Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow Full Text Freely available
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF ) Freely available
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (2)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Alexandersen, P.
Right arrow Articles by Christiansen, C.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Alexandersen, P.
Right arrow Articles by Christiansen, C.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Human Reproduction, Vol. 18, No. 7, 1395-1403, July 2003
© 2003 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology

Lack of difference among progestins on the anti-atherogenic effect of ethinyl estradiol: a rabbit study

Peter Alexandersen1,3, Jens Haarbo1, Pieter Zandberg2, Jørgen Jespersen1, Sven O. Skouby1 and Claus Christiansen1

1 Center for Clinical & Basic Research, Ballerup Byvej 222, 2750 Ballerup, Denmark and 2 Department of Vascular Pharmacology, N.V.Organon, Molenstraat 110, 5340 BH Oss, The Netherlands

3 To whom correspondence should be addressed. e-mail: pa{at}ccbr.dk

BACKGROUND: Progestins in combination with estrogen are believed to have different effects on the cardiovascular system. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of different oral contraceptive formulations on the development of experimental atherosclerosis and vascular reactivity. METHODS: A total of 160 sexually mature rabbits were ovariectomized and randomly assigned to equally large groups: (i) a cholesterol-rich diet (320 mg/day), either given alone (placebo), or together with (ii) ethinyl estradiol (EE 70 µg/day, oral), (iii) desogestrel (DSG 525 µg/day, oral), (iv) gestodene (GSD 262.5 µg/day, oral), (v) levonorgestrel (LNG 525 µg/day, oral), (vi) EE + DSG, (vii) EE + LNG, or (viii) EE + GSD. After 31 weeks of treatment, aortic accumulation of cholesterol and vascular vasoreactivity (in vitro) were determined. RESULTS: Progestins alone did not reduce the accumulation of cholesterol. EE alone or in combination with a progestin reduced the accumulation of cholesterol relative to placebo (P < 0.0001). Isolated vessels from EE-treated animals relaxed significantly more to physiological concentrations of acetylcholine than did placebo (P < 0.001), whereas vessels treated with EE plus a progestin showed an intermediate response. CONCLUSION: The progestins investigated can be combined with EE without attenuating the anti-atherogenic effect of EE.

Key words: atherosclerosis/estrogen/progestins/rabbits/vascular reactivity


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USAHome page
T. Hayashi, T. Esaki, D. Sumi, T. Mukherjee, A. Iguchi, and G. Chaudhuri
Modulating role of estradiol on arginase II expression in hyperlipidemic rabbits as an atheroprotective mechanism
PNAS, July 5, 2006; 103(27): 10485 - 10490.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer:
Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.