The effect of the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system on the resistance to activated protein C (APC)

Thromb Haemost. 2009 Apr;101(4):691-5.

Abstract

Exogenously administered estrogens and progestogens as during combined oral contraceptive use increase the risk of venous thrombosis. The thrombin generation-based APC resistance assay is a global coagulation test that enables quantification of the net prothrombotic effect of combined oral contraceptives and that predicts the risk of thrombosis. The thrombotic risk of the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system is unknown. It was the objective of this study to evaluate the thrombotic risk by comparing the APC resistance before and after insertion of a levonorgestrel-releasing or a copper-containing intrauterine device. We measured normalized APC-sensitivity ratios (nAPCsr) before and three months after insertion of the levonorgestrel-intrauterine system in 56 women and the copper-intrauterine device in 18 women. In women without hormonal contraceptive use or a pregnancy in the three months before collection of the baseline samples, nAPCsr were lower three months after insertion of the levonorgestrel-intrauterine system than at baseline (difference -0.29; 95% CI -0.04 to -0.53) and hardly changed after insertion of the copper-intrauterine device (difference -0.11; 95% CI -1.03 to 0.82). In women who switched from a combined oral contraceptive to the levonorgestrel-system the difference was more pronounced (-1.48; 95% CI -0.85 to -2.11). In this study we observed that the levonorgestrel-intrauterine system decreases the resistance to APC which indicates that the levonorgestrel-intrauterine system does not have a prothrombotic effect.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial

MeSH terms

  • Activated Protein C Resistance / blood
  • Activated Protein C Resistance / etiology*
  • Activated Protein C Resistance / genetics
  • Adult
  • Biomarkers / blood
  • Contraceptives, Oral, Combined / adverse effects*
  • Female
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease
  • Humans
  • Intrauterine Devices, Copper / adverse effects*
  • Intrauterine Devices, Medicated / adverse effects*
  • Levonorgestrel / adverse effects*
  • Middle Aged
  • Pedigree
  • Risk Assessment
  • Risk Factors
  • Thrombin / metabolism
  • Time Factors
  • Venous Thrombosis / blood
  • Venous Thrombosis / etiology*
  • Venous Thrombosis / genetics
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Contraceptives, Oral, Combined
  • Levonorgestrel
  • Thrombin