Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Randomized, controlled study of the effects of raloxifene on high sensitivity C-reactive protein and serum lipids

  • General Gynecology
  • Published:
Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective

To investigate the effects of raloxifene, on serum lipids and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) in healthy postmenopausal women.

Methods

We studied the effect of raloxifene, on serum lipids and hs-CRP in 85 healthy postmenopausal women. Participants were randomly assigned to 60 mg daily raloxifene (43 subjects) for 6 months; the rest of the subjects were in the control group. Serum total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglyceride and hs-CRP levels were measured at baseline and at the sixth month in both groups.

Results

Raloxifene treatment resulted in a 26% reduction in serum hs-CRP concentrations at the sixth month, compared with the baseline levels (P < 0.05). At the sixth month, TC and LDL-C levels were significantly reduced by 60 mg daily raloxifene (6.8 and 5.6%, respectively) when compared with both the baseline levels and the control group.

Conclusion

The results of our study showed that raloxifene at a dose of 60 mg daily reduces serum TC, LDL-C and hs-CRP levels significantly in healthy postmenopausal women. According to the results of the current study, we suggest that raloxifene may have a favorable effect on the prevention of cardiovascular disease in healthy postmenopausal women.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Lerner DJ, Kannel WB (1986) Patterns of coronary heart disease morbidity and mortality in the sexes: a 26 year follow-up of Framingham population. Am J Heart 111:383–390

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Gohlke-Barwolf C (2000) Coronary artery disease—is menopause a risk factor? Basic Res Cardiol 95(Suppl 1):77–83

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Heart, Estrogen/progestin Replacement Study (HERS) Research Group (1998) Randomized trial of estrogen plus progestin for secondary prevention of coronary heart disease in postmenopausal women. JAMA 280(7):605–613

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Heart, Estrogen/progestin Replacement Study (HERS) Research Group (2002) Cardiovascular disease outcomes during 6.8 years of hormone therapy: Heart and Estrogen/progestin Replacement Study follow-up (HERS II). JAMA 288(1):49–57

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Cherry N, Gilmour K, Hannaford P (2002) Oestrogen therapy for prevention of reinfarction in postmenopausal women: a randomised placebo controlled trial. Lancet 360(9350):2001–2008

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Writing Group For The Women’s Health Initiative Investigators (2002) Risks and benefits of estrogen plus progestin in healthy postmenopausal women: principal results From the Women’s Health Initiative randomized controlled trial. JAMA 288(3):321–333

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. The Women’s Health Initiative Steering Committee (2004) Effects of conjugated equine estrogen in postmenopausal women with hysterectomy: the Women’s Health Initiative randomized controlled trial. JAMA 291(14):1701–1712

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Ross R (1999) Atherosclerosis—an inflammatory disease. N Engl J Med 340:115–126

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Hanson GK (2005) Inflammation, atherosclerosis, and coronary artery disease. N Engl J Med 352:1685–1695

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Fan J, Watanabe T (2003) Inflammatory reactions in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. J Atheroscler Thromb 10:63–71

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Ridker PM, Cushman M, Stampfer MJ, Tracy RP, Hennekens CH (1999) Inflammation, aspirin, and the risk of cardiovascular disease in apparently healthy men. N Engl J Med 336(14):973–979

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Ridker PM, Glynn RJ, Hennekens CH (1998) C-reactive protein adds to the predictive value of total and HDL cholesterol in determining risk of first myocardial infarction. Circulation 97(20):2007–2011

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Ridker PM, Hennekens CH, Buring JE, Rifai N (2000) C-reactive protein and other markers of inflammation in the prediction of cardiovascular disease in women. N Engl J Med 342:836–843

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Ridker PM, Rifai N, Rose L, Buring JE, Cook NR (2000) Comparison of C-reactive protein and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in the prediction of first cardiovascular events. N Engl J Med 347:1557–1565

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Cook NR, Buring JE, Ridker PM (2006) The effect of including C-reactive protein in cardiovascular risk prediction models for women. Ann Intern Med 145:21–29

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Saitta A, Morabito N, Frisina N (2001) Cardiovascular effects of raloxifene hydrochloride. Cardiovasc Drug Rev 19(1):57–74

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Walsh BW, Cox DA, Sashegyi A (2001) Role of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6 in the effects of hormone replacement therapy and raloxifene on C-reactive protein in postmenopausal women. Am J Cardiol 88(7):825–828

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Yasui T, Uemura H, Hyodo S, Yamada M, Yamamoto S, Maegawa M, Tsuchiya N, Noguchi M, Yuzurihara M, Kase Y, Irahara M (2009) Raloxifene reduces circulating levels of interleukin-7 and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 in postmenopausal women. Atherosclerosis 204(2):471–475

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Barrett-Connor E, Grady D, Sashegyi A, Anderson PW, Cox DA, Hoszowski K, Rautaharju P, Harper KD (2002) Raloxifene and cardiovascular events in osteoporotic postmenopausal women: four-year results from the MORE (Multiple Outcomes of Raloxifene Evaluation) randomized trial. JAMA 287(7):847–857

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Griffiths KA, Sader MA, Skilton MR (2003) Effects of raloxifene on endothelium-dependent dilation, lipoproteins, and markers of vascular function in postmenopausal women with coronary artery disease. J Am Coll Cardiol 42(4):698–704

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Eilertsen AL, Sandvik L, Steinsvik B, Sandset PM (2008) Differential impact of conventional-dose and low-dose postmenopausal hormone therapy, tibolone and raloxifene on C-reactive protein and other inflammatory markers. J Thromb Haemost 6(6):928–934

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Blumenthal RS, Baranowski B, Dowsett SA (2004) Cardiovascular effects of raloxifene: the arterial and venous systems. Am Heart J 147(5):783–789

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Barrett-Connor E, Ensrud KE, Harper K (2003) Post hoc analysis of data from the Multiple Outcomes of Raloxifene Evaluation (MORE) trial on the effects of three years of raloxifene treatment on glycemic control and cardiovascular disease risk factors in women with and without type 2 diabetes. Clin Ther 25(3):919–930

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. De Leo W, la Marca A, Morgante G (2001) Randomized control study of the effects of raloxifene on serum lipids and homocysteine in older women. Am J Obstet Gynecol 184(3):350–353

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Walsh BW, Kuller LH, Wild RA (1998) Effects of raloxifene on serum lipids and coagulation factors in healthy postmenopausal women. JAMA 279(18):1445–1451

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Johnston CC, Bjarnason NH, Cohen FJ (2000) Long-term effects of raloxifene on bone mineral density, bone turnover, and serum lipid levels in early postmenopausal women: three-year data from 2 double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trials. Arch Intern Med 160(22):3444–3450

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Anderson PW, Cox DA, Sashegyi A (2001) Effects of raloxifene and hormone replacement therapy on markers of serum atherogenicity in healthy postmenopausal women. Maturitas 39(1):71–77

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Delmas PD, Bjarnason NH, Mitlak BH (1997) Effects of raloxifene on bone mineral density, serum cholesterol concentrations, and uterine endometrium in postmenopausal women. N Engl J Med 337(23):1641–1647

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Piperi C, Kalofoutis C, Lagogianni I, Troupis G, Kalofoutis A (2004) Comparison of raloxifene and atorvastatin effects on serum lipids composition of healthy post-menopausal women. Mol Cell Biochem 261(1–2):71–75

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Barrett-Connor E, Mosca L, Collins P, Geiger MJ, Grady D (2006) Effects of raloxifene on cardiovascular events and breast cancer in postmenopausal women. N Engl J Med 355:125–137

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Toss H, Lindahi B, Siegbahn A, Wallentin L (1997) Prognostic influence of increased fibrinogen and C-reactive proteinlevels in unstable coronary artery disease. Circulation 96:4204–4210

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Tracy RP, Lemaitre RN, Psaty BM (1997) Relationship of C-reactive protein to risk of cardiovascular disease in the elderly. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 17:1121–1127

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Ridker PM, Buring JE, Shih J, Matias M, Hennekens CH (1998) Prospective study of C-reactive protein and the risk of future cardiovascular events among apparently healthy women. Circulation 98:731–733

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Herrington DM, Brosnihan KB, Pusser BE (2001) Differential effects of E and droloxifene on C-reactive protein and other markers of inflammation in healthy postmenopausal women. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 86(9):4216–4222

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Walsh BW, Paul S, Wild RA (2000) The effects of hormone replacement therapy and raloxifene on C-reactive protein and homocysteine in healthy postmenopausal women: a randomized, controlled trial. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 85(1):214–218

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Blum A, Cannon RO (2001) Selective estrogen receptor modulator effects on serum lipoproteins and vascular function in postmenopausal women and in hypercholesterolemic men. Ann N Y Acad Sci 949:168–174

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. de Valk-de Roo GW, Stehouwer CD, Meijer P (1999) Both raloxifene and estrogen reduce major cardiovascular risk factors in healthy postmenopausal women: a 2-year, placebo-controlled study. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 19(12):2993–3000

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Efser Oztas.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Oztas, E., Kurtay, G. Randomized, controlled study of the effects of raloxifene on high sensitivity C-reactive protein and serum lipids. Arch Gynecol Obstet 283, 71–77 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-009-1292-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-009-1292-9

Keywords

Navigation