Turkish Journal of Geriatrics 2011 , Vol 14, Issue 1
THE EFFECT OF HORMONE THERAPY AND TIBOLONE ON GLUCOSE AND LIPID METABOLISM IN HEALTHY POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN
Filiz ÇAYAN1, Ramazan GEN2, Esen AKBAY2, Umut DİLEK1, Saffet DİLEK1
1Mersin Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Hastanesi Kadın Hastalıkları ve Doğum Anabilim Dalı, MERSİN
2Mersin Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Hastanesi Dahiliye-Endokrinoloji Anabilim Dalı, MERSİN
Introduction: To evaluate the effects of tibolone and conventional hormone therapy on insulin sensitivity and lipid metabolism in healthy postmenopausal women.

Materials and Method: The study included 85 normoinsulinemic healthy postmenopausal Turkish women. The participants were assigned to one of three groups: 26 women received 0.625 mg of CEE+ MPA daily, 32 received 2.5 mg of tibolone daily, and 27 had no treatment and served as a control group. Before and after 12 weeks of treatment, glucose metabolism, insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and lipid metabolism parameters were compared.

Results: CEE/MPA treatment significantly decreased fasting glucose levels, fasting insulin levels, 2 h glucose levels, 2 h insulin levels, and HOMA-IR and LDL levels while increasing triglyceride and HDL levels (p<0.01). Tibolone treatment decreased fasting insulin, insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR), total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL and HDL levels significantly, however it increased fasting glucose, 2-h glucose and 2-h insulin levels (p<0.01). The glucose and lipid parameters of the control group deteriorated at the end of the follow-up period.

Conclusion: CEE/MPA improves glucose and lipid metabolism in healthy postmenopausal women. Although less pronounced, tibolone also has favorable effects on these parameters. Keywords : Postmenopausal insulin resistance; Glucose tolerance; Lipid metabolism; Combined hormone replacement; Tibolone