METABOLIC AND ENDOCRINE EFFECTS OF THE DESOGESTREL-CONTAINING ORAL-CONTRACEPTIVE MIRCETTE(TM)

OBJECTIVE: The purpose was to evaluate the metabolic effects of Mircet te(TM) (brand of desogestrel/ethinyl estradiol and ethinyl estradiol), a low-estrogen, desogestrel-containing oral contraceptive. STUDY DESI GN: Women taking Mircette(TM) were evaluated to determine its effects on lipid profiles (n = 74), carbohydrate metabolism (n = 25), and endo crine parameters (n = 53). RESULTS: During cycles 3 and 6 of Mircette( TM) treatment, changes from baseline included mean increases in serum triglycerides and very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ranging bet ween 50% and 60%. Smaller mean increases were observed at these time p oints in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol subfraction 2 (range bet ween 17% and 25%), total cholesterol (<10%), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (range between 10% and 15%), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol subfraction 3 (range between 9% and 13%), with only nomina l changes (<6%) in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and lipoprotein . Patients receiving Mircette(TM) showed no mean changes in fasting pl asma glucose or serum insulin levels but did have modest increases in glucose and insulin levels after a glucose challenge. Mircette(TM) tre atment suppressed follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, 1 7 beta-estradiol, and progesterone to levels consistent with inhibitio n of ovulation and increased concentrations of thyroid- and cortisol-b inding globulins. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, Mircette(TM) treatment was ass ociated with expected effects on the pituitary-ovarian axis, triglycer ides, and serum binding proteins; a modest decline in glucose toleranc e; and a favorable effect on lipid profiles as a result of increases i n total high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and high-density lipoprot ein cholesterol subfraction 2 in the absence of changes in total chole sterol or low-density lipoprotein cholesterol.