Carranza LS, MacGregor GAL, Olivares A, González LSL, Saldívar N, Martínez CJC

Language: Spanish
References: 15
Page: 521-524
PDF size: 51.23 Kb.

ABSTRACT

Objective: To evaluate the effect of conjugated equine estrogens (CEE) plus medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) and raloxifene on serum levels of complement C3 and C4 fractions in postmenopausal women.
Patients and method: Twenty healthy postmenopausal women were studied. In all weight, height and body mass index (BMI) were documented. FSH and estradiol levels were measured. They were randomly divided into two groups, according to the treatment they received: group I, CEE 0.625 mg/day plus MPA 2.5 mg/day (n = 7); group II, raloxifene 60 mg/day (n = 13), both treatments were continuous. Serum levels of C3 and C4 complement fractions were measured by immunonephelometry at baseline and six months after start of treatment. Differences among groups of baseline and final C3 and C4 levels were measured with Student’s t test for independent and paired samples, respectively.
Results: There were no differences among groups in age, weight, height and body mass index, neither in C3 and C4 levels among baseline and final levels when comparing each group separately.
Conclusions: Complement may not intervene significantly in the atherosclerotic inflammatory process in women receiving CEE plus MPA or raloxifene.

REFERENCES

1. Ross R. Atherosclerosis an inflammatory disease. N Engl J Med 1999;340:115-26.

2. Cushman M, Meilahn EN, Psaty BM, et al. Hormone replacement therapy, inflammation, and hemostasis in elderly women. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 1999;19:893-9.

3. Ridker PM, Hennekens CH, Rifai N, et al. Hormone replacement therapy and increased plasma concentration of C-reactive protein. Circulation 1999;100:713-6.

4. Pasceri V, Willerson JT, Yeh ET. Direct proinflammatory effect of C-reactive protein on human endothelial cells. Circulation 2000;102:2165-8.

5. Torzewski J, Torzewski M, Bowyer DE, et al. C-reactive protein frequently colocalizes with the terminal complement complex in the intima of early atherosclerotic lesions in human coronary arteries. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 1998;18:1386-92.

6. Miller AP, Chen YF, Xing D, et al. Hormone replacement therapy and inflammation. Interactions in cardiovascular disease. Hypertension 2003;42(part 2):657-63.

7. Volanakis JE. Complement activation by C-reactive protein complexes. Ann NY Acad Sci 1982;389:235-50.

8. Deppisch RM, Beck W, Goehl H, Ritz E. Complement components as uremic toxins and their potential role as mediators of microinflammation. Kidney Int 2001;59(Suppl 78):S271-7.

9. Lagrand WK, Niessen HWM, Nijmeijer R, Hack CE. Role for complement as an intermediate between C-reactive protein and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 expression. Circulation 2001;104:E46.

10. Walport MJ. Advances in immunology. N Engl J Med 2001;344:1058-66.

11. Barrington R, Zhang M, Fischer M, Carroll MC. The role of complement in inflammation and adaptive immunity. Immunol Rev 2001;180:5-15.

12. Mikkola TS, Clarkson TB. Estrogen replacement therapy, atherosclerosis, and vascular function. Cardiovasc Res 2002;53:605-19.

13. Burke AP, Farb A, Malcolm G, Virmani R. Effect of menopause on plaque morphologic characteristics in coronary atherosclerosis. Am Heart J 2001;141:58-62.

14. Erlandsson MC, Gömöri E, Taube M, Carlsten H. Effects of raloxifene, a selective estrogen receptor modulator on thymus, T cell reactivity, and inflammation in mice. Cell Immunol 2000;205:103-9.

15. Bustillos-Camacho O, Martinez-Chéquer JC. Efecto de la terapia estrogénica de reemplazo sobre los niveles séricos de complemento en la mujer posmenopáusica. [Tesis de posgrado] México: Hospital de Ginecología y Obstetricia Luis Castelazo Ayala - UNAM, 1998.