A comparative metabolic study of two low-estrogen-dose oral contraceptives containing desogestrel or gestodene progestins.

OBJECTIVES

Our objective was to compare the effects of low-estrogen-dose oral contraceptives containing desogestrel or gestodene progestins on metabolic risk markers for coronary heart disease.

STUDY DESIGN

A cross-sectional comparison of 70 women who used a formulation that contained 30 micrograms ethinyl estradiol and 150 micrograms desogestrel, 43 women who used a formulation that contained 30 micrograms ethinyl estradiol and 75 micrograms gestodene, and 54 women who did not use steroidal contraceptives was performed.

RESULTS

Oral contraceptive users had higher concentrations of high-density lipoproteins than did women in the control group (+10% to +20%, p < 0.001) primarily because of increases in high-density lipoprotein subfraction 3. High-density lipoprotein subfraction 2 concentrations were higher in users of the desogestrel formulation. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations were normal in oral contraceptive users, but triglyceride concentrations were high (+80% to +100%, p < 0.001). Fasting glucose, insulin, and C-peptide concentrations were similar in the three groups, but their responses to a glucose load were higher in oral contraceptive users than in controls (p < 0.01 to p < 0.001). The late plasma insulin response to glucose was higher in the women who used the gestodene formulation than in those who used the desogestrel formulation.

CONCLUSIONS

The metabolic profiles induced by these oral contraceptives were remarkably similar and may reflect the activity of the estrogen component.