Hormonal therapy with estradiol and testosterone implants: bone protection?

Abstract

Objective: To assess bone mineral density (BMD) in postmenopausal women using estradiol and testosterone hormonal implants comparing to that of patients without hormonal therapy.

Design of the study: Sixty-one patients were followed in prospective cohort study separated in Group 1, 34 women using implants and Group 2, 27 women without implants and BMD assessment through Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry was conducted in the beginning of follow-up and after 1 year.

Results: The average lumbar spine BMD in Group 1 was 1.123 ± 0.16 kg/m(2) and 1.144 ± 0.18 kg/m(2) after 1 year, p=0.39 and femur BMD was 0.922 ± 0.16 kg/m(2) and 0.957 ± 0.12 kg/m(2) after 1 year of treatment, p=0.076. In Group 2, the initial lumbar spine BMD average was 1.064 ± 0.2 kg/m(2) and after 1 year, 1.001 ± 0.23 kg/m(2), p=0.112 and femur BMD changed from 0.928 ± 0.14 kg/m(2) to 0.881 ± 0.15 kg/m(2) after 1 year, p=0.046.

Conclusion: BMD variance between the groups in the period of 1 year showed that the combination of estradiol and testosterone promoted bone protection in post menopausal women.