Effects of progestins on estrogen-induced increase in C-reactive protein in postmenopausal women

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• 作者：Rossi ; Rosario ; Bursi ; Francesca ; Veronesi ; Benedetta ; Cagnacci ; Angelo ; Modena ; Maria Grazia
• 关键词：Hormones ; Estrogens ; Progestins ; Inflammation ; Women
• 刊名：Maturitas
• 出版年：2004
• 出版时间：December 10, 2004
• 年：2004
• 卷：49
• 期：4
• 页码：315-320
• 全文大小：76.0 K

文摘

Background: C-reactive protein (CRP) represents an independent risk factor for coronary disease and stroke. Because oral estrogens increase CRP levels, with inflammatory and thrombotic consequences, we determined whether the co-administration of a progestin might modify the estrogenic effect on CRP. Methods: In a non-randomized, non-blinded study, we measured C-reactive protein serum concentrations with high-sensitivity technique (hs-CRP) in 163 healthy postmenopausal women divided into groups as follow: 52 not taking hormones (referent group), and 111 taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT) (42 of whom treated with unopposed estrogen, and 69 with an estrogen/progestin combination). Results: Compared with non-users of hormones, median CRP levels were 66 % (95 % confidence interval: from 44 to 89 % ) higher and 112 % (95 % confidence interval: from 89 to 168 % ) higher among women using a combined estrogen/progestin regimen and, respectively, among women taking unopposed estrogen [1.54mg/L in the referent group; 2.56mg/L in the estrogen/progestin group (P=0.032), and 3.27mg/L in the unopposed estrogen group (P=0.004)]. Furthermore, there was no difference in CRP distributions between women taking different types of progestins. Conclusion: concurrent progestin administration may attenuate estrogen’s pro-inflammatory effects, independently on the type of used progestin.