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Muscle strength and tibolone: a randomised, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial
Author(s) -
Meeuwsen Ingrid B.A.E.,
Samson Monique M.,
Duursma Sijmen A.,
Verhaar Harald J.J.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
bjog: an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.157
H-Index - 164
eISSN - 1471-0528
pISSN - 1470-0328
DOI - 10.1111/j.1471-0528.2002.01213.x
Subject(s) - tibolone , medicine , placebo , isometric exercise , menopause , body mass index , muscle strength , physical therapy , alternative medicine , pathology
Objective To investigate the effects of tibolone, a tissue‐specific compound with a mixed (estrogenic, progestogenic and androgenic) hormonal profile, on skeletal muscle strength in a group of healthy postmenopausal women Design Randomised, parallel group, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, single‐centre trial conducted between August 1997 and July 1999 Participants Eighty‐five healthy women, between one and 15 years postmenopausal, (mean [SD] age, 54.2 [4.7] years) recruited from local paper advertisements. Participants were randomly assigned to 2.5mg tibolone or to identically appearing placebo pills daily for 12 months, taken orally in the morning Methods Both maximal handgrip strength, representing upper body strength, and maximal quadriceps strength, representing lower body strength, were measured isometrically Main outcome measures Treatment effect estimates (between group differences) in handgrip strength and isometric knee extension at last visit Results Tibolone significantly ( P = 0.04 ) increased handgrip strength compared with placebo (difference 0.99 kg, [95% CI 0.1–1.9]). No significant treatment effect ( P = 0.61 ) was observed in isometric knee extension strength. Isometric strength adjusted for body mass index resulted in a trend favouring tibolone ( P = 0.06 ). Individual trend analysis showed a significant difference in rate of change throughout the year (6.8% [95% CI 2.1–10.7]) favouring tibolone Conclusions Administration of tibolone increased handgrip strength in postmenopausal women compared with placebo. A trend indicating a positive effect in isometric knee extension strength adjusted for body mass index was observed. Tibolone seems to mitigate the menopause‐related decline in muscle strength