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Human Reproduction, Vol. 18, No. 7, 1531-1535, July 2003
© 2003 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology

Association of serum complement (C3, C4) and immunoglobulin (IgG, IgM) levels with hormone replacement therapy in healthy post-menopausal women

Mehmet Yilmazer1,5, Veysel Fenkci1, Semin Fenkci2, Orhan Aktepe3, Murat Sonmezer4 and Gulay Kurtay4

1 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 2 Department of Internal Medicine and 3 Department of Microbiology, Afyon Kocatepe University, Faculty of Medicine, Afyon, and 4 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ankara University, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey

5 To whom correspondence should be addressed at: Istiklal Mah, Lale Sok, Yeni Candan Apt, A Blok, No. 3, Daire 5, 03200 Afyon, Turkey. e-mail: meyilmazer{at}hotmail.com

BACKGROUND: Recently published data suggest that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may increase cardiovascular risk during the early months of therapy. Activation of the immune system is known to be involved in several types of cardiovascular disease. In this cross-sectional study, serum C3, C4, IgG and IgM levels were evaluated in healthy post-menopausal women receiving two different short-term HRT regimens, and in untreated women. METHODS: Serum C3, C4, IgM and IgG levels were assessed in 18 women receiving transdermal 17{beta}-estradiol (50 µg/day) + continuous oral medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA; 2.5 mg/day), in 56 women taking oral conjugated equine estrogen (CEE; 0.625 mg/day) + continuous MPA, and in 80 control women not receiving HRT. RESULTS: The mean serum C3 level was significantly higher in women using oral CEE + MPA than in women receiving transdermal 17{beta}-estradiol + MPA, and those not on HRT (P = 0.02 and P < 0.001 respectively). Furthermore, women taking oral CEE + MPA had significantly higher mean levels of C4 compared with untreated women (P < 0.01). IgG and IgM levels were similar among women either of the two HRT regimens and between women not on HRT. CONCLUSIONS: Oral HRT may be involved in the development of cardiovascular disease through inflammatory mechanisms, as suggested by increased serum levels of C3 and C4.

Key words: C3/C4/hormone replacement therapy/immunoglobulin G/immunoglobulin M


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