Coagulation factors in postmenopausal women using hormone replacement treatment

Summary

Summary

Prothrombin fragment F1 + 2 and thrombin-antithrombin complexes (TAT) were measured in 97 postmenopausal women, either untreated or stabilised on subcutaneous depot, oral or transdermal hormone replacement treatment. Thirty-two used depot, 34 transdermal or oral hormone replacement and 31 were untreated. Control, oral or patch and depot groups had mean (± s.d.) Fl+2 levels of 1·25±0·40, 1·13±0·31 and 1·11±0·31 nmol/l, and mean TAT levels of 2·1±0·76, 2·03 20·61 and 1·75±0·63 nmol/l respectively. Oestradiol levels were elevated in both treatment groups compared with controls (P < 0·001). Although oestradiol levels were supraphysiological in 22/32 (62 per cent) of women using depots and 6/19 (32 per cent) of women using oral hormones, no relationship between F1 + 2 and TAT and oestradiol was observed.