Effects of micronized progesterone added to non-oral estradiol on lipids and cardiovascular risk factors in early postmenopause: a clinical trial

Table 1 Anthropometric and clinical variables according to type of non-oral estradiol (intranasal or percutaneous gel)

	Baseline		E2		E2+P		P
	Intranasal	Percutaneous	Intranasal	Percutaneous	Intranasal	Percutaneous
	n = 40	n = 46	n = 40	n = 46	n = 40	n = 46
BMI	26 ± 3	26 ± 3	26 ± 3	26 ± 3	26 ± 3	26 ± 3	0.6
Weight (kg)	66 ± 7	64 ± 9	66 ± 7	64 ± 9	66 ± 7	64 ± 10	0.6
WC (cm)	84 ± 6	84 ± 8	84 ± 6	84 ± 8	83.5 ± 5	83.6 ± 9	0.6
SBP (mmHg)	118 ± 15	119 ± 12	116 ± 15	114 ± 15	118 ± 14	116 ± 14	0.4
DBP (mmHg)	75 ± 7	77 ± 7	75 ± 9	74 ± 9	76 ± 10	74 ± 10	0.2
Total-c (mg/dL)	222 ± 31^a†	211 ± 27^a†	212 ± 31^b†	201 ± 27^b†	205 ± 31^b†	200 ± 32^b†	0.5
HDL-c (mg/dL)	63 ± 12	63 ± 18	62 ± 14	60 ± 15	63 ± 14	60 ± 16	0.2
LDL-c (mg/dL)	134 ± 28^a†	125 ± 29^a†	128 ± 32^a,b†	118 ± 26^a,b†	121 ± 26^b†	117 ± 29^b†	0.5
Triglycerides (mg/dL)	122 ± 49	117 ± 56	117 ± 48	114 ± 54	108 ± 42	115 ± 62	0.3
Fast glucose (mg/dL)	91 ± 11	92 ± 9	91 ± 8	91 ± 8	93 ± 11	91 ± 10	0.2
2h glucose (mg/dL)	106 ± 29	102 ± 23	113 ± 38	103 ± 35	110 ± 39	101 ± 31	0.2
Insulin (μU/mL)	7 (4–10)	6 (3–9)	6 (2–8)	7 (3–9)	6 (4–9)	7 (3–9)	0.2
Estradiol (pg/mL)	14 (8–17)	11 (5–20)	40 (9–121)	65 (20–119)	47 ( 13–68)	49 (10–96)	0.1
hsCRP (mg/L)	2.1 (0.4-3.9)	1.1 (0.3-2.3)	1.6 (0.5-3)	1.4 (0.2-3)	1.5 (0.5-2)	1 (0.2-2)	0.6

Values expressed as median and interquartile range or mean ± SD. Two-way analysis of variance with repeated measures (non parametric variables were log-converted for statistical analysis and reconverted for presentation in table format). P = difference between intranasal and percutaneous treatment.
† = P < 0.01 for difference between baseline, E2 and E2+P. Different superscript letters indicate statistical difference with Bonferroni multiple-comparison correction test (α < 5%).
Baseline: before hormone therapy; E2: estradiol only; E2+P estradiol + micronized progesterone.
Intranasal: 3 mg/day 17β estradiol by intranasal route (n = 40) for two months. Percutaneous: 1.5 mg/day 17β estradiol gel by percutaneous route (n = 53) for three months.
BMI body mass index, DBP diastolic blood pressure, HDL-c high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, hsCRP high-sensitivity C-reactive protein test, LDL-c low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, SBP systolic blood pressure, Total-c total lipoprotein cholesterol, WC waist circumference, 2h glucose: glucose levels 2 hours after 75g oral glucose load.

ISSN: 1476-511X