Fertility and Sterility
Volume 79, Issue 2 , Pages 261-267 , February 2003

A randomized placebo-controlled study of the effect of transdermal vs. oral estradiol with or without gestodene on homocysteine levels

  • R.G.V Smolders, M.D.

      Affiliations

    • Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute for Cardiovascular Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
  • ,
  • M.J van der Mooren, M.D., Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute for Cardiovascular Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
    • Corresponding Author InformationReprint requests: M. J. van der Mooren, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, VU University Medical Center, P.O. Box 7057, 1007 MB Amsterdam, The Netherlands (FAX: 31-20-44-44-422).
  • ,
  • T Teerlink, Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Department of Clinical Chemistry, Institute for Cardiovascular Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
  • ,
  • J.M.W.M Merkus, Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Medical Center St. Radboud, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
  • ,
  • M.V.A.M Kroeks, Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Diakonessenhuis, Utrecht, The Netherlands
  • ,
  • H.R Franke, Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medisch Spectrum Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands
  • ,
  • C.D.A Stehouwer, Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Department of Internal Medicine, Institute for Cardiovascular Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
  • ,
  • P Kenemans, Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute for Cardiovascular Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Received 21 February 2002 ,Revised 10 June 2002 ,Accepted 10 June 2002.

References 

  1. Boushey CJ, Beresford SA, Omenn GS, Motulsky AG. A quantitative assessment of plasma homocysteine as a risk factor for vascular disease. Probable benefits of increasing folic acid intakes. JAMA. 1995;274:1049–1057
  2. Refsum H, Ueland PM, Nygard O, Vollset SE. Homocysteine and cardiovascular disease. Annu Rev Med. 1998;49:31–62
  3. McCully KS. Vascular pathology of homocysteinemia (implications for the pathogenesis of arteriosclerosis). Am J Pathol. 1969;56:111–128
  4. Mijatovic V, van der Mooren MJ. Homocysteine in postmenopausal women and the importance of hormone replacement therapy. Clin Chem Lab Med. 2001;39:764–767
  5. Grodstein F, Stampfer MJ, Manson JE, Colditz GA, Willet WC, Rosner B, et al.  Postmenopausal estrogen and progestin use and the risk of cardiovascular disease. N Engl J Med. 1996;335:453–461
  6. Giltay EJ, Hoogeveen EK, Elbers JH, Gooren LG, Asscheman H, Stehouwer CDA. Effects of sex steroids on plasma total homocysteine levels (a study in transsexual males and females). J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1998;83:550–553
  7. Olszewski AJ, McCully KS. Homocysteine content of lipoproteins in hypercholesterolaemia. Atherosclerosis. 1991;88:61–68
  8. Windler EE, Kovanen PT, Chao YS, Brown MS, Havel RJ, Goldstein JL. The estradiol-stimulated lipoprotein receptor of rat liver. A binding site that membrane mediates the uptake of rat lipoproteins containing apoproteins B and E. J Biol Chem. 1980;255:10464–10471
  9. Van der Mooren MJ, Wouters MG, Blom HJ, Schellekens LA, Eskes TK, Rolland R. Hormone replacement therapy may reduce high serum homocysteine in postmenopausal women. Eur J Clin Invest. 1994;24:733–736
  10. Mijatovic V, Kenemans P, Netelenbos C, Jakobs C, Popp-Snijders C, Peters-Muller ER, et al.  Postmenopausal oral 17beta-estradiol continuously combined with dydrogesterone reduces fasting serum homocysteine levels. Fertil Steril. 1998;69:876–882
  11. Mijatovic V, Kenemans P, Jakobs C, van Baal WM, Peters-Muller ER, van der Mooren MJ. A randomized controlled study of the effects of 17beta-estradiol-dydrogesterone on plasma homocysteine in postmenopausal women. Obstet Gynecol. 1998;91:432–436
  12. Mijatovic V, Netelenbos C, van der Mooren MJ, de Valk-de Roo GW, Jakobs C, Kenemans P. Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the effects of raloxifene and conjugated equine estrogen on plasma homocysteine levels in healthy postmenopausal women. Fertil Steril. 1998;70:1085–1089
  13. Van Baal WM, Smolders RGV, van der Mooren MJ, Teerlink T, Kenemans P. Hormone replacement therapy and plasma homocysteine levels. Obstet Gynecol. 1999;94:485–491
  14. Barnabei VM, Phillips TM, Hsia J. Plasma homocysteine in women taking hormone replacement therapy (the Postmenopausal Estrogen/Progestin Interventions (PEPI) Trial). J Womens Health Gend Based Med. 1999;8:1167–1172
  15. Walsh BW, Paul S, Wild RA, Dean RA, Tracy RP, Cox DA, et al.  The effects of hormone replacement therapy and raloxifene on C-reactive protein and homocysteine in healthy postmenopausal women (a randomized, controlled trial). J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2000;85:214–218
  16. Ventura P, Cagnacci A, Malmusi S, Panini R, Baldassari F, Arangino S, et al.  Continuous combined hormone replacement therapy with oral 17beta- estradiol and norethisterone acetate improves homocysteine metabolism in postmenopausal women. Menopause. 2001;8:252–258
  17. Hak AE, Bak AA, Lindemans J, Planellas J, Coelingh Bennink HJ, Hofman A, et al.  The effect of hormone replacement therapy on serum homocysteine levels in perimenopausal women (a randomized controlled trial). Atherosclerosis. 2001;158:437–443
  18. Smolders RGV, Vogelvang TE, Mijatovic V, van Baal WM, Neele SJM, Netelenbos JC, et al.  A 2-year, randomized, comparative, placebo-controlled study on the effects of raloxifene on lipoprotein(a) and homocysteine. Maturitas. 2002;41:105–114
  19. De Bree A, Verschuren WM, Blom HJ, Kromhout D. Association between B vitamin intake and plasma homocysteine concentration in the general Dutch population aged 20-65 y. Am J Clin Nutr. 2001;73:1027–1033
  20. Carmel R, Howard JM, Green R, Jacobsen DW, Azen C. Hormone replacement therapy and cobalamin status in elderly women. Am J Clin Nutr. 1996;64:856–859
  21. Steegers-Theunissen RP, Boers GH, Steegers EA, Trijbels FJ, Thomas CM, Eskes TK. Effects of sub-50 oral contraceptives on homocysteine metabolism (a preliminary study). Contraception. 1992;45:129–139
  22. Brown CA, McKinney KQ, Young KB, Norton HJ. The C677T methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase polymorphism influences the homocysteine-lowering effect of hormone replacement therapy. Mol Genet Metab. 1999;67:43–48
  23. Rosendaal FR, Helmerhorst FM, Vandenbroucke JP. Oral contraceptives, hormone replacement therapy and thrombosis. Thromb Haemost. 2001;86:112–123
  24. Godsland IF. Effects of postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy on lipid, lipoprotein, and apolipoprotein (a) concentrations (analysis of studies published from 1974-2000). Fertil Steril. 2001;75:898–915
  25. Evio S, Tiitinen A, Turpeinen U, Ylikorkala O. Failure of the combination of sequential oral and transdermal estradiol plus norethisterone acetate to affect plasma homocysteine levels. Fertil Steril. 2000;74:1080–1083
  26. Hak AE, Polderman KH, Westendorp IC, Jakobs C, Hofman A, Witteman JC, et al.  Increased plasma homocysteine after menopause. Atherosclerosis. 2000;149:163–168

 Supported by research grants from the Netherlands Heart Foundation (grant 95.201), Biocare Foundation (grant 96.312), and Schering AG (Berlin, Germany, grant 96.083).

PII: S0015-0282(02)04661-7

doi: 10.1016/S0015-0282(02)04661-7

Fertility and Sterility
Volume 79, Issue 2 , Pages 261-267 , February 2003