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Markers for cardiovascular disease in monozygotic twins discordant for the use of third-generation oral contraceptives

Journal of Human Hypertension volume 17, pages 481–485 (2003)Cite this article

Abstract

Oral contraceptives (OC) modulate the risk for developing cardiovascular (CV) diseases. The aim of this study was to determine whether the use of third-generation OC has an impact on markers of CV disease in genetically identical women. We performed an intrapair comparison in 27 monozygotic twin pairs, one of whom was taking third-generation OC, whereas the other was not using OC. Biometric parameters were ascertained and conventional and 24-h ambulatory blood pressure (BP) was recorded. A fasting blood sample was taken for the measurement of glucose, insulin, proinsulin, lipids, and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1). Insulin resistance and β-cell function were calculated by homeostasis model assessment (HOMA). A 24-h urine sample for cortisol was obtained. Third-generation OC use increased 24-h ambulatory systolic and diastolic BP by 5.2 and 3.9 mmHg, respectively (both P=0.0003). There was no effect on glucose, insulin and proinsulin levels, and on HOMA parameters, but the IGFBP-1 levels were markedly raised (P=0.0009). The lipid profile showed a 34% increase in triglyceride levels (P<0.0001), but also a 7% increase in HDL-cholesterol levels (P=0.037). Use of third-generation OC impacts on CV disease markers in young-adult genetically identical women. Some changes are beneficial (increased HDL-cholesterol), whereas others may be deleterious (increased BP and triglyceride levels) or have unknown effects at this time (increased IGFBP-1 levels).

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to all the women who took part in this study, to Kathleen Gysen, Hilde Van Gucht and Nathalie Muermans who carried out the fieldwork, and to Willy Coopmans for helping with the analyses.

The study was supported by a grant from the Fund for Scientific Research-Flanders, Belgium (3.0269.97). The East Flanders Prospective Twin Survey is supported in part by the Association for Scientific Research in Multiple Births. RFJ Loos is now a fellow of the Belgian–American Educational Foundation. F de Zegher and C Mathieu are Clinical Research Investigators of the Fund for Scientific Reserach-Flanders, Belgium. R Fagard holds the Professor A Amery Chair in Hypertension Research, supported by Merck, Sharpe, and Dohme-Belgium.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sport and Movement Sciences, Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium

    R J F Loos & G Beunen

  2. Department for Human Genetics, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium

    R J F Loos, C Derom & R Vlietinck

  3. Department of Experimental Medicine and Endocrinology, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium

    J Verhaeghe & C Mathieu

  4. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium

    J Verhaeghe

  5. Department of Pediatrics, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium

    F de Zegher

  6. Hypertension and Cardiovascular Rehabilitation Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium

    R Fagard

  7. RJF Loos is now at Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, 70808, LA, USA

    R J F Loos

  8. R Vlietinck is now at the Department of Population Genetics and Genomics, University of Maastricht, Maastricht, 6229 ER, The Netherlands

    R Vlietinck

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  1. R J F Loos
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  7. C Mathieu
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  8. R Vlietinck
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Correspondence to R J F Loos.

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Loos, R., Verhaeghe, J., de Zegher, F. et al. Markers for cardiovascular disease in monozygotic twins discordant for the use of third-generation oral contraceptives. J Hum Hypertens 17, 481–485 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jhh.1001578

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