Thirty-eight post-menopausal women were randomly allocated to substitution treatment with either oestradiol-17 beta orally (2-4 mg) or cutaneously (3 mg). The concentrations of cholesterol (C), triglycerides (TG) and phospholipids were determined in the high density lipoprotein (HDL)-, the low density lipoprotein (LDL)- and the very low density lipoprotein (VLDL)- fractions twice before medication and after 2, 4 and 6 months of treatment. Both treatments gave satisfactory clinical results. Oral doses increased the HDL and decreased the LDL thus raising the HDL-C/LDL-C ratio. The higher oral dose also increased the TG concentration. Cutaneous oestradiol gave only minimal changes of the lipoproteins. The lipoprotein changes observed during treatment with oral oestradiol might reduce the risk for atherosclerotic disease. Therefore, from a lipoprotein point of view, oral oestradiol treatment probably could be considered beneficial. The cutaneous oestradiol treatment had comparable clinical effects without any influence on the lipoprotein pattern.
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Fåhraeus et al. (1982) studied this question.