Hormone therapy initiation after the Women's Health Initiative.

View Abstract

OBJECTIVES

To describe hormone therapy (HT) initiation after the 2002 publication of the Women's Health Initiative.

DESIGN

Observational cohort (1999-2003) of women ages 40 to 79 years, five health plans, used HT in July 2002 and subsequently discontinued or never used before August 2002.

RESULTS

Of discontinuers, 15.8% (3,203 of 20,205) reinitiated HT. Reinitiation was higher among estrogen users (23.8%) versus estrogen with progestin users (11.3%), and lower among those with diabetes (relative risk [RR]=0.68, 95% CI: 0.61-0.76), cardiovascular disease (RR=0.87, 95% CI: 0.83-0.92), and hyperlipidemia (RR=0.83, 95% CI: 0.79-0.88). Only 2.3% (2,072 of 90,261) of never users initiated (August 2002 to December 2003). First-time initiation was associated with cardiovascular disease (RR=1.17, 95% CI: 1.10-1.25) and hyperlipidemia (RR=1.24, 95% CI: 1.17-1.33) and was less common among those with diabetes (RR=0.70, 95% CI: 0.63-0.79).

CONCLUSIONS

After the Women's Health Initiative, a minority of women reinitiated or became first-time initiators of HT. Women with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia were less likely to reinitiate; women with cardiovascular disease and hyperlipidemia were more likely to be first-time initiators.

Abbreviation
Menopause
Publication Date
2008-05-01
Volume
15
Issue
3
Page Numbers
487-93
Pubmed ID
18188140
Medium
Print
Full Title
Hormone therapy initiation after the Women's Health Initiative.
Authors
Newton KM, Buist DS, Yu O, Hartsfield CL, Andrade SE, Wei F, Connelly MT, Chan KA