Objective: To determined the dose response of insulin resistance (IR) to estrogen in individual patients.
Study design: Eighteen subjects meeting inclusion criteria were enrolled, and 9 completed the study. Each subject was treated for 3 months with 0.3, 0.625 and 1.25 mg of conjugated equine estrogens (CEE) in random order, for a total of 9 months of treatment. Fasting serum insulin and glucose levels were obtained.
Results: The fasting glucose/insulin ratio and quantitative insulin-sensitivity check index (QUICKI) were calculated. No significant change was noted in either parameter with any dose of CEE in a single subject.
Conclusion: This was the first study to examine the dose response of IR to estrogen using paired measurements from individuals. IR does not vary in individuals when doses of estrogen are altered.