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HT lessened risk for repeat knee, hip replacement surgery
Hormone therapy was associated with approximately 40% reductions in repeat surgeries after a total knee arthroplasty or total hip arthroplasty, according to data derived from a population-based retrospective cohort study.
“We have shown that [HT] use for at least 6 months after primary arthroplasty is associated with a significant reduction in prosthesis failure of up to almost 40% after lower limb total joint arthroplasty. [HT] for at least 1 year appeared related to further reduction in failure rates to about 50% of that in [HT] non-users,” researchers wrote.
Data from 2,700 HT users were collected from the United Kingdom within the General Practice Research Database and matched with 8,100 non-users who underwent a primary total knee arthroplasty or total hip arthroplasty from 1986 to 2006.
The patients were followed for a median of 3.3 years after primary arthroplasty, representing 43,481 person-years (32,845 non-HT users; 10,636 HT users).
Data indicated that HT use for at least 6 months was associated with a significant reduction in risk for asymptomatic failure (HR=0.62; 95% CI, 0.41-0.94). Similarly, HT use for at least 12 months was associated with further reductions in failure risk (HR=0.48; 95% CI, 0.29-0.78), researchers wrote.
These data cannot be implemented into clinical practice until further research is complete, they wrote.
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures. The independent research was commissioned by the National Institute for Health Research and unrestricted educational grants from Merck, Sharp & Dohme, Novartis and Southampton Rheumatology Trust.