Hormone replacement therapy and risk of falling in early postmenopausal women - a population-based study

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of hormone (o estrogen) replacement therapy (HRT) on the risk of falling among early post menopausal women. METHODS We assessed the incidence of falls in HRT users compared to non-use rs using population-based data from the Kuopio Osteoporosis Risk Factor and Prevention (OSTPRE) Study. The study group consisted of 9792 postmenopausa l women who responded to the OSTPRE baseline and followup inquiries. RESULTS A total of 3049 women reported sustaining a fall during the previou s 12 months. The association between current continuous use of HRT and over all risk of falling was non-significant -9% (P = 0.10). However, current co ntinuous HRT use was associated with a decreased risk (-30%) of non-slip fa lls (N = 1129) (P = 0.0001) but not with the risk (+9%) of slip falls (N = 1757) (P = 0.23). In early postmenopausal women (time since menopause <5 ye ars) the protective effect of current continuous HRT was strengthened: the risk of non-slip falls was 71% lower in HRT users than non-users (P = 0.003 5) if menopause had occurred within the past 2.5 years, and 43% lower (P = 0.0015) if time since menopause was 2.5-5 years. CONCLUSION Hormone replacement therapy may reduce the risk of non-slip fall s in early postmenopausal women.