Discriminant analysis of the metabolic effects of a new combined contraceptive vaginal ring containing Nestorone/EE vs. a second-generation oral contraceptive containing levonorgestrel/EE.

Mandana Rad, Jacobus Burggraaf, Marieke L de Kam, Adam F Cohen, Cornelis Kluft

Index: Contraception 86(3) , 231-7, (2012)

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Abstract

Discriminant analysis (DA) was performed on data of two combined hormonal contraceptives (CHC) differing in estrogen ratio to explore whether a combination of variables rather than a single variable distinguishes CHCs better.Data were used of a parallel study in premenopausal women treated for three cycles (21 days on, 7 days off) with a contraceptive vaginal ring delivering Nestorone and ethinyl estradiol (EE) or an oral contraceptive containing levonorgestrel and EE. DA was performed on the change from baseline (CFB) and the end-of-treatment values at 3 months for lipids, sex-hormone binding globulin (SHBG), C-reactive protein, angiotensinogen, blood pressure and hemostasis variables, and on the hemostasis variables only.For the complete set, the CFB for factor VII (FVII), SHBG and plasminogen (PLG), or end-of-treatment SHBG- and FVII level discriminated the treatments best. Maximal discrimination for the hemostasis data was by CFB for FVII and PLG or end-of-treatment FVII level.DA identifies differences between CHCs and may provide information on the factors associated with thrombotic risk.Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.