Long-term evaluation of lipid profile and oral glucose tolerance test in Norplant users.

Purpose: This study reports the results of the lipid profile and oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) in 46 normal patients tested before and after 5 years of Norplant use.

Results: After 5 years, there was a substantial decrease of 28.9% in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and a similar but less pronounced fall of 7.1% in the total cholesterol levels. The Castelli 1 index did not vary, and the triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels remained normal and unchanged throughout the study period. All the mean values of OGTT were significantly lower after 5 years, except for the 90-min glycemia.

Conclusion: These findings indicate that long-term Norplant use does not increase cardiovascular risks.