Table 1.
Clinical characteristics of the study population
| Parameters | Treated group (n = 18) | Controls (n = 6) | p |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years) | 55.6 ± 3.7 | 56.2 ± 3.2 | NS |
| Time since menopause (years) | 5.7 ± 2.8 | 5.4 ± 3.1 | NS |
| Body mass index (kgr/m2) | 27.2 ± 1.1 | 27.1 ± 1.1 | NS |
| Office systolic blood pressure (mmHg) | 142 ± 10 | 141 ± 10 | NS |
| Office diastolic blood pressure (mmHg) | 88 ± 4 | 89 ± 4 | NS |
| Heart rate (bpm) | 72 ± 8 | 72 ± 8 | NS |
| Total cholesterol (mg/dl) | 228 ± 25 | 230 ± 20 | NS |
| LDL cholesterol (mg/dl) | 150 ± 40 | 145 ± 36 | NS |
| HDL cholesterol (mg/dl) | 43 ± 14 | 45 ± 14 | NS |
| Serum estradiol levels (pg/ml) | 40 ± 14 | 38 ± 14 | NS |
| Coronary sinus estradiol levels (pg/ml) | 39 ± 12 | 39 ± 13 | NS |
| Coronary sinus ET-1 levels (mol/L) | 1.60 ± 0.48 | 1.64 ± 0.29 | NS |
Abbreviations: ET-1, endothelin-1; HDL, high-density lipoprotein; LDL, low-density lipoprotein.