Relationship between serum levels of sex hormones and progression of subclinical XXXX in postmenopausal @entity1 .

@entity1 @entity172 @entity251 @entity2998 @entity53 @entity1815 @entity731 @entity65 @entity165 @entity443
BACKGROUND: Postmenopausal hormone therapy has been examined extensively in relation to @entity65 . However, research relating serum levels of sex hormones to @entity65 is sparse, and the results are inconclusive. METHODS: We measured sex hormones in longitudinally collected samples of 180 postmenopausal @entity1 , 91 randomized to @entity53 and 89 to placebo, in the @entity172 in the Prevention of @entity731 Trial. Repeated measures of sex hormone levels were tested for an association with @entity2998 ( @entity2998 ), which was also assessed longitudinally over 2 yr. RESULTS: In all @entity1 , changes in serum @entity1815 (P = 0.02), total @entity53 (P = 0.01), free @entity53 (P = 0.02), and @entity443 (P = 0.005) were significantly inversely associated with @entity2998 progression, controlling for age and body mass index. All the @entity172 compounds and @entity443 were significantly inversely related with low-density lipoprotein @entity165 and positively associated with high-density lipoprotein @entity165 (all P < 0.0001), whereas free @entity251 was positively related with low-density lipoprotein @entity165 and inversely associated with high-density lipoprotein @entity165 (P < 0.003). Despite an increase in serum-free @entity53 with @entity53 therapy, @entity1 with unchanged @entity443 and free @entity251 levels had an average (se) progression in @entity2998 of 8.53 (4.72) microm/yr, whereas @entity1 with increased free @entity53 and @entity443 and decreased free @entity251 had the largest reduction in @entity2998 progression [-5.45 (2.77) microm/yr; trend P = 0.03]. CONCLUSION: @entity172 and @entity443 are associated with reduced subclinical @entity731 progression in healthy postmenopausal @entity1 . These associations are partially mediated by their beneficial effects on lipids. Among @entity1 taking @entity53 , the most beneficial hormone profile for @entity2998 progression was increased free @entity53 and @entity443 with concomitant decreased free @entity251 .
