Background/aim: The role of neutrophils and platelets in atherothrombotic disease is well established. The aim of our study was to investigate the effect of HT and tibolone on the soluble markers of neutrophil and platelet activation, "a disentigrin and metalloproteinase domain" (ADAM-8) and CD40 ligand (CD40L) respectively, in healthy post-menopausal women.
Subjects and methods: One hundred and six healthy post-menopausal women were randomly allocated to: estradiol plus drospirenone (E₂/DSP), E₂ hemihydrate 1 mg plus norethisterone acetate (E₂/NETA) 0.5 mg, and tibolone 2.5 mg. Serum ADAM-8 and CD40L were measured at baseline and at 6 months.
Results: Baseline values of ADAM-8 and CD40L were similar between groups. No significant correlation was revealed between ADAM-8 or CD40L and parameters related to cardiovascular risk factors in each group. No significant changes were observed between baseline values and values at 6 months (E₂/DSP group: ADAM-8: 267.4±71.3 pg/ml vs 270.7±42.8 pg/ml, p=0.86, CD40L: 6.43±3.13 vs 6.79±2.70 ng/ml, p=0.67), (E₂/NETA group: ADAM-8: 308.3±64.3 vs 294.7±57.7 pg/ml, p=0.40, CD40L: 9.68±2.81 vs 8.59±5.13 ng/ml, p=0.51), (tibolone group: ADAM-8: 307.5±87.5 vs 289±48.1 pg/ml, p=0.48, CD40L: 9.46±4.30 vs 9.26±4.60 ng/ml, p=0.99).
Conclusions: Our study has not revealed an association between estrogen plus progestin treatment or tibolone on serum ADAM-8 and CD40L levels in healthy post-menopausal women. Larger prospective studies are needed to further investigate the effect of low-dose HT or tibolone on serum markers of neutrophil and platelet activation.