Hormone Replacement Therapy and Increased Plasma Concentration of C-Reactive Protein
Key result
Hormone replacement therapy use in healthy postmenopausal women was associated with significantly higher median C-reactive protein levels compared to nonusers (0.27 vs 0.14 mg/dL; P=0.001).
Why the study?
Does hormone replacement therapy increase plasma concentration of C-reactive protein in healthy postmenopausal women?
Population
493 healthy postmenopausal women, mean age 51 years
Comparison
Hormone replacement therapy vs No hormone replacement therapy
Design
Cross-sectional
Authors
Discussion
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Member takes
Implication
HRT-associated CRP elevation warrants no practice change; leaves open causal cardiovascular effects in prospective studies.
Key Points
- To evaluate whether hormone replacement therapy is associated with increased plasma concentrations of C-reactive protein among healthy postmenopausal women.
- Conducted a cross-sectional survey of 493 healthy postmenopausal women with a mean age of 51 years.
- Measured and compared median C-reactive protein (CRP) levels between HRT users and nonusers, including subgroup analysis across cardiovascular risk factors and HRT regimens (estrogen alone vs. estrogen plus progesterone).
- Performed multivariate analysis adjusting for age, body mass index, diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, alcohol use, and cigarette consumption.
- Median CRP levels were 2 times higher in HRT users than nonusers (0.27 vs 0.14 mg/dL; P=0.001), maintaining statistical significance across all evaluated clinical subgroups (all P<0.01).
- Compared with nonusers, median CRP levels were significantly higher in women using estrogen alone (P=0.003) and estrogen plus progesterone (P=0.03), with no significant difference between preparations.
- Multivariate analysis confirmed that the association between HRT use and elevated CRP remained statistically significant after controlling for potential confounders (P=0.001).
Study Design
Type
Cross-Sectional (n=493)
Structured PICO
Does hormone replacement therapy increase plasma concentration of C-reactive protein in healthy postmenopausal women?
P
Population
493 healthy postmenopausal women, mean age 51 years
I
Intervention
Hormone replacement therapy (estrogen alone or estrogen plus progesterone)
C
Comparator
No hormone replacement therapy
O
Outcome
Plasma concentration of C-reactive protein (CRP)surrogate
Main Result
Absolute Event Rate: 0.27% vs 0.14%
p-value: p=0.001
Hormone replacement therapy is associated with significantly elevated levels of the inflammatory biomarker C-reactive protein in healthy postmenopausal women.
Cite This Study
Ridker et al. (1999) conducted a cross-sectional in Healthy postmenopausal women (n=493). Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) vs. No HRT was evaluated on Median C-reactive protein (CRP) levels (mg/dL) (p=0.001). Hormone replacement therapy use in healthy postmenopausal women was associated with significantly higher median C-reactive protein levels compared to nonusers (0.27 vs 0.14 mg/dL; P=0.001).