Positive effects of conjugated equine estrogen on triglyceride metabolism in oophorectomized women based on a stratification analysis of pretreatment values

Abstract

Objective To evaluate the effects of conjugated equine estrogen (CEE) on the triglyceride (TG) metabolism in oophorectomized women based on a stratified analysis. Design Randomized, clinical study. Setting Menopause Clinic of Kyushu University Hospital. Patient(s) Three hundred oophorectomized women. Intervention(s) Three hundred oophorectomized women were randomly divided into two groups and treated by the following regimens for a year: group 1 received calcium alone, group 2 received 0.625 mg/day of CEE and calcium. Main outcome measure(s) The changes in serum lipid profile were analyzed according to the individual initial levels in each group. Apolipoprotein E was also measured. Result(s) A greater reduction in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels was observed in group 2 women with higher initial levels. For high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) a greater increase was observed in group 2 women with lower initial levels. Although TG levels increased as a whole in group 2, a reduction was observed in the high-TG groups. The initial values of apolipoprotein E were higher in the high-TG groups and decreased to greater amounts in group 2 patients. Conclusion(s) Administration of CEE induced positive changes in the serum lipid profile according to the individual initial levels, including levels of TG. Therefore, changes in the TG levels shown by the stratification may be related to the apolipoprotein E changes that are observed following CEE replacement.