A double-blind cross-over study on the effects of ORG OD14 compared to oestradiol valerate and placebo on lipid and carbohydrate metabolism in oophorectomized women.

ORG OD14 is a synthetic steroid which in traditional bioassays has been shown to have oestrogenic and progestogenic as well as very weak androgenic-anabolic properties. As judged from earlier studies, this steroid seems suitable for continuous treatment of climacteric deficiency symptoms. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects induced by OD14 on lipid, lipoprotein and carbohydrate metabolism, as compared to E2V and placebo. Twenty-two women, oophorectomized as part of the treatment of cervical carcinoma in clinical stage IB or IIA, were given ORG OD14 2.5 mg/day, oestradiol valerate (E2V) 2 mg/day and a placebo for 6 weeks each, in a double-blind cross-over study. There was a marked decrease in all lipid components of HDL (high density lipoprotein), i.e. total and free cholesterol, triglycerides and phospholipids (P less than 0.001), after OD14. The oral glucose tolerance test showed higher values after OD14 compared to both E2V and placebo (P less than 0.05), indicating a slightly impaired glucose tolerance. The lipid metabolic changes induced by OD14 indicate a rather strong androgenic influence in this respect.