Abstract
Background
This study was conducted to compare the effects of two monophasic oral contraceptives
(OCs) containing ethinyl estradiol (EE) 30 mcg+either chlormadinone acetate (CMA)
2 mg (Belara��) or 0.15 mg desogestrel (Marvelon��) on lipid, hormone and other relevant metabolic parameters.
Study design
Markers of lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, and reproductive hormone levels, were
measured in 45 subjects randomly assigned to 6 months of treatment with one of the
two OCs. The cortisol response to adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) stimulation
was also evaluated.
Results
In both treatment groups, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C),
apolipoprotein (Apo) AI and Apo AII levels increased; low-density lipoprotein cholesterol
(LDL-C) and the LDL-C/HDL-C ratio decreased; and total cholesterol and lipoprotein(a)
were unchanged during treatment. Effects on HDL-C, Apo AI, LDL-C and the LDL-C/HDL-C
ratio were more evident in the EE 30 mcg+CMA 2 mg group. Follicle-stimulating hormone,
luteinizing hormone and androgen levels decreased and sex hormone-binding globulin
levels increased in both groups. Both OCs increased basal cortisol levels and cortisol
response to ACTH. Oral contraceptive did not have a clinically significant impact
on carbohydrate metabolism.
Conclusions
Both low-dose monophasic OCs had comparable effects on lipid, hormone and metabolic
parameters during six cycles of treatment in healthy female subjects. There was some
evidence of a beneficial effect on atherogenic cardiovascular risk markers, which
was slightly more pronounced with EE 30 mcg+CMA 2 mg.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: November 17, 2008
Accepted:
August 18,
2008
Received in revised form:
July 21,
2008
Received:
July 16,
2008
Identification
Copyright
© 2009 Published by Elsevier Inc.
