Serum ischemia-modified albumin level returns to its premenopausal level with 1-year hormone therapy in healthy menopausal women.

INTRODUCTION

To assess the effect of hormone therapy (HT) on serum ischemia modified albumin (IMA) levels in healthy menopausal women.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Thirty surgical menopausal women who were admitted to our menopausal polyclinic during a 1-year period and diagnosed with menopause and planned to have HT for menopausal symptoms were enrolled in this prospective study. The serum İMA levels were recorded before and after (3 months, 6 months, 12 months later) hormone treatment (2 mg estradiol hemihydrate).

RESULTS

The mean age of women was 47.60 ± 2.34 years. The mean serum IMA levels were 0.610 ± 0.096 absorbance units (ABSU) at the beginning and 0.484 ± 0.080 ABSU after 3 months of hormone therapy. Following 6 months of hormone therapy, serum IMA level was 0.546 ± 0.075, and reached 0.580 ± 0.089 ABSU following 12 months of therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that HT may not block the menopause induced ischemia process. Although HT had a positive effect on serum IMA levels following 3 months' use, serum IMA levels returned to baseline levels after 12 months' use. Based on this study's findings, long-term use of HT may not have a positive effect on cardiovascular disease protection.