Effects of oral and transdermal low-dose estrogen therapy on echocardiographic parameters of cardiac function

Associations between menopause, cardiac remodeling, and diastolic function: the CARDIA study

OBJECTIVES

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) affects more women than men. Menopause may influence HFpEF development in women. We assessed cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between menopause and echocardiographic measures of left ventricular (LV) function and cardiac remodeling.

METHODS

We studied 1,723 women with available echo data from at least two of: year 5 (Y5) (1990-1991), Y25 (2010-2011), or Y30 (2015-2016) in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults study. Cardiac structure and function were measured using 2D and Doppler echocardiography. Cross-sectional associations between menopausal status and repeated echo measures at Y25 and Y30 were analyzed using linear mixed models. Two-segmented models were used to compare longitudinal changes in echocardiographic measures in the premenopausal period to changes in the postmenopausal period.

RESULTS

Mean ± SD age (years) at enrollment was 27 ± 3 in those with menopause by Y25, 25 ± 3 in those with menopause between Y25 and Y30, and 21 ± 3 in those premenopausal at Y30. There were no significant differences in race, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, or diabetes between the groups. Postmenopausal women had higher early diastolic mitral inflow (E) to annular (e') velocity ratio than premenopausal after adjusting for demographics and risk factors (P < 0.05). Menopause was associated with relative increases in the rates of change in LV mass and left atrial volume, even after adjustment. Change in E/e' ratio was similar before and after menopause.

CONCLUSIONS

Menopause is associated cross-sectionally with worse diastolic function and longitudinally with adverse LV and left atrial remodeling. This may contribute to the increased HFpEF risk in postmenopausal women.

Effects of hormone replacement therapy on left ventricular diastolic function in postmenopausal women: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Postmenopausal women tend to experience significant changes in left ventricular diastolic function (LVDF). However, there are conflicting reports about LVDF between postmenopausal women on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and those not on HRT. This meta-analysis is to evaluate the effects of HRT on LVDF in postmenopausal women.

METHODS

We conducted a systemic review of randomized controlled trials published up to December 31 2019 using Embase, Pubmed, and the Cochrane library database.

RESULTS

Eight studies involving 668 postmenopausal women were identified. Our analysis indicated that the ratio of the peak velocity during early filing to late filling from atrial contraction improvement in HRT group was better than that in placebo group (MD 0.20, 95%CI 0.12 to 0.28). There was a significant reduction in deceleration time and left ventricular mass index in HRT group compared with placebo group (MD -21.01, 95%CI -40.11 to -1.91 vs MD -8.26, 95%CI -14.10 to -2.42). No significant difference was observed in left ventricular end systole diameter (MD 0.80, 95%CI -0.72 to 2.31), left ventricular end diastole diameter (MD -0.07, 95%CI -1.25 to 1.10), left atrial size (MD -0.33, 95%CI -1.34 to 0.68)and the isovolumic relaxation time (MD -12.08, 95%CI -27.65 to 3.5).

CONCLUSIONS

Our meta-analysis illustrated that postmenopausal women seem to obtain more beneficial effects from HRT on LVDF, though future studies are required to elucidate the specific mechanisms for this phenomenon.

Effect of lifestyle factors and hormone therapy on heart function by serial echocardiography in postmenopausal women

BACKGROUND

There is conflicting information on the effects of oestrogen on the heart in women, especially those using postmenopausal hormone therapy. Whilst some studies reported a beneficial effect, others showed adverse outcomes. The interplay of lifestyle factors and type/timing of therapy remains to be clarified.

AIM

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of lifestyle and hormone therapy on heart function and structure in postmenopausal women.

METHOD

As part of a large longitudinal study of women randomly recruited from an urban population, the study assessed 410 suitable women by echocardiography in Year 1 and Year 5 of the study by two independent cardiologists.

RESULTS

In lifestyle characteristics, the difference in age and body mass (as markers of cardiovascular risk) was in favour of never-users versus hormone therapy-users. Using an arbitrary cut-off > or =15% change for an effect, we found lifestyle factors had minimal effect on the two measured parameters - ejection fraction, left ventricular mass. Effects of hormone therapy were variable and mixed; greatest effect was found for an 'early start' of hormone therapy with oestrogen-only preparation - the risk of reduced ejection fraction was decreased [hazard ratio (HR) 0.42, confidence interval = 0.17-1.03, P = 0.06] and risk of increased left ventricular mass was increased (HR 2.21, 1.09-4.49, P = 0.03).

CONCLUSION

Our findings add to the evidence that oestrogen given to postmenopausal women has a mixed effect on the heart, with effect best shown when started early.

Persistence with oral and transdermal hormone replacement therapy and hospitalisation for cardiovascular outcomes

BACKGROUND

The effect of persistence with transdermal and oral administrations of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on the risk of hospitalisation for cardiovascular disease, and the role of income as potential confounder, were explored in a large population-based cohort study.

METHODS

Seventy-eight thousand eight hundred and seventy-five women resident in the Italian Lombardy Region aged 45-65 years who received at least one HRT prescription during 1998-2000 were followed until December 2003. The 828 cohort members who experienced at least one hospitalisation for a circulatory system disease were identified from the Regional hospital discharge database. The Regional prescription drug database was used to assess cumulative persistence with hormone treatment during follow-up. Data on individual taxable income was also obtained for women resident in the city of Milan. A proportional hazards model was fitted to estimate the association between cumulative time-dependent persistence with HRT and cardiovascular risk.

RESULTS

Compared with women who took HRT for less than 6 months, those exposed for more than 3 years to HRT as a whole, and to transdermal and oral HRT, respectively, showed hazard ratios of 0.65 (95% confidence interval: 0.45, 0.92), 0.53 (0.34, 0.82), and 1.15 (0.47, 2.79). CVD reducing potential of HRT disappeared when estimates were adjusted for income being hazard ratio associated with long-term use 0.94 (0.52, 1.71).

CONCLUSIONS

Evidence that CVD risk associated with long-term hormone treatment varies according to the route of HRT administration, and that economic position confounds the effect of HRT on the risk of cardiovascular hospitalisation, is provided by the current study.

Oral, more than transdermal, oestrogen therapy lowers asymmetric dimethylarginine in healthy postmenopausal women: a randomized, placebo-controlled study

OBJECTIVE

To compare the effects of oral and transdermal hormone therapy (HT) on asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), an endogenous inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase, in postmenopausal women.

DESIGN

In a multicentre, placebo-controlled, double-blind study, 152 hysterectomized healthy women were randomized to receive daily transdermal 17beta-oestradiol (tE2, n = 33), or oral micronized 17beta-oestradiol either unopposed (oE2, n = 37), or continuous combined with gestodene (oE2 + G, n = 33), or placebo (n = 49) for 13, 28-day treatment cycles. Plasma concentrations of ADMA, arginine and symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) were measured at baseline and in treatment cycles 4 and 13 with a high-performance liquid chromatography method.

RESULTS

After 13 cycles all active treatment groups showed a significant reduction in ADMA compared with placebo: tE2, -4.0% (95% CI: -7.5 to -0.6%); oE2, -7.7% (95% CI: -10.9 to -4.4%) and oE2 + G, -7.5% (95% CI: -10.8 to -4.3%). ancova showed a significantly larger reduction in the oral groups compared with the transdermal group (tE2 vs. oE2 and tE2 vs. oE2 + G, both P < 0.01). Oral, but not transdermal treatment, significantly reduced arginine compared with placebo. All active treatments reduced SDMA; however, this was only statistically significant in the oE2 group.

CONCLUSION

Reduction of ADMA was more pronounced after oral than after tE2 administration. Adding gestodene to oral 17beta-oestradiol did not alter the reduction of ADMA. The clinical implications of these findings remain uncertain; however, the decrease of ADMA by 17beta-oestradiol could be a key phenomenon in the modulation of nitric oxide synthesis by postmenopausal HT.

Emerging Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators

Menopause, regardless of age at onset, is associated with a marked increase in coronary heart disease (CHD) risk. On the basis of epidemiological studies that demonstrated mainly positive effects of postmenopausal hormone therapy on CHD as well as on risk markers of CHD, it has been suggested that CHD could be prevented in postmenopausal women with long-term hormone therapy. However, since the publications of the Heart and Estrogen/progestin Replacement Study and the Women's Health Initiative trial, prescription of hormone therapy for the prevention of CHD has become controversial. Major efforts have been made to identify alternatives for hormone therapy. Compounds suggested have included selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs), which represent a class with a growing number of compounds that act as either estrogen receptor agonists or antagonists in a tissue-specific manner. This pharmacological profile may offer the opportunity to dissociate favourable estrogenic effects on the bone and cardiovascular system from unfavourable stimulatory effects on the breast and endometrium. Two SERMs presently on the market are tamoxifen and raloxifene. The only data available regarding the effects of tamoxifen on cardiovascular events in postmenopausal women are from breast cancer trials. These trials found fewer fatal myocardial events in women randomly assigned to tamoxifen compared with women assigned to placebo. Raloxifene is a second-generation SERM that has been shown to prevent osteoporotic fractures, is safe for the endometrium and holds high promise for the prevention of breast cancer. The effect of raloxifene on CHD is still uncertain. On the basis of the MORE (Multiple Outcomes of Raloxifene Evaluation) trial, raloxifene may offer some protection to women with CHD or to those who are at high risk of CHD. Proof that raloxifene reduces the risk of CHD requires a clinical trial with hard clinical endpoints. Such a study is currently underway. Next-generation SERMs taken into clinical development include idoxifene, droloxifene, ospemifene, arzoxifene, acolbifene/EM-800, levormeloxifene, lasofoxifene, bazedoxifene and HMR 3339. The aim is to find a compound with the ideal profile, that is, alleviation of climacteric symptoms and prevention of osteoporotic fractures, but without an adverse effect on the breast and endometrium, and no negative effect or even a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system and the brain. Currently, limited data are available with regard to these next-generation SERMs and CHD. Nevertheless, some of these novel agents provide arguments for continuing the search for an ideal SERM.

Effects of transdermal and oral postmenopausal hormone therapy on vascular function: a randomized, placebo-controlled study in healthy postmenopausal women

OBJECTIVE

To compare the effect of transdermal and oral estrogen therapy, the latter with or without the addition of gestodene, on plasma concentrations of markers of endothelial function and on ultrasonographic parameters of vascular function in healthy postmenopausal women.

DESIGN

In a 15-month, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 152 healthy hysterectomized postmenopausal women received daily doses of placebo (n = 49), 50 microg of transdermal 17ss-estradiol (tE2, n = 33), 1 mg of oral E2 (oE2, n = 37), or 1 mg of oral estradiol combined with 25 microg of gestodene (oE2+ G, n = 33) for 13 cycles of 28 days, followed by four washout cycles with placebo in each group. At baseline and in cycles 4, 13, and 17, we measured plasma levels of endothelial markers and ultrasonographic markers of vascular function (pulsatility index [PI] and, at baseline and cycle 13, arterial stiffness).

RESULTS

Compared with placebo, we found reductions in soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule (oE2, P < 0.01; oE2+ G, P < 0.001), sE-selectin (oE2 + G, P < 0.05), von Willebrand factor (tE2, P < 0.05), and divergent effects in PI and stiffness parameters in the carotid artery. We found no effect on PI in the retinal and femoral arteries, or on stiffness parameters in the femoral and brachial artery.

CONCLUSIONS

Oral hormone therapy reduced plasma levels of adhesion molecules, whereas transdermal estrogen therapy reduced von Willebrand factor. Effects on ultrasonographic parameters of vascular function in the carotid artery were inconclusive.