OBJECTIVES: This prospective cohort study was an attempt to evaluate the lipid profile changes among two groups of surgically menopausal women, using daily 0.625 mg oral CEE and weekly 3.9 mg TTS estrogen patch. MATERIALS-METHODS: Of 127 women associated with surgical menopause, 83 (63.5%) cases recieved CEE (group I) and 44 (34.7%) women administrated weekly 3.9 mg. TTS estrogen patch (group II). Age, body mass index (BMI), baseline systolic and diastolic blood pressures of all cases were recorded. Total cholesterol (TC), LDL, HDL and triglycerides (TG) levels were determined before and 6 months after treatment. RESULTS: Man age, BMI, initial systolic and diastolic blood pressures were similar among both groups. TC (227±5.9 mg/dl) and TG levels (119±11.9 mg/dl) were higher in group II, prior to hormone therapy. When lipid levels were compared before and 6-months after treatment in each group, HDL levels was significantly increased in group I (p=0.01), whilst among group II, plasma HDL (p=0.08) level was increased and TG (p=0.002) level was decreased. Based on delta (?) values of each lipid parameter changes, only TG level decrease remained statistically significant in group II (p=0.03). CONCLUSION: Transdermal hormone therapy seems to be superior to the oral forms in improving the lipid profiles. Hence individualization of hormone therapy is essential in monitoring those women with surgical menopause.
Keywords: Surgical menopause, estrogen, lipid profile