Effect of hormone replacement therapy on total serum anti-oxidant potential and oxidized LDL/β2-glycoprotein I complexes in postmenopausal women

Oxidative stress and consequent oxidized lipoprotein production is thought to play a central role in both the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis. Oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL)/beta 2-glycoprotein I (beta 2GPI) complexes are etiologically important in the development of atherosclerosis. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether long-term treatment with conventional hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in postmenopausal women could affect total serum antioxidant capacity (TAC) and serum levels of oxLDL/beta 2GPI complexes. A total of 60 normolipidemic postmenopausal women treated with oral estrogen together with progestin therapy for 3 months were selected. TAC and serum levels of oxLDL/beta 2GPI complexes were measured at the beginning and end of the HRT. HRT led to a significant increase in TAC (15%, P=0.02) and a minor but statistically nonsignificant decrease of oxLDL/beta 2GPI complexes (3%, P=0.30) when compared with the baseline control levels. There was also no significant association between TAC and oxLDL/beta 2GPI complexes changes related to HRT. This study indicates that, HRT in postmenopausal women leads to an increase in TAC without an equivalent change in serum levels of oxLDL/beta 2GPI complexes. It is concluded that beneficial effects of HRT could be explained, at least in part, by improving antioxidant status, but may not be directly associated with a change in oxidized lipoprotein production.