Regulation of Salivary Peptidoglycan Recognition Protein 1 in Adolescents

INTRODUCTION

Peptidoglycan recognition protein 1 (PGLYRP1), a member of peptidoglycan recognition proteins, is known to be involved in the proinflammatory response toward bacterial infections. Recently, PGLYRP1 was identified as a ligand for triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 1 (TREM-1). Although PGLYRP1 is involved in immune and inflammatory responses, its levels in initial stages of periodontal disease in adolescents are currently unknown.

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to investigate salivary levels of PGLYRP1 and its correlation with TREM-1, polymorphonuclear leukocyte elastase (PMN elastase), and an active matrix metalloproteinase 8 (aMMP-8) in adolescents.

METHODS

Whole saliva samples (n = 537) were collected from 15- to 16-y-old adolescents at Kotka Health Center, Finland, prior to periodontal examination, including measurement of periodontal pocket depth (PPD), visible plaque index (VPI), and bleeding on probing (BOP). Adolescents, clustered as periodontally healthy, gingivitis, or subclinical periodontitis, were tested for salivary levels of TREM-1, PGLYRP1, and PMN elastase by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and aMMP-8 by a time-resolved immunofluorometric assay (IFMA).

RESULTS

Salivary levels of PGLYRP1 and aMMP-8 were significantly higher in adolescents with subclinical periodontitis and gingivitis compared to individuals with healthy periodontium. TREM-1 and PMN elastase levels were higher in adolescents with subclinical periodontitis compared to healthy individuals but did not reach significance. PGLYRP1 correlated positively with BOP, PPD, VPI, aMMP-8, and TREM-1.

CONCLUSIONS

Elevated PGLYRP1 levels in adolescents with gingivitis and subclinical periodontitis and its positive correlation with TREM-1 and aMMP-8 may indicate an association of PGLYRP1 with initial stages of periodontal disease. Sex and poor oral hygiene but not smoking are also associated with higher levels of PGLYRP1. However, PGLYRP1 has a lower discriminating capacity and is therefore a less reliable marker alone in the diagnosis of initial stages of periodontal disease in adolescents.

KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER STATEMENT

PGLYRP1, a member of peptidoglycan recognition proteins, is a ligand for TREM-1. Elevated PGLYRP1 levels in adolescents with gingivitis and subclinical periodontitis and its positive correlation with TREM-1 and aMMP-8 may indicate an association of PGLYRP1 with initial stages of periodontal disease. However, it has a lower discriminating capacity and is therefore a less reliable marker alone in the diagnosis of periodontal disease in adolescents.

Finnish Dentists Find Smoking Cessation Important but Seldom Offer Practical Support for Their Patients

OBJECTIVES

To investigate Finnish dentists' smoking cessation related attitudes, consultation practices and familiarity with the local treatment guideline on smoking cessation.

BASIC RESEARCH DESIGN

An online questionnaire was sent to 1740 dentists, which corresponds to 39% of dentists in Finland. A total of 456 dentists responded (response rate 26%), of whom 435 (95%) were clinicians. The dentists' smoking cessation practices were also compared to ones reported in a previous study in Finnish physicians.

RESULTS

Dentists found smoking cessation important and often discussed and recommended quitting to the patients, but concrete withdrawal actions were seldom provided. The local treatment guideline on smoking cessation was actively utilized by 36% of the dentists. Adherence to the guideline was associated with higher rates of smoking cessation activities and success in them. Smoking cessation activity among dentists was significantly lower than in Finnish physicians. In accordance with the literature, among dentists, the most common barriers for smoking cessation were lack of time (44%) and education (42%).

CONCLUSION

Although smoking cessation is discussed with patients, dentists are less active in taking concrete actions to support the patient on withdrawal. Adherence to the local treatment guideline was associated with better capabilities in dealing with tobacco withdrawal and a more active role in smoking cessation. The results suggest that more education on the local smoking cessation treatment guideline and cessation intervention is needed in order to overcome the remaining barriers to promoting effective smoking cessation in dental practice.

Morbidity of 10 110 hysterectomies by type of approach

BACKGROUND

Since the late 1980s, the option of laparoscopic hysterectomy has raised questions about the most suitable approach to hysterectomy.

METHODS

To evaluate the influence of the type of approach, in causing or avoiding certain complaints in hysterectomies a prospective nationwide study was conducted comprising all hysterectomies for benign disease performed in Finland during 1996. The primary outcomes of interest were the operation-related morbidity, common surgical details and post-operative complications.

RESULTS

A total of 10 110 hysterectomies, including 5875 abdominal, 1801 vaginal and 2434 laparoscopic operations showed a low rate of overall complications, 17.2, 23.3 and 19.0% respectively. Infections were the most common complications with incidences of 10.5, 13.0 and 9.0% in the abdominal, vaginal and laparoscopic group respectively. The most severe type of haemorrhagic events occurred in 2.1, 3.1 and 2.7% in the abdominal, vaginal and laparoscopic group respectively. Ureter injuries were predominant in laparoscopic group [relative risk (RR) 7.2 compared with abdominal] whereas bowel injuries were most common in vaginal group (RR 2.5 compared with abdominal). Surgeons who had performed >30 laparoscopic hysterectomies had a significantly lower incidence of ureter and bladder injuries (0.5 and 0.8% respectively) than those who had performed < or =30 operations (2.2 and 2.0% respectively). A decreasing trend of bowel complications was also seen with increasing experience in vaginal hysterectomies.

CONCLUSIONS

This large-scale observational study on hysterectomies provides novel information on operation-related morbidity of abdominal, vaginal or laparoscopic approach. The results support the importance of the experience of the surgeon in reducing severe complications, especially in laparoscopic and vaginal hysterectomies.

The protective effect of hormone-replacement therapy on fracture risk is modulated by estrogen receptor alpha genotype in early postmenopausal women

Genetic factors regulate bone mineral density (BMD) and possibly development of osteoporosis. It has been suggested that estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) genotype is associated with BMD, but the association between ERalpha genotype, fracture risk, and postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has not been studied. Therefore, we evaluated whether ERalpha polymorphism is associated with fracture risk in a 5-year trial with HRT in a population-based, randomized group of 331 early postmenopausal women. The participants consisted of two treatment groups: the HRT group (n = 151) received a sequential combination of 2 mg of estradiol valerate (E2Val) and 1 mg of cyproterone acetate with or without vitamin D3, 100-300 IU + 93 mg calcium as lactate per day; and the non-HRT group (n = 180) received 93 mg of calcium alone or in combination with vitamin D3, 100-300 IU/day. All new symptomatic, radiographically defined fractures were recorded. Pvu II restriction fragment length polymorphism of the ERalpha was determined using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In all, 28 women sustained 33 fractures during the approximately 5.1-year follow-up. In the HRT group, the ERalpha genotype (PP, Pp, and pp) was not significantly associated with fracture risk (p = 0.138; Cox proportional hazards model). When the genotype was dichotomized (PP + Pp vs. pp), the incidence of new fractures in the HRT group was significantly reduced in women with the P allele (p = 0.046) with the relative risk (HR) of 0.25 (95% CI, 0.07-0.98), in comparison with the non-P allele group. After adjustment for time since menopause and previous fracture, the association between the dichotomous genotype and fracture risk persisted with HR of 0.24 (95% CI, 0.06-0.95;p = 0.042). In the non-HRT group, the ERalpha genotype was not significantly associated with fracture risk. During HRT, women with the pp genotype have a greater fracture risk than those with the P allele. The results suggest that the pp genotype is a relatively hormone-insensitive genotype, and it appears that women with the P allele may benefit more from the protective effect of HRT on fracture risk than women with the pp genotype.

Early postmenopausal bone loss is associated with PvuII estrogen receptor gene polymorphism in Finnish women: effect of hormone replacement therapy

Genetic factors regulate bone mineral density (BMD) and possibly the development of osteoporosis. An association between estrogen receptor (ER) polymorphism, BMD, and postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has not been established. Therefore, we studied the influence of the ER genotype on BMD before and after a 5-year HRT in a placebo-controlled, population-based, randomized group of 322 early postmenopausal women. The participants were randomized into two treatment groups: the HRT group (n = 145) received a sequential combination of 2 mg estradiol valerate and 1 mg CPA with or without vitamin D3, 100-300 IU + 500 mg calcium lactate/day (equal to 93 mg Ca2+), and the non-HRT group (n = 177) received calcium lactate, 500 mg alone or in combination with vitamin D3, 100-300 IU/day. PvuII restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of the ERalpha was determined using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). BMDs of the lumbar spine (L2-4) and proximal femur were measured by using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). At the baseline, there were no significant differences in the lumbar or femoral neck BMDs between the three ER PvuII genotype groups (PP, Pp, pp). After 5 years, the BMD of the femoral neck remained unaltered and that of the lumbar spine increased by 1.7% in the HRT group, whereas both BMDs were decreased by 4-5% in the non-HRT group. The ER genotype did not modulate the femoral neck BMD change during the follow-up. In contrast, in the non-HRT-group the lumbar spine BMD decreased more in subjects with the ER genotypes PP (6.4%) and Pp (5.2%) than in subjects with the pp genotype (2.9%) (p = 0.002). In the HRT group, the relative changes of the lumbar spine BMD were similar in all three ER genotype groups. Thus without HRT, the pp genotype was associated with a smaller decrease in the lumbar spine BMD than the Pp and PP genotypes. Long-term HRT seemed to eliminate the ER genotype-related differences in the BMD. We conclude that subjects with the ER PvuII genotypes PP and Pp may have a greater risk of relatively fast bone loss after menopause than those with the pp genotype and that they may preferentially derive benefit from HRT.

Does apolipoprotein E genotype relate to BMD and bone markers in postmenopausal women?

OBJECTIVES

Bone mineral density (BMD) and development of osteoporosis are partly determined by genetic factors. The associations between one of suggested candidate, apolipoprotein E (apo E) genotype to bone mineral density (BMD) and bone biochemical markers was studied in 464 subjects recruited from a population-based group of early postmenopausal women (n = 13100). Additionally, the influence of apo E genotype on BMD changes during a 5-year follow-up with or without hormone replacement therapy (HRT) was investigated.

METHODS

Participants were randomized into two treatment groups: HRT group: Sequential combination of 2 mg estradiol valerate and 1 mg cyproterone acetate with or without vitamin D3, 100-300 IU/day + calcium lactate, 500 mg/day (n = 232), and the non-HRT group: Calcium lactate, 500 mg/day alone or in combination with vitamin D3, 100-300 IU/day (n = 232). BMD was measured from the lumbar spine and proximal femur at baseline and after 5 years of treatment (n = 352). In a subgroup (n = 59), the serum concentrations of bone biochemical markers (intact osteocalcin (OC), bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BAP) and type I collagen carboxy-terminal telopeptide (ICTP)) were measured at baseline and after 1 year of follow-up.

RESULTS

At baseline, the BMDs were similar between the five apo E genotype groups (2/3, 2/4, 3/3, 3/4, 4/4). No significant differences in lumbar or femoral neck BMDs of women with the apo E4 allele were found compared with those without it. There was a statistically significant difference in 5-year BMD changes between the HRT and non-HRT groups. After 5 years, the BMD of the femoral neck had remained constant and the mean lumbar spine BMD had increased by 1.5% in the HRT group, whereas both BMDs had decreased by 4-5% in the non-HRT group. However, the apo E genotype did not modify the changes in BMD in either group. Additionally, the baseline concentrations of bone metabolic markers and their 1-year changes showed no genotype-related associations.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of our population-based study indicate that apo E genotype does not modify lumbar or femoral neck BMDs or serum bone biochemical markers or their response to HRT in early postmenopausal Caucasian women.

Identification of early postmenopausal women with no bone response to HRT: results of a five-year clinical trial

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) prevents postmenopausal bone loss and fractures. However, the occurrence of women with no bone response to HRT has not been widely examined. We identified the densitometric nonresponders to long-term HRT and investigated some characteristics and biochemical variables as possible predictors of densitometric nonresponse in postmenopausal women. The study population was a subsample of the Kuopio Osteoporosis Study (n = 14,220). A total of 464 early postmenopausal women were randomized into four treatment groups: (1) HRT (sequential combination of 2 mg estradiol valerate and 1 mg cyproterone acetate); (2) vitamin D3; (3) HRT + Vitamin D3 combined; and (4) placebo. In this study, the data from HRT and placebo groups were analyzed. Lumbar (L2-4) and femoral neck bone mineral density (BMD) were determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) at baseline and after 5 years of treatment. A densitometric nonresponder was defined as a woman whose 5-year BMD change was similar to the mean BMD change (+95% CI) of the placebo group or worse. Altogether, 74 women in the HRT group and 104 women in the placebo group complied with the treatment. According to spinal BMD analysis, 11% of the women were classified as densitometric nonresponders; the corresponding proportion for femoral BMD analysis was 26%. Both smoking (p = 0.003) and low body weight (p = 0.028) were significant risk factors for densitometric nonresponse to HRT. After 6 months of treatment the densitometric nonresponders (hip) had a significantly higher mean serum follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) level (p = 0.038) and lower increases in serum estradiol levels (p = 0.006) than the densitometric responders. The mean changes in serum FSH and alkaline phosphatase levels were significantly lower among the densitometric nonresponders (spine) than responders (p = 0.043 and 0.017, respectively). In conclusion, this prospective study shows that especially current smokers and women with low body weight are at increased risk of poor bone response to HRT. Repeated serum FSH, estradiol and alkaline phosphatase measurements during the first months of long-term HRT may be helpful in identifying the women with no bone response to HRT.

Is the response of serum lipids and lipoproteins to postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy modified by ApoE genotype?

Postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has favorable effects on the serum lipid profile, and it also decreases the risk of cardiovascular diseases. The apolipoprotein E genotype has influence on serum levels of lipids and lipoproteins; apoE allele epsilon4 (apoE4) is associated with high total and LDL cholesterol levels. Genotype also influences the lipid responses to treatment with diet and statins, but the effect of HRT in different apoE genotypes is unknown. We studied the effects of HRT on the concentrations of serum lipids in apoE4-positive early postmenopausal women (genotypes 3/4 and 4/4) compared with apoE4-negative women (genotypes 2/3 and 3/3) in a population-based, prospective 5-year study. In all, 232 early postmenopausal women were randomized into 2 treatment groups: an HRT group (n=116), which received a sequential combination of 2 mg estradiol valerate (E2Val) from day 1 to 21 and 1 mg cyproterone acetate (CPA) from day 12 to 21 (Climen), and a placebo group (n=116), which received 500 mg/d calcium lactate. Serum concentrations of total, LDL, and HDL cholesterol and triglycerides were measured at baseline and after 2 and 5 years of treatment. A total of 154 women completed the final analysis. During the follow-up period, serum total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol concentrations decreased in the HRT group in apoE4-negative women (8.1% and 17.1%, respectively; P<0.001) but did not change in the HRT group in apoE4-positive women or in the placebo group. Serum HDL cholesterol concentrations decreased in the placebo group (apoE4-negative, 3.9%, P=0.015; apoE4-positive, 8.1%, P=0.004) but did not change significantly in the HRT group. Serum triglyceride levels tended to increase in both study groups and genotypes (15.1% to 36.2%, P<0.038 to 0.001), but no differences were observed between the study groups or genotypes, respectively. Our finding was that in postmenopausal Finnish women LDL cholesterol levels in apoE4-negative subjects respond more favorably to HRT than those in apoE4-positive subjects. This finding has potential importance in postmenopausal women with hypercholesterolemia, if confirmed in other studies.

Prevention of femoral and lumbar bone loss with hormone replacement therapy and vitamin D3 in early postmenopausal women: a population-based 5-year randomized trial

The long term effects of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and vitamin D3 (Vit D) on bone mineral density (BMD) were studied. A total of 464 nonosteoporotic early postmenopausal women from the Kuopio Osteoporosis Study (n = 13100) were randomized to four groups: 1) HRT (sequential combination of 2 mg estradiol valerate and 1 mg cyproterone acetate, 2) Vit D3 (300 and 100 IU/day during the fifth year), 3) HRT and Vit D combined, and 4) placebo. Lumbar (L2-L4) and femoral neck BMD were determined by dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) at baseline and after 2.5 and 5 yr of treatment. Intention to treat analysis (n = 464) showed that after 5 yr, lumbar BMD remained unchanged in the HRT and HRT plus Vit D groups [+0.2% (P = 0.658) and +0.9% (P = 0.117), respectively], whereas lumbar BMD decreased by 4.6% in the Vit D group and by 4.5% in the placebo group (P < 0.001 in both). The loss of femoral neck BMD was less in the HRT (-1.4%; P = 0.005) and HRT plus Vit D (-1.3%; P = 0.003) groups than in the Vit D and placebo groups (-4.3%; P < 0.001 in both). Among those 370 women who complied with the 5-yr treatment, the effect was more pronounced: lumbar BMD had increased by 1.5% in the HRT (P = 0.009) and by 1.8% in the HRT plus Vit D group (P = 0.005), with a plateau after 2.5 yr, whereas lumbar BMD had decreased in both the Vit D and placebo groups (4.6% and 4.7%; P < 0.001, respectively). Femoral neck BMD decreased again less in the HRT (-0.4%) and HRT plus Vit D (-0.6%) groups than in the Vit D and placebo groups (-4.4% in both). This study confirms the positive long term effect of HRT on BMD also seen in intention to treat analysis. The data suggest that low dose vitamin D3 supplementation does not prevent bone loss in healthy, nonosteoporotic, early postmenopausal women, and it confers no benefit additional to that of HRT alone.

HRT and Vit D in prevention of non-vertebral fractures in postmenopausal women; a 5 year randomized trial

OBJECTIVES

We investigated the incidence of new non-vertebral fractures during HRT or low-dose vitamin (Vit) D3 supplementation in a 5-year prospective trial.

METHODS

A total of 464 early postmenopausal women, (a subgroup of the Kuopio Osteoporosis Study, n = 13,100) were randomized to four groups: (1) HRT, a sequential combination of 2 mg estradiol valerate and 1 mg cyproterone acetate; (2) Vit D (300 IU/day and 100 IU/day during the fifth years); (3) HRT + Vit D; and (4) placebo. Lumbar (L2-4) and femoral neck bone mineral densities (BMD) were determined by dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) at baseline, after 2.5 and 5 years of treatment. All new symptomatic non-vertebral, radiographically defined fractures were recorded.

RESULTS

Altogether, 368 women (79%) completed the 5 year treatment. In all, 32 women had 39 non-vertebral fractures during a mean of 4.3 year follow-up (HRT 4, Vit D 10, HRT + Vit D 8 and placebo 17). The reduction in the incidence of new non-vertebral fractures was significant in women with HRT alone (P = 0.032) when adjusted by baseline BMD and previous fractures; observed also with the intention-to-treat principle (P = 0.048). When the HRT groups were pooled, HRT showed a significantly lower incidence of new non-vertebral fractures (P = 0.042) than women receiving placebo and also after adjusting as above (P = 0.016); both in valid-case and in the intention-to-treat analysis. In the Vit D group, the fracture incidence was non-significantly decreased (P = 0.229) in comparison with the placebo group. The estimated risk of new non-vertebral fractures among women treated with HRT alone was 0.29 (95% CI, 0.10-0.90) and with Vit D 0.47 (95% CI, 0.20-1.14) and with HRT + Vit D 0.44 (95% CI, 0.17-1.15), in comparison with the placebo group (adjusted by femoral BMD and previous fractures).

CONCLUSIONS

This study is the first prospective trial confirming the beneficial effect of HRT on prevention of peripheral fractures in non-osteoporotic postmenopausal women. The effect of low-dose Vit D remains to be proved.

Postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy and autoantibodies against oxidized LDL

OBJECTIVES

Oxidative modification of low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) has been suggested to play an important role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, and autoantibodies against oxLDL have recently found to reflect this process. The antioxidant effect and inhibition of LDL oxidation may be one of the cardioprotective mechanisms of postmenopausal estrogen therapy.

METHODS

The effects of postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on the concentrations of serum lipids and oxLDL autoantibodies were studied in a population-based prospective 1-year study with 64 early postmenopausal women (mean age 52.2 +/- 0.4 (S.E.M.) years). The participants were randomized into two treatment groups: HRT-group: Sequential combination of 2 mg estradiol valerate and 1 mg cyproterone acetate alone or in combination with vitamin D3, 300 IU/day + calcium lactate, 500 mg/day (n = 31) and the non-HRT-group: Calcium lactate, 500 mg/day alone or in combination with vitamin D3, 300 IU/day (n = 33). The groups were well matched regarding age, body mass index and baseline serum lipid concentrations.

RESULTS

The serum concentrations of total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol decreased in the HRT-group (4.1%, P = 0.05 and 6.4%, P = 0.03, respectively, paired t-test) but did not change in the non-HRT-group. No changes in the serum concentrations of HDL-cholesterol or triglycerides were observed. Additionally, no changes in oxLDL autoantibody concentrations were observed in either group.

CONCLUSIONS

Although 1-year HRT lowered serum total- and LDL-cholesterol levels, it did not influence oxLDL antibody titers. On the basis of the present results we cannot question the possibility of there being beneficial effects of HRT on the oxidative modification of LDL. However, this effect is not reflected in the levels of oxLDL autoantibodies.

Does vitamin D strengthen the increase in femoral neck BMD in osteoporotic women treated with estrogen?

The long-term effects on bone of estrogen therapy (HRT) combined with vitamin D3 supplementation were evaluated and compared with the effects of HRT without vitamin D3 supplementation in a 4-year prospective, partly randomized study among 60 osteoporotic women (mean age 55.4 years; range 49.7-59.4 years). The women studied were a subgroup of the population-based Kuopio Osteoporosis Risk Factor and Prevention Study (OSTPRE) (n = 13,100). The bone mineral densities (BMD) of the lumbar spine and femoral neck were determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in 3236 perimenopausal women. Those 106 women with baseline BMD more than 2 SDs less than the mean value in this population, either at the lumbar spine (BMD < 0.826 g/cm2) and/or femoral neck (BMD < 0.684 g/cm2), were offered treatment for osteoporosis. After exclusions, 60 women were included in the analyses. Group allocation was: HRT (estradiol valerate (2 mg) plus cyproterone acetage, 1 mg, sequentially: ClimenR) (n = 21); HRT + Vit D: Climen + vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol, 300 IU/day, no intake during June-August) (n = 23); controls: 16 women who refused all treatment served as a non-randomized control group. In the HRT group, the highly significant increase in lumbar BMD was 5.4%, 5.3%, 4.7% and 4.0% after 1, 2, 3 and 4 years of treatment, respectively, all compared with the baseline values and with the control group. The increase in femoral neck BMD was statistically insignificant (1.4%, 2.2%, 1.9% and 2.1%, respectively; p > 0.05). In the HRT + Vit D group, the lumbar BMD increased by 3.7%, 4.9%, 4.9% and 4.9% (p < 0.001), whereas the 5.8% increase in femoral neck BMD reached significance at 4 years (p < 0.01) when compared with the control group as well as with the baseline values. However, there were no statistically significant differences in lumbar or femoral BMD changes between the two HRT groups. In conclusion, estrogen can substantially increase lumbar bone mass in patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis. In addition, the combination of HRT and vitamin D3 may increase femoral neck BMD in osteoporotic women more than estrogen alone.

Long-term vitamin D3 supplementation may have adverse effects on serum lipids during postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy

OBJECTIVE

The positive short-term effects of postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on serum lipids are well known, but it has been suggested that they vanish with time. Cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) is widely used to prevent postmenopausal osteoporosis but the influence of vitamin D3 on serum lipids is poorly known. The long-term effects of HRT and vitamin D3 on the concentrations of serum lipids were studied in a population-based prospective 3-year study.

DESIGN AND METHODS

464 women were randomized into four treatment groups: (i) HRT (sequential combination of 2 mg estradiol valerate and 1 mg cyproterone acetate), (ii) Vit D3 (vitamin D3 300 IU/day), (iii) HRT+Vit D3 (both as above), (iv) placebo (calcium lactate 500 mg/day).

RESULTS

320 women completed the study. After three years of treatment, serum concentrations of low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol decreased in the HRT group (10.1%, P<0.001) and the HRT+Vit D3 group (5.9%, P=0.005), increased in the Vit D3 group (4.1%, P=0.035) but remained unchanged in the placebo group. The concentrations of total cholesterol decreased by 5.8% in the HRT group (P<0.001) and by 3.3% in the HRT+Vit D3 group (P=0.023), but did not change in the other two groups. Serum concentrations of high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol decreased in the Vit D3 group (5.2%, P=0.001), HRT+Vit D3 group (3.7%, P=0.046), and the placebo group (4.5%, P=0.006) but did not change significantly in the HRT group. The HDL/LDL ratio increased in the HRT group (10.5%, P=0.006) and decreased in the Vit D3 group (10.5%, P<0.001) whereas no changes occurred in the other two groups. In addition, serum triglycerides increased similarly in all groups (14.0-18.8%, P<0.05-0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results confirm the positive long-term effect of HRT with sequential estradiol valerate and cyproterone acetate on serum lipid concentrations. In addition, the results suggest that vitamin D3 supplementation may have unfavorable effects on lipids in postmenopausal women. Pure vitamin D3 treatment was associated with increased serum LDL cholesterol. Furthermore, the beneficial effects of HRT on serum LDL cholesterol content were reduced when estradiol valerate was combined with vitamin D3. However, the relevance of these associations to cardiovascular morbidity remains to be established.

Biochemical bone markers and bone mineral density during postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy with and without vitamin D3: a prospective, controlled, randomized study

The effects of postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and vitamin D on the serum concentrations of three bone biochemical markers and their associations with bone mineral density (BMD) were studied in a population-based 1-yr follow-up study. A total of 72 healthy postmenopausal women were randomized into 4 treatment groups: HRT group (sequential combination of 2 mg estradiol valerate and 1 mg cyproterone acetate), D group (vitamin D3, 300 IU/day), HRT+D group (both of the above), and placebo group (calcium lactate, 500 mg/day). Serum concentrations of osteocalcin (OC) and bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BAP) were measured as biochemical markers of bone formation, and serum type I collagen carboxy-terminal telopeptide was measured as a marker of bone resorption at baseline and after 6 and 12 months of treatment. To investigate the associations of these markers with BMD, lumbar (L2-L4) and femoral neck BMDs were determined by dual x-ray absorptiometry at baseline and after 2.5 yr of treatment. In both hormone groups, the serum concentrations of the three bone metabolic markers had decreased after 12 months. Those of OC decreased by 29.2% (P = 0.017) in the HRT group and by 37.3% (P = 0.004) in the HRT+D group, and BAP concentrations decreased by 34.4% (P < 0.001) in the HRT group and by 36.2% (P < 0.001) in the HRT+D group. Serum type I collagen carboxy-terminal telopeptide concentrations had decreased by 21.6% (P = 0.012) in HRT group and by 14.1% (P = 0.011) in the HRT+D group. In the D group, the serum concentrations of BAP had decreased by 11.7% (P = 0.040) after 12 months, but the other two markers showed no change. The only change seen in the placebo group was a 19.2% increase in OC concentrations (P = 0.041) after 6 months, but at 12 months, the mean OC level was similar to that at baseline. After 2.5 yr, both lumbar and femoral BMD had decreased in the D group [2.1% (P = 0.022) and 3.6% (P = 0.019), respectively] and in the placebo group [3.3% (P = 0.009) and 2.7% (P = 0.010), respectively], whereas no significant changes occurred in the hormone groups. There were significant inverse correlations between the changes in lumbar and femoral BMDs and changes in all three biochemical markers (r = -0.240 through -0.336; P = 0.005-0.064). Our results suggest that HRT counteracts the biochemical changes caused by increased bone turnover associated with menopause. Importantly, the changes in bone markers correlate with long term changes in BMDs of lumbar spine and femoral neck. Low dose vitamin D treatment, however, seems to have only marginal effects on bone metabolism in early postmenopausal healthy women.

Vitamin D and HRT: no benefit additional to that of HRT alone in prevention of bone loss in early postmenopausal women. A 2.5-year randomized placebo-controlled study

The study was designed to examine the effect of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and low-dose bone loss in non-osteoporotic early postmenopausal women and to determine whether Vit D supplementation can give additional benefit to an already optimized estrogen regimen. The effects of HRT and Vit D on bone mineral density (BMD) were studied in postmenopausal women in a 2.5-year randomized placebo-controlled study. The study population was a subgroup of the Kuopio Osteoporosis Risk Factor and Prevention Study (OSTPRE) (n = 13100). A total of 464 early postmenopausal women were randomized to four groups: (1) HRT (a sequential combination of 2 mg estradiol valerate and 1 mg cyproterone acetate (E2Val/CPA); (2) vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol, 300 IU/day); (3) HRT + Vit D; and (4) placebo (calcium lactate; 93 mg Ca2+/day). Lumbar (L1-4) and femoral neck BMD were determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry before and after 2.5 years of treatment. After 2.5 years, lumbar BMD had increased by 1.8% in the HRT group (p > 0.001) and by 1.4% in the HRT + Vit D group (p = 0.002), whereas lumbar BMD had decreased by 3.5% (p < 0.001) in the Vit D group and by 3.7% (p < 0.001) in the placebo group. The loss of femoral neck BMD was lower in the HRT (-0.3%) and the HRT + Vit D (0.9%) groups compared with the Vit D (-2.4%) and the placebo groups (-3.7%). This study confirms the beneficial effect of HRT on BMD. It also shows that low-dose vitamin D supplementation has only a minor effect in the prevention of osteoporosis in non-osteoporotic early postmenopausal women and does not give any benefit additional to that of HRT alone.

Does vitamin D3 have negative effects on serum levels of lipids? A follow-up study with a sequential combination of estradiol valerate and cyproterone acetate and/or vitamin D3

The effects of four different treatment schedules on serum lipid concentrations were studied for 1 year in 402 postmenopausal women in the Kuopio Osteoporosis Study. The women were randomized to four treatment groups: A, Sequential combination of estradiol valerate and cyproterone acetate (Climen); B, Vitamin D3, 300 IU/day; C, Climen+Vitamin D3, D, placebo. In group A, serum concentrations of total cholesterol (Chol) decreased by 4.8% in 6 months and by 6.2% in 12 months (P < 0.001), but in group C the decrease was only 2.9% in 6 months (P < 0.05) and 3.4% in 12 months (P < 0.01). The decline of total-Chol in group A was accounted for by the 6.8% to 7.5% decrease in LDL-Chol levels (P < 0.001). The decrease of LDL-Chol in group C was statistically non-significant. Use of vitamin D3 (group B), increased serum Chol by 2.7% (6 months), P < 0.05 and by 2.1% (12 months) and the increases were the result of the 6.0% to 6.2% increase in LDL-Chol levels in 6 and 12 months, respectively (P < 0.001). Serum concentrations of HDL-Chol and TG remained relatively stable in all groups. No correlations were found between LDL-Chol, 25-OH-D3 and 1,25(OH)2-D3 levels in group B. Our results confirm the beneficial effect of estradiol valerate and cyproterone acetate on the lipid profile. In contrast, vitamin D3 had a negative influence on this profile by increasing serum concentrations of LDL-Chol.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)