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HT linked to reduced risk for PAD in postmenopausal women

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Hormone therapy may have a protective effect on atherosclerotic conditions, particularly in high-risk patients, according to data presented at the 65th Vascular Annual Meeting of the Society of Vascular Surgery in Chicago.

Using data from a prospective database of patients, researchers from New York University Medical School determined that in postmenopausal women, HT was associated with a significantly lower prevalence of peripheral arterial disease (PAD), even in patients with known atherosclerotic risk factors.

“This data has important implications with regard to possible protective effect of HRT on atherosclerotic conditions, particularly in patients at higher risk for these conditions due to medical comorbidities,” Caron B. Rockman, MD, vascular and endovascular surgeon, said in a press release. “Our initial task was to gather information from a prospective database of patients who underwent vascular screening to identify them as postmenopausal. A questionnaire was used to determine their use of HRT. Peripheral artery disease was noted if their ankle-brachial index was less or equal to 0.9.”

The analysis included 847,982 postmenopausal women, 51.1% of whom reported using HT. Most women using HT were slightly older and Caucasian, with a history of smoking, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia, compared with women who had not used HT. Those using HT were less likely to have diabetes compared with those women who did not use HT (8.6% vs. 10.1%; P<.001).

Women who used HT were less likely than those who had not used HT to have PAD (3.3% vs. 4.1; P<.001), despite having an increased prevalence of several risk factors for atherosclerosis. According to a multivariate analysis, HT was independently linked to a reduction in the risk for PAD (OR=0.8; 95% CI, 0.78-0.82).

“The significant effect of HRT on the prevalence for PAD was maintained in the patients with existing atherosclerotic risk factors,” Rockman said. “And in postmenopausal women with either a smoking history, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, or diabetes, the odds ratio of HRT use with regard to PAD remained 0.8.”

For more information:

• Rockman CB. #SS17. Presented at: 2011 Vascular Annual Meeting; June 16-18, 2011; Chicago.

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