Pregnancy Associated Alpha2-Glycoprotein In Postmenopausal Women Receiving Hormone Replacement Therapy

Serum pregnancy associated α 2 -glycoprotein (P.A.G.) concentrations were measured in a group of post-menopausal women receiving hormone replacement therapy. The P.A.G. concentrations increased from a mean basal level of 48.1 μg/ml (range 20.6–104.4 μg/ml) to a maximum after six months therapy of 359 μg/ml (range 82–1290 μg/ml). This represents a mean increase of 647%. Two months after cessation of therapy the P.A.G. concentrations decreased but the mean level (60.3 μg/ml) was still significantly higher than the pre-treatment level. There was a significant correlation between the pre-treatment P.A.G. concentrations and the levels after six months of therapy. These findings may be of relevance to the use of P.A.G. determinations in the monitoring of malignant disease.