Hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp over the first year of use of depot-medroxyprogesterone acetate as a contraceptive

Abstract Objective The literature lacks data on the use of the gold-standard hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp (HEC) technique for the evaluation of insulin resistance (IR) in depot-medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) users. This study assessed carbohydrate metabolism in non-obese users of DMPA using the HEC technique. Study Design A prospective, non-randomized, comparative study conducted at the Family Planning Clinic/Metabolic Unit, University of Campinas, Brazil. Forty-eight women aged 18-39 years underwent HEC: 30 initiating use of DMPA and 18 initiating use of a copper intrauterine device (IUD). Data from 15 women in each group, who completed the follow-up and underwent HEC at12 months, were compared using repeated measures ANOVA. All women were advised to perform aerobic physical exercise for 150 min/week; body composition and total energy intake were evaluated. Main outcome measures were IR defined by M-value Results At 12 months, two women in the DMPA group and none in the IUD group had developed IR. The groups were similar in in M-values and in blood levels of insulin, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, adipokines or free fatty acids. Triglyceride levels increased in the DMPA group when compared to the IUD group, 80.0 (SD 47.8) versus 61.8 (SD 35.8) mg/dL respectively, (p=.033); and increased the total daily energy intake, 1828.3 (SD 518.9) versus 1300.8 (SD 403.4) kilocalories/24hs, respectively in the same groups, (p=.041). All the DMPA users showing higher insulin sensitivity at 12 months reported performing physical activity regularly. Conclusions Changes occurred in carbohydrate metabolism in DMPA users in the first year of use of the method. It is possible that the regular aerobic exercise may exert a beneficial and protective effect against the factors that trigger these changes. Implications statement Carbohydrate metabolism undergoes adverse changes in few young non-obese women during the first year of DMPA use and regular aerobic exercise may exert a beneficial and protective effect against these changes.