General Cardiology

Insulin Resistance Is Increased by Transdermal Estrogen Therapy in Postmenopausal Women with Cardiac Syndrome X
A.R. Assali^{a, b}, Z. Jabara^b, Z. Shafer^b, A. Solodky^c, I. Herz^c, E. Sclarovsky^c, B. Strasberg^c, S. Sclarovsky^c, M. Fainaru<sup>b

a</sup>Cardiology Division, University of Texas Medical School and Hermann Hospital, Houston, Tex., USA;
^bLipid Research Laboratory, Department of Medicine A,
^cCardiology Department, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Campus, Petah-Tiqva, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

Address of Corresponding Author

Cardiology 2001;95:31-34 (DOI: 10.1159/000047340)

  Key Words

• Insulin resistance
• Estrogen replacement therapy
• Cardiac syndrome X

  Abstract

Estrogen has been reported to have both short- and long-term effects on the cardiovascular system. However, it remains to be examined how short-term transdermal estrogen therapy (TET) affects insulin sensitivity (SI) in patients with cardiac syndrome X (CSX), who are characterized by elevated insulin resistance. SI was assessed in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study by minimal model analysis in seven postmenopausal women with CSX treated by TET. SI decreased by 32 ± 8.3%, from 5.94 ± 1.14 at baseline to 3.61 ± 0.40 [(10^-4 × min^-1)/(µU/ml)] during TET (p = 0.03). Time to the onset of symptoms increased from 414.2 ± 51.0 s at baseline to 450.0 ± 53.2 s (p = 0.04). We conclude that TET increases SI in postmenopausal women with CSX. This effect is unrelated to the beneficial anti-ischemic effects on exercise duration.

Copyright © 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel

  Author Contacts

Prof. M. Fainaru
Lipid Research Laboratory, Department of Medicine A
Rabin Medical Center, Petah Tiqva 49 100 (Israel)
Tel. +972 3 937 7101, Fax +972 3 923 1019
E-Mail mfainar@post.tau.ac.il

  Article Information

This study was performed to fulfill the requirements for internal medicine certification in Israel for Z.J.

Received: Received: January 29, 2001
Accepted: February 5, 2001
Number of Print Pages : 4
Number of Figures : 0, Number of Tables : 2, Number of References : 23