Benefits for cardiovascular system, bone density, and quality of life of a long-term hormone therapy in hysterectomized women: a 20-year follow-up study
Maria Isabel Lorite, Angela Maria Cuadros, Mario Rivera-Izquierdo, Victoria Sanchez-Martin, Marta Cuadros- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- General Medicine
Abstract
Objective
The safety, consequences, and dosage of long-term hormone therapy (HT) for postmenopausal women remain unclear. Our aim was to analyze the effects of HT after 20 years of therapy in women after hysterectomy, focusing on the symptoms of menopause, blood pressure, lipid profiles, and bone density.
Methods
A prospective observational longitudinal study was designed. The initial transdermal estradiol dose was reduced in half (0.025 mg/d) at 60 years of age. Different parameters including demographic, cardiovascular, bone density, and metabolic variables, as well as quality of life characteristics, were analyzed using bivariate analyses. Multivariate generalized estimating equations for longitudinal data were fitted for differences over time and between doses (<60 vs ≥60 y) using the R package geepack.
Results
After 20 years of HT, the mean age of 56 studied hysterectomized women was 67.1 years. The mean Kupperman index score decreased from 26.7 to 12.0 (
Conclusions
HT for up to 20 years after hysterectomy may be beneficial for bone and cardiovascular health and for the overall quality of life. Our data suggest the importance of evaluating the dose and the timing of HT.