The effect of 17β-estradiol plus norethisterone acetate treatment on the lipid profile in women: a dose-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

The impact of 17β-estradiol plus norethisterone acetate administration on serum lipids in women is controversial as previously published studies have produced conflicting results. Thus, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to investigate the effects of 17β-estradiol plus norethisterone acetate therapy on total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) in females. We searched the PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science databases for relevant trials published in English until 15 July 2021. The weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using a random-effects model (the DerSimonian and Laird methods). A total of 32 RCTs were included in the final analysis. Treatment with 17β-estradiol plus norethisterone acetate significantly decreased LDL-C (WMD: −13.49 mg/dL, 95% CI: −16.46 to −10.52; P