Dataset Information

Use of menopausal hormone therapy and risk of dementia: nested case-control studies using QResearch and CPRD databases.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To assess the risks of developing dementia associated with different types and durations of menopausal hormone therapy.

Design

Two nested case-control studies.

Setting

UK general practices contributing to QResearch or the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD), using all links to hospital, mortality, and social deprivation data.

Participants

118 501 women aged 55 and older with a primary diagnosis of dementia between 1998 and 2020, matched by age, general practice, and index date to 497 416 female controls.

Main outcome measures

Dementia diagnoses from general practice, mortality, and hospital records; odds ratios for menopausal hormone treatments adjusted for demographics, smoking status, alcohol consumption, comorbidities, family history, and other prescribed drugs.

Results

Overall, 16 291 (14%) women with a diagnosis of dementia and 68 726 (14%) controls had used menopausal hormone therapy more than three years before the index date. Overall, no increased risks of developing dementia associated with menopausal hormone therapy were observed. A decreased global risk of dementia was found among cases and controls younger than 80 years who had been taking oestrogen-only therapy for 10 years or more (adjusted odds ratio 0.85, 95% confidence interval 0.76 to 0.94). Increased risks of developing specifically Alzheimer's disease were found among women who had used oestrogen-progestogen therapy for between five and nine years (1.11, 1.04 to 1.20) and for 10 years or more (1.19, 1.06 to 1.33). This was equivalent to, respectively, five and seven extra cases per 10 000 woman years. Detailed risk associations for the specific progestogens studied are also provided.

Conclusion

This study gives estimates for risks of developing dementia and Alzheimer's disease in women exposed to different types of menopausal hormone therapy for different durations and has shown no increased risks of developing dementia overall. It has shown a slightly increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease among long term users of oestrogen-progestogen therapies.

SUBMITTER: Vinogradova Y

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8479814 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:ObjectivesTo assess the association between use of menopausal hormone therapy and development of dementia according to type of hormone treatment, duration of use, and age at usage.DesignNationwide, nested case-control study.SettingDenmark through national registries.Participants5589 incident cases of dementia and 55 890 age matched controls were identified between 2000 and 2018 from a population of all Danish women aged 50-60 years in 2000 with no history of dementia or contraindications for use of menopausal hormone therapy.Main outcome measuresAdjusted hazard ratios with 95% confidence intervals for all cause dementia defined by a first time diagnosis or first time use of dementia specific medication.ResultsCompared with people who had never used treatment, people who had received oestrogen-progestogen therapy had an increased rate of all cause dementia (hazard ratio 1.24 (95% confidence interval 1.17 to 1.33)). Increasing durations of use yielded higher hazard ratios, ranging from 1.21 (1.09 to 1.35) for one year or less of use to 1.74 (1.45 to 2.10) for more than 12 years of use. Oestrogen-progestogen therapy was positively associated with development of dementia for both continuous (1.31 (1.18 to 1.46)) and cyclic (1.24 (1.13 to 1.35)) regimens. Associations persisted in women who received treatment at the age 55 years or younger (1.24 (1.11 to 1.40)). Findings persisted when restricted to late onset dementia (1.21 (1.12 to 1.30)) and Alzheimer's disease (1.22 (1.07 to 1.39)).ConclusionsMenopausal hormone therapy was positively associated with development of all cause dementia and Alzheimer's disease, even in women who received treatment at the age of 55 years or younger. The increased rate of dementia was similar between continuous and cyclic treatment. Further studies are warranted to determine whether these findings represent an actual effect of menopausal hormone therapy on dementia risk, or whether they reflect an underlying predisposition in women in need of these treatments.

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