Do women using hormone replacement treatment have less pre-existing cardiovascular risk

Background: Several studies have suggested that women who choose to use hor mone replacement therapy; (HRT) already. before starting this therapy, have a better cardiovascular risk profile than those who do not use it. Some of these studies contain factors of confusion;ind biases, such as HRT users' greater educational achievement or physical activity, which could have led to wrong conclusions. Aim: To study a cohort, without confounding factors i n order to analyse whether the cardiovascular risk profile is different in women who choose to use HRT. Material and methods: Coronary risk factors or 387 women between 45 and 64 were studied. This study was carried out at th e Unit for the Preventive Medical Examination of the South Metropolitan Hea lth Service in Santiago (Chile) during the annual check-up, The first evalu ation was in 1991-1992: with a second evaluation 5 years later. Of all the women, 174 (45%) never received hormones (Group A), 124 (32%) were HRT user s at the time (Group B), and 89 (23%) were former-users (Group C). Results: No differences were found between the three groups for age, body mass inde x (BMI), educational background, alcohol consumption, smoking or physical a ctivity. Blood pressure was similar in the three groups. No significant dif ferences were found in total cholesterol (A. 271.7 +/- 47.2, B, 228.2 + 47. 0, and C, 227.3 +/- 44.9 mg/dl); high density lipoprotein (HDL. A, 53.5 +/- 13.2; B, 51.8 +/- 12.8; and C, 54.0 +/- 12.4 mg/dl): low density lipoprote in (LDL, A. 141.7 +/- 38.91 B, 148.5 +/- 43.1 and C, 148.3 +/- 43.8 mg/dl): triglycerides (A, 134.5 +/- 67.9; B, 141.0 +/- 66.1; and C, 127.3 +/- 68.5 mg/dl) and glucose plasma levels (A, 90.5 +/- 32.2; B, 87.7 +/- 15.3; and C, 85.0 +/- 8.8 mg/dl). Conclusions: Our results suggest that women who cho ose to use HRT have a cardiovascular risk profile, before starting the ther apy, similar to those who do not use it. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.