Hormone replacement therapy may reduce high serum homocysteine in postmenopausal women

Abstract

Abstract In a prospective study we investigated the possible changes in fasting serum total homocysteine concentrations during continuous micronized 17β‐oestradiol, 2 mg daily, in combination with cyclic dydrogesterone, 10 mg daily during the first 14 days of each 28 day cycle, in 21 healthy non‐hysterectomized postmenopausal women. During the first six cycles mean serum homocysteine decreased by 10·9% (P= 0·013), after which no further significant changes were found during the 2 years of treatment. A 16·9% decrease (P= 0·017; n= 8) was found in women with high homocysteine concentrations, while in women with low homocysteine concentrations (n= 13) no significant changes were observed. The observed decrease in high homocysteine concentrations in postmenopausal women may in part contribute to the decreased risk of developing cardiovascular disease during hormone replacement therapy. Copyright © 1994, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved