Influence of esterified estrogens and medroxyprogesterone on lipid metabolism and sex steroids. A study in oophorectomized women.

Eight oophorectomized women were given 1.25 mg esterified estrogens (EE) daily for 21 days and 5 mg medroxyprogesteroneacetate (MPA) daily for 5 days in a sequence combination. The effects on sex steroids, gonadotrophins, lipids and lipoproteins as well as the relative fatty acid composition of lecithin and cholesterol ester induced by treatment were studied. Esterified estrogens were readily absorbed with estrogen levels corresponding to those of a normal luteal phase. A favourable estrone/estradiol ratio was found during treatment. After two days without EE no estrogens could be detected. Androstenedione was significantly depressed after the MPA period, otherwise it remained unchanged. Minor changes were induced in serum lipids and lipoproteins. A decrease in cholesterol ester of 12 and 23 per cent was found for palmitic and stearic acid concomitant with an increase of arachidonic acid of about 20 per cent after three weeks of estrogen treatment. After the MPA period increases in free cholesterol, total cholesterol and phospholipids in HDL were assessed. It was concluded that MPA in this experiment from a lipid metabolic point of view seemed to be a favourable progestogen complement.