Abstract
Objective: To compare the effects of a pill containing drospirenone with those of a combined contraceptive vaginal ring on the lipid and carbohydrate metabolism and on the surrogate markers of arterial function. Setting: Bologna University School of Medicine. Patient(s): Thirty-seven women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) were randomly submitted to drospirenone + ethinylestradiol (group I; n = 19) or combined contraceptive vaginal ring (group II; n = 18) therapy. The duration of the study was 6 months. Intervention(s): The effect of treatments was assessed after 6 months of therapy. Main Outcome Measure(s): Utero-ovarian ultrasound analysis and color Doppler evaluation of uterine and stromal ovarian arteries. In addition, analysis of brachial artery flow-mediated vasodilatation and 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring were performed. Fasting blood samples were drawn for testing biochemical and hormonal parameters and nitrites/nitrates. Result(s): Both treatments improved hirsutism, hyperandrogenemia, and ultrasound and color Doppler ovarian parameters. Both drospirenone + ethinylestradiol or contraceptive vaginal ring induced a slight but significant increase of diurnal and 24-hour blood pressure. Although both therapies worsened the lipid profile, the oral pill administration was associated with a more evident increase of circulating triglycerides. The 6-month treatment with the vaginal ring significantly improved the area under the curve for glucose, insulin, and C-peptide, whereas the drospirenone + ethinylestradiol pill induced an increase in the insulinogenic index and homeostatic model assessment estimate for insulin resistance values. Conclusion(s): Vaginal hormonal contraception appears to be preferable to oral ethinylestradiol + drospirenone administration in hyperinsulinemic patients with PCOS.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 1417-1425 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Fertility and Sterility |
Volume | 94 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Sep 2010 |
Keywords
- contraception
- drospirenone
- insulin
- PCOS
- Vaginal ring
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Obstetrics and Gynaecology
- Reproductive Medicine
- Medicine(all)