown that alpha-toc/LDL and beta-car/LDL ratios signi ficatively increased after treatment, while alpha-tocopherol and beta- carotene serum levels did not change significantly after therapy, Thes e preliminary findings suggest that HRT can preserve the content of al pha-tocopherol and beta-carotene in LDL particles and keep the LDL in a reduced antioxidant state.