Circulating Levels of Angiotensinogen, Sex Hormones, and Hormone Therapy-The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA).

Angiotensinogen levels were significantly higher in postmenopausal women receiving hormone therapy compared to women not receiving hormone therapy and compared to men.

• Women on hormone therapy: n = 760; women not on hormone therapy: n = 1675; men: n = 2736
• Total MESA participants measured: 5171
• Linear models were employed to determine the associations of angiotensinogen with sex hormones
• Plasma angiotensinogen and sex hormone levels were directly measured in participants

A positive association was present between angiotensinogen and estrogen levels across all groups, but the magnitude differed substantially by sex and hormone therapy status.

• Women on hormone therapy: r = 0.44, p < 0.0001
• Women not on hormone therapy: r = 0.09, p = 0.0002
• Men: r = 0.07, p = 0.0003
• The association was strongest in postmenopausal women receiving hormone therapy

The type of hormone therapy formulation (estrogen alone or estrogen/progesterone combined) did not significantly affect angiotensinogen levels.

• Both estrogen-only and estrogen/progesterone formulations were examined
• No statistically significant difference in angiotensinogen levels was found between formulation types
• Duration of hormone therapy use also did not significantly affect angiotensinogen levels

Angiotensinogen, the unique precursor of all angiotensin hormones of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, is now a potential pharmacological target for hypertension treatment.

• Angiotensinogen is described as 'the unique precursor of all angiotensin hormones of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS)'
• It represents 'a novel pharmacological approach to hypertension'
• Understanding factors that influence angiotensinogen levels, including sex hormones, 'may have important therapeutic implications'