CHANGES IN ATHEROGENIC LIPIDS AND LIPOPROTEINS DURING NATURAL AND HYPERSTIMULATED CYCLES IN HEALTHY WOMEN

Objective: To compare changes in the concentrations of Lp(a) lipoprote in and other atherogenic lipids and lipoproteins in natural and hypers timulated ovarian cycles. Design: Open, prospective study. Setting: Ac ademic department in a teaching hospital. Patient(s): Normal ovulatory women served as controls and the treatment group consisted of women u ndergoing ovarian hyperstimulation. Intervention(s): The treatment gro up received hMG on a fixed regimen. Main Outcome Measure(s): Measureme nts of serum lipids and lipoproteins were made in both natural and hyp erstimulated cycles. Result(s): There was a significant increase in th e median concentration of Lp(a) lipoprotein from 10.1 to 10.7 mg/dL in the luteal compared with the proliferative phase of unstimulated cycl es. In hyperstimulated cycles, there was a significant increase in the median concentration of Lp(a) lipoprotein from 9.7 mg/dL in the proli ferative phase to 11.3 mg/dL in the luteal phase. Reductions in concen trations of total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were found in the luteal phase of hyperstimulated cycles. Conclusion: Concentrations of Lp(a) lipoprotein increase during the luteal phase o f both natural and hyperstimulated ovarian cycles. (C) 1997 by America n Society for Reproductive Medicine.