Menopausal hormone therapy does not play a major role in left ventricular hypertrophy

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Endocrinology
• Public Health

Background:

• Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in women.
• Previous studies on menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) and LVH have yielded inconclusive results.
• Understanding the relationship between MHT and cardiac structure is crucial for women's cardiovascular health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between MHT use and left ventricular mass indexed to height (LVMI) or LVH.
• To analyze MHT's impact on cardiac remodeling in a population-based cohort of women.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses were conducted using data from the Study of Health in Pomerania.
• Participants included women aged 45 years and older, with information on MHT use (ever/never, past/current).
• Logistic and linear regression models were used to assess the association between MHT and LVH/LVMI, controlling for confounders.

Main Results:

• Crude analyses suggested a potential association between MHT use and lower odds of LVH.
• However, fully adjusted models revealed no significant association between ever MHT use and LVH in both cross-sectional (OR 0.97, 95% CI 0.71-1.30) and longitudinal (OR 0.70, 95% CI 0.44-1.11) analyses.
• Alternative classifications of MHT use also showed no significant associations with LVH after full adjustment.

Conclusions:

• This study found limited evidence supporting an association between MHT use and reduced LVH.
• Discrepancies in lifestyle or health factors between MHT users and non-users may partially explain previously observed protective effects.
• Further research is needed to clarify the complex relationship between MHT and cardiovascular remodeling.