A short-term comparison of the effects of clomiphene citrate and conjugated equine estrogen in menopausal/castrate women.

An attempt was made to assess the potential role for an antiestrogen in the hormone replacement therapy of menopausal women who have a contraindication to estrogen use. Two groups of menopausal or castrate women were given either conjugated equine estrogen or clomiphene citrate in a cyclic manner for 25 days each month for 3 months. The effects were measured after 3 months and compared with baseline values. Clomiphene lowered FSH slightly, but had no effect on subjective vasomotor symptoms. With respect to bone metabolism, it produced no change in plasma parathyroid hormone level, whereas estrogen lowered it; both compound lowered serum calcium but clomiphene had less effect. The hydroxyproline/creatinine ratio was decreased more by clomiphene than by the estrogen. These findings are consistent with a beneficial effect on bone. Clomiphene had no adverse effects on clotting parameters and showed effects similar to those of conjugated equine estrogens on certain measures of lipid metabolism.