A prospective two-year study of progestin given alone in postmenopausal women: Effect on lipid and metabolic parameters

OBJECTIVE: A controlled study was conducted to assess the long-term effect of a progestin with very low androgenic potency given alone on serum lipoprotein profile, serum renin substrate, sex hormone-binding globulin levels, and serum antithrombin III activity in early postmenopausal women. STUDY DESIGN: Thirty-five early postmenopausal women who had not received any form of hormonal treatment after menopause were randomly assigned to a 2-year regimen of 500 μg of a progestin derived from 19-norprogesterone (promegestone) or a placebo for 21 days of a 28-day treatment cycle. Serum lipid and lipoprotein levels and other biochemical parameters were measured in the two groups, and differences were sought by statistical analysis. RESULTS: After 2 years of treatment the women in the two groups showed no statistically significant variation from baseline values in the concentrations of any of the biochemical parameters studied. CONCLUSIONS: The results show that a progestin with very low androgenic activity given alone has no influence on lipid profile and hepatic synthesis of several proteins in early postmenopausal women.