A Pooled Analysis of the Effects of Conjugated Estrogens/Bazedoxifene on Lipid Parameters in Postmenopausal Women From the Selective Estrogens, Menopause, and Response to Therapy (SMART) Trials.

Abstract

Menopausal lipid profile changes may increase cardiovascular risk. The effects of conjugated estrogens (CE)/bazedoxifene (BZA), an approved menopausal therapy, on lipids have not been fully characterized. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of CE/BZA on lipids in the Selective estrogens, Menopause, And Response to Therapy (SMART) trials for ≥ 1 year. This was a pooled analysis of 3 randomized, double-blind, placebo (PBO)-controlled phase 3 trials (SMART-1, -4, and -5). The study was conducted in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific Region, and Latin America. Participants were nonhysterectomized postmenopausal women aged 40 to 75 years, not taking lipid-lowering medications (N = 2796). Treatments were CE 0.45 mg/BZA 20 mg, CE 0.625 mg/BZA 20 mg, and PBO. The adjusted mean percentage changes from baseline in total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), triglycerides, and the LDL-C/HDL-C ratio at 12 and 24 months were measured. At 12 months, CE 0.45 mg/BZA 20 mg and CE 0.625 mg/BZA 20 mg produced significant (P < .001) improvements vs PBO in TC (-4.20% and -4.37% vs -0.88%), LDL-C (-9.33% and -10.78% vs -1.08%), HDL-C (4.59% and 6.21% vs 1.30%), and the LDL-C/HDL-C ratio (-11.59% and -14.00% vs -0.84%). Triglycerides were significantly (P < .001) increased from baseline with both doses vs PBO (15.13% and 15.74% vs 4.43%). Similar trends (all P < .001) were seen at 24 months when SMART-1 and SMART-4 were pooled (TC: -3.25% and -3.13% vs 0.95%; LDL-C: -7.47% and -8.08% vs 2.95%; HDL-C: 5.91% and 7.19% vs 1.72%; triglycerides: 18.87% and 18.82% vs 6.49%; and the LDL-C/HDL-C ratio: -10.05% and -12.82% vs 2.56%). CE/BZA was associated with mostly favorable changes in lipid parameters for up to 2 years in nonhysterectomized postmenopausal women.