EFFECTS OF POSTMENOPAUSAL HORMONE REPLACEMENT AND ALPHA-TOCOPHEROL ONTHE LIPID PROFILES AND ANTIOXIDANT STATUS

Sixty-six postmenopausal women were randomly divided into three groups . The first group (n = 22) received transdermal oestradiol (0.05 g/day ) for six months. Transdermal oestradiol was given during three weeks but was not given in the following week of each month during six month s. In addition to the first group's therapy, medroxyprogesterone aceta te (MPA; 10 mg/day, per orally) was administered to the second group ( n = 22) for the last ten days. Vitamin E (600 mg/day, per orally) was given to the third group (n = 22) in addition to the first and second group therapy every day during six months. Total cholesterol, high den sity lipoprotein (HDL), very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) and low de nsity lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) levels of the thr ee groups were measured at the beginning and at the end of therapy. In the transdermal oestradiol and transdermal oestradiol + MPA groups, p ost-treatment serum total, VLDL and LDL cholesterol levels decreased ( P < 0.05) whereas HDL cholesterol level increased (P < 0.05). No signi ficant difference was found in the levels of MDA, SOD and GSH-Px. In t he third group, pre-treatment levels of total (P < 0.05), VLDL (P < 0. 05), LDL cholesterol (P < 0.01) and MDA (P < 0.05) were high compared to post-treatment. Inversely, HDL cholesterol (P < 0.05) and vitamin E (P < 0.01) levels increased after the treatment. However, there was n o significant difference in the levels of SOD and GSH-Px. In conclusio n, in the post-menopausal period, because of the positive changes afte r hormone replacement plus vitamin E therapy, we suggest that hormone replacement and vitamin E combined therapy is effective in prevention of cardiovascular diseases. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.