Third generation oral contraceptive use and cardiovascular risk factors

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the relationship between third generation oral contraceptive (OC) use and various cardiovascular risk factors--including markers of inflammation--in a population-based sample. STUDY POPULATION AND METHODS: Data on OC use were obtained from women, aged 25-44 years participating in the MONICA Augsburg survey 1994-1995. Complete data were available from 841 women. Third generation OCs were defined as OCs containing desogestrel or gestodene, the remaining OC products were summarized in the group "other OC." RESULTS: Women taking third generation OCs had significantly higher C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, plasma viscosity, and HDL-cholesterol concentrations compared to the "other OC" group and non-users. In contrast, LDL-cholesterol was identical in the three groups. The analyses of interaction between smoking and OC use revealed that smoking women taking third generation pills had a less favourable pattern concerning inflammatory markers compared to women not on OC or using other products. CONCLUSION: Potentially harmful effects of OCs may arise from their positive association with the acute phase response. There is a close relationship with inflammatory markers in particular in women taking third generation OCs, which may, at least in part, contribute to the increased atherothrombotic risk, reported specifically in these women.