Effects of hormone replacement therapy on serum lipids and phospholipids in postmenopausal women.

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and the beneficial effects may be mediated in part by favourable changes in plasma lipid levels. Evidence exists concerning the effect of combined oestrogen and progestogen on lipids, nevertheless no such evidence can be found on the phospholipid profile, which is important the lipid metabolic pathways. In the present study, involving the serum lipids and lipoproteins, we observed an increase in the concentration of total cholesterol (P < 0.001), HDL-C (P < 0.001), HDL-C (P < 0.001), 2 HDL-C (P < 0.001) and a decrease in the ratio LDL-C/ 3 HDL-C (P < 0.001) in the subjects of Group B (oestrogen plus progestogens) compared with controls (baseline). Also, we found an increased in triglycerides (P < 0.01) and ApoA-1 (P < 0.01) concentrations in the subjects of Group A (oestrogen alone) compared with controls (baseline). With regard to the phospholipids, the main changes observed in their concentrations were: an increase in phosphatidyl choline (P < 0.001) and a decrease in phosphatidyl serine (P < 0.01) for both groups compared with controls. Also, a decrease in phosphatidylinositol (P < 0.01) in Group B compared with controls (baseline). The significance of these results are discussed.