The effects of hormonal therapy on aortic stiffness and left ventricular diastolic function

Objective - The main objective of this study is to investigate the effects of oestrogen replacement therapy (ERT) and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on aortic stiffness and on the left ventricular diastolic function, including tissue Doppler. Methods and results - The two study groups were composed of 20 postmenopausal women having HRT and 22 postmenopausal women having ERT. Each group was evaluated for aortic elasticity properties and the left ventricular diastolic function at both the pre-treatment stage and after 12 weeks of hormonal therapy. There was a significant improvement in beta index (5.2 +/- 2.5 vs. 3.2 +/- 2.2, p = 0.001), distensibility (5.2 +/- 3.7 vs. 6.1 +/- 4.1 cm(2).dyn(-1).10(-3), p = 0.036) and mitral E/E-m ratio (7.44 +/- 3.25 vs. 5.75 +/- .2.34, p = 0.004) with ERT.HRT was observed to improve aortic elasticity properties (for strain 10.7 +/- 4.7 vs. 12.8 +/- 7.6%,for beta index 4.9 +/- 2.1 vs. 3.39 +/- 2.4 and for distensibility 4.6 +/- 2.1 vs. 5.69 +/- 4.1 cm2.dyn-1.10-3) and the mitral E/E-m ratio (7.61 +/- 3.31 vs. 5.81 +/- 231, p = 0.003). Conclusion - Both ERT and HRT have an improving effect on aortic elasticity properties, as well as on the diastolic function.