ESTROGEN REPLACEMENT DECREASES THE LEVEL OF ANTIBODIES AGAINST OXIDIZED LOW-DENSITY-LIPOPROTEIN IN POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN WITH CORONARY HEART-DISEASE

The effect of estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) on plasma lipid conce ntrations and oxidation parameters was studied in 25 hypercholesterole mic women with coronary heart disease (CHD). During ERT, the low-densi ty lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLc) concentration decreased from 4.31 +/ - 0.72 to 3.85 +/- 0.62 mmol/L (P < .01) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLc) increased from 1.42 +/- 0.30 to 1.55 +/- 0.33 mmol/ L (P < .01). The concentration of autoantibodies against oxidized LDL decreased from 25.9 +/- 22.0 to 22.7 +/- 19.9 mg/L (P < .05), indicati ng that ERT may have antioxidative effects in vivo. The lag time to ox idation and the LDL subclass pattern did not change. Analysis of the i nfluence of smoking on the efficacy of ERT showed that ERT significant ly affected LDLc and HDLc concentrations in 15 nonsmoking women. Howev er, in 10 cigarette smokers, no significant changes in LDLc or HDLc le vels were observed. Smoking did not affect the concentration of autoan tibodies to oxidized LDL or the lag time. Medroxyprogesterone acetate ([MPA] 10 mg daily) added to ERT decreased HDLc by 9% (P < .01) but di d not affect the LDLc level, LDL subclass pattern, or lag time. In con clusion, ERT may have antioxidative effects in vivo and favorably affe cts dyslipidemia in hypercholesterolemic women with CHD, especially wh en they refrain from smoking. Copyright (C) 1998 by W.B. Saunders Comp any.