A retrospective study: osteoporosis and hormone replacement therapy

The purpose of this study was to determine if women who undergo hormone replacement therapy postmenopausally, will demonstrate less osteoporosis than women who do not undergo HRT. The osteoporosis subjects were 195 women who volunteered to participate in an NIH-sponsored double-blind clinical trial entitled Safety and Efficacy of Fluoride Therapy in Osteoporosis. A convenience sample of 78 controls was obtained by inviting women seeking regular medical attention to join an epidemiological investigation of osteoporosis. The data were analyzed using Chi-square and Student's t-ratio. The study concludes that future retrospective and prospective analyses appreciate the complexity of the problem in terms of individual risk for osteoporosis.