Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study on effects of raloxifene and hormone replacement therapy on plasma no concentrations, endothelin-1 levels, and endothelium-dependent vasodilation in postmenopausal women

What Was Tested

The paper reports a study of Endothelin-1, published as a randomized controlled trial.

Estrogen has direct effects on the blood vessel wall, indicating that vascular endothelium may play a key role in the cardiovascular protective effects of hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

This study compared the effects of HRT and raloxifene on NO products, endothelin-1 plasma levels, and endothelium-dependent vasodilatation in postmenopausal women.

Who Took Part

By PubMed's age tags, the people studied were middle-aged adults and older adults, women only.

Healthy postmenopausal women (n=90) were enrolled in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, 6-month trial.

How the Study Was Run

The researchers set it up as a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study.

The participants were allocated by chance, so the Endothelin-1 group and the comparison group should start out alike.

As a double-blind Endothelin-1 study, the assignments were hidden from both participants and investigators until the end.

The comparison arm used a placebo, so changes seen with Endothelin-1 could be set against what happens without it.

A time span of 6 months appears in the methods.

Flow-mediated endothelium-dependent vasodilation of the brachial artery, plasma NO concentrations, and endothelin levels were measured at baseline and after 6 months of therapy.

What Was Measured

This study compared the effects of HRT and raloxifene on NO products, endothelin-1 plasma levels, and endothelium-dependent vasodilatation in postmenopausal women.

The subject headings attached to it are Endothelin-1, Endothelium, Vascular, Estrogen Replacement Therapy, Hemodynamics, Nitric Oxide, Postmenopause and Raloxifene Hydrochloride.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study of Endothelin-1 over 6 months.

The publication is from 2001 (Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology), a journal based in United States.

More context: the Endothelin-1 compound page, all human trials.