Plasma Renin in Women Using and not Using Combined Oral Contraceptive

Sidney De Souza Oliveira,Alan Carlos Nery Dos Santos,Ana Marice Teixeira Ladeia,Diego Passos Diogo,Jefferson Petto,Marvyn De Santana Do Sacramento

doi:10.36660/ijcs.20180021

Abstract

Abstract Backgroud: Recent studies show that women on combined oral contraceptives (COC) present abnormal fasting lipid profile, increased postprandial lipemia, plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) and blood pressure (BP) compared to women not on combined oral contraceptives. Plasma renin is one of the factors responsible for abnormal BP. Objectives: To assess plasma renin levels in women using or not using COC, the correlation between renin and CRP, as well as divergences in lipid profile. Methods: A cross-sectional study with apparently healthy women aged 20 to 30, eutrophic, irregularly active, and with fasting triglycerides < 150 mg/dL. The sample was stratified into two groups: the No Combined Oral Contraceptive Group (NCOCG), comprised of women who did not use any type of hormone contraceptive, and the Combined Oral Contraceptive Group (COCG) comprised of women on low-dose COC for at least one year. After a 12-hour fast, 5 ml of blood was collected for renin dosing and PCR. Data were analyzed by the t-Test and bidirectional Mann-Whitney Test, both with significance < 0.05. Results: We evaluated 44 women equally distributed between the groups, age 23 ± 1.2 years, BMI 21.0 ± 3.2 kg/m2. Median and interquartile deviation of renin in the NCOCG and the COCG were, respectively, 0.5 (0.1-1.0) and 3.0 (2-6) (p < 0.01). A positive correlation between PCR and renin (p < 0.01 and r = 0.68) was found. Conclusion: The plasma renin levels of women using COC were higher, with a strong correlation with CRP.

Highlights

Several risk factors for cardiovascular disease are shared by women: family history, smoking, dyslipidemia, obesity, diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension, physical inactivity and, the use of combined oral contraceptives (COC).[1]
Exclusion criteria were the presence of diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, hepatic dysfunction, glycemia above 99 mg/dL, systemic arterial hypertension, hypo or hyperthyroidism, renal diseases, polycystic ovary syndrome, use of anabolic or dietary supplements, hypo or hyperlipidic diet, history of alcoholism, smoking, use of lipid-lowering drugs, corticoids, diuretics or betablockers
Note the homogeneity between the groups, which stands out in the systemic arterial pressure (SBP) (p = 0.02), which is higher in the Contraceptive Group (COCG)

Summary

Introduction

Several risk factors for cardiovascular disease are shared by women: family history, smoking, dyslipidemia, obesity, diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension, physical inactivity and, the use of combined oral contraceptives (COC).[1] Evidence indicates that, in this population, the use of low-dose COC adversely alters the fasting lipid profile,[2] increases postprandial lipemia[3] and increases plasma C-reactive protein levels.[4]. It is believed that these lipid alterations cause changes in vascular reactivity raising blood pressure levels.[5,6] Researchers in the 1990s showed that women who used COC were more likely to develop high blood pressure compared to women who did not use COC.[7] In a prospective cohort study of approximately 70,000. Recent studies show that women on combined oral contraceptives (COC) present abnormal fasting lipid profile, increased postprandial lipemia, plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) and blood pressure (BP) compared to women not on combined oral contraceptives. Plasma renin is one of the factors responsible for abnormal BP

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Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion