Journal of Menopausal Medicine  2015;21(2):104-111

doi:10.6118/jmm.2015.21.2.104

Effects of Hormone Therapy on Serum Lipid Levels in Postmenopausal Korean Women.

Jee Yeon LEE 1 ; Hye Sun HYUN ; Hyang Gi PARK ; Ji Hyun SEO ; Eun Young LEE ; Ji Soo LEE ; Dong Yun LEE ; Doo Seok CHOI ; Byung Koo YOON

Affiliations

+expand

Keywords

Hormone replacement therapy; Lipids; Progesterone; Drug administration route

Country

Republic of Korea

Language

English

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to examine the effects of hormone therapy on serum lipid levels in postmenopausal Korean women. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included 154 healthy postmenopausal Korean women. Seventy-nine women took oral estrogen (conjugated equine estrogen 0.625 mg/day or equivalent), and 75 applied estrogen transdermally using 0.1% 17beta-estradiol gel. Micronized progesterone (MP) was added to 40 women of oral group and 49 women in transdermal group. Serum levels of triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and lipoprotein (a) were measured before, 3 and 6 month after hormone therapy. RESULTS: At baseline, mean body mass index (BMI) were lower (22.76 vs. 23.74 kg/m2) and proportion of family history of cardiovascular disease (CVD) (61 vs. 39%) were higher in oral group. In oral group, LDL-C and lipoprotein(a) levels decreased, and triglyceride and HDL-C levels increased significantly after 3 and 6 months. There was no significant change in lipoprotein levels compared to the baseline in transdermal group. There were also no differences with additional MP. Changing pattern of HDL-C during 6 months was significantly different by the route of estrogen administration. CONCLUSION: Oral estrogen therapy might be more beneficial than transdermal estrogen in terms of lipid in postmenopausal Korean women. The estrogen effects are not influenced by adding MP.