1. Menopause rather than estrogen modifies plasma homocysteine levels.
- Author
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Marchesoni D, Driul L, Plaino L, Villani MT, Becagli L, and Mozzanega B
- Subjects
- Administration, Cutaneous, Adult, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Hysterectomy, Longitudinal Studies, Middle Aged, Ovariectomy, Prospective Studies, Time Factors, Estradiol administration & dosage, Estradiol pharmacology, Estrogen Replacement Therapy, Homocysteine blood, Homocysteine drug effects, Menopause metabolism, Premenopause metabolism
- Abstract
Objectives: To investigate the effects of transdermal estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) on plasma homocysteine levels in postmenopausal women who underwent total hysterectomy with bilateral oophorectomy., Methods: In two-phase open longitudinal prospective study we compared 28 premenopausal women and 35 healthy postmenopausal patients to evaluate the effect of transdermal estrogen treatment (TTS 50 twice-weekly) on plasma homocysteine levels after 6 and 12 months of therapy., Results: The study showed statistically relevant differences (P<0.05) in baseline plasma homocysteine concentration between the patients in premenopausal and in postmenopausal status. No difference in the plasma homocysteine levels was observed after 6 and 12 months of ERT on postmenopausal patients., Conclusions: Surgically postmenopausal women have higher plasma homocysteine concentrations than premenopausal women, but transdermal estrogen treatment for 12 months in postmenopausal women does not modify homocysteine levels.
- Published
- 2003
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