The dim of the study war to evaluate the plasma thromboxane and plasma visc
osity in relation with Doppler flow parameters in postmenopausal patients t
reated with hormone replacement therapy.
Thirty-two postmenopausal (follicle-stimulating hormone > 40 IU/l and estra
diol < 100 pmol/l) women (mean age +/- SD, 54.7 +/- 2.9 years) participated
in the study and were submitted to continuous estradiol transdermal supple
mentation and 12-day courses of medroxyprogesterone acetate every second mo
nth. Doppler resistances at the level of the uterine and internal carotid a
rteries, thromboxane plasma levels and plasma viscosity were analyzed in ba
sal condition and after 1, 3 and 6 months.
During hormone supplementation, the pulsatility inner significantly decreas
ed at the level of the analyzed arteries. Similarly, plasma thromboxane lev
els and plasma viscosity were significantly reduced. Significant correlatio
ns weve found between thromboxane plasma concentrations, plasma viscosity a
nd uterine artery resistances. Thus hormone replacement therapy seems to be
responsible for both direct and indirect modifications at the level of the
vessel wall physiology.