Narrative review reveals that early menopause worsens rheumatoid arthritis severity and impairs remission, suggesting menopausal hormone therapy may overcome treatment resistance.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) most often affects women, and the onset of RA often occurs around the middle age of menopause. RA in women, compared to men, is more severe, characterized by difficulties in achieving remission and a more negative prognosis. Research results indicate a relationship between menopause, estrogen levels and RA. Early menopause is characterized by an increased risk of developing RA, as well as difficulty achieving remission and a lower quality of life. Menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) may influence both the risk of developing RA and its course. Given the relationship between menopause and other conditions such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and fibromyalgia, off-label MHT may be one of the possible ways to overcome treatment resistance in RA.
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Паневин et al. (2025) studied this question.
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