Effects of oral continuous 17β-estradiol plus norethisterone acetate replacement therapy on abdominal subcutaneous fat, serum leptin levels and body composition

Abstract

Aim. To evaluate the effects of oral continuous 17β-estradiol plus norethisterone acetate (E₂/NETA) replacement therapy on abdominal subcutaneous fat, serum leptin level (SLL) and body composition in postmenopausal women.

Materials and methods. A 6-month, prospective, randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study was conducted. Forty-three healthy naturally postmenopausal women aged 43–65 years were randomly assigned to receive E₂/NETA (2 mg E₂ plus 1 mg NETA, n = 22) or placebo (n = 21). Fasting SLL by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, subcutaneous abdominal fat thickness (STh) by ultrasound and the anthropometric indices of body weight (BW), body mass index (BMI), waist and hip circumference (WC, HC) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) were recorded at the beginning and the end of the study.

Results. After 6 months of therapy, BW and SLL increased in the placebo group (p = 0.043 and 0.033, respectively). WC, HC and STh decreased significantly in the E₂/NETA group (p = 0.002, 0.006 and 0.000, respectively) and they were also significantly lower in women receiving E₂/NETA than in women taking placebo (p = 0.000, 0.034 and 0.000, respectively). At baseline, SLL and STh were positively correlated with all anthropometric indices except WHR.

Conclusion. Oral continuous combined regimen of E₂/NETA significantly reduced central fat accumulation as assessed by WC and STh, and attenuated the increase in SLL. The observed changes in SLL were highly and positively related to changes in STh. The oral continuous combined E₂/NETA regimen appears to have protective effects on cardiovascular function and probably on metabolic diseases by its slimming effect upon WC in postmenopausal women.

Keywords:

• Menopause
• estradiol
• norethisterone acetate
• leptin
• body composition
• subcutaneous fat