What is the influence of hormone therapy on homocysteine and crp levels in postmenopausal women?

• Main Authors: Eli Marcelo Lakryc, Rogério Bonassi Machado, José Maria Soares Jr, Edmund Chada Baracat, César Eduardo Fernandes
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Faculdade de Medicina / USP
• Series: Clinics
• Subjects: estrogen-progestin therapy; estrogen; homocysteine; crp; cardiovascular risk
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1807-59322015000200107&lng=en&tlng=en

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the influence of estrogen therapy and estrogen-progestin therapy on homocysteine and C-reactive protein levels in postmenopausal women. METHODS: In total, 99 postmenopausal women were included in this double-blind, randomized clinical trial and divided into three groups: Group A used estrogen therapy alone (2.0 mg of 17β-estradiol), Group B received estrogen-progestin therapy (2.0 mg of 17 β-estradiol +1.0 mg of norethisterone acetate) and Group C received a placebo (control). The length of treatment was six months. Serum measurements of homocysteine and C-reactive protein were carried out prior to the onset of treatment and following six months of therapy. RESULTS: After six months of treatment, there was a 20.7% reduction in homocysteine levels and a 100.5% increase in C-reactive protein levels in the group of women who used estrogen therapy. With respect to the estrogen-progestin group, there was a 12.2% decrease in homocysteine levels and a 93.5% increase in C-reactive protein levels. CONCLUSION: Our data suggested that hormone therapy (unopposed estrogen or estrogen associated with progestin) may have a positive influence on decreasing cardiovascular risk due to a significant reduction in homocysteine levels.