The table below summarizes the available evidence on the risks and benefits
of hormone therapy. Included are all randomized trials and meta-analyses
looking at disease incidence or mortality. Inclusion of observational
trials was dependent on size: case-control studies with 500 or more cases
of the disease and cohort studies with at least 2,000 women are included
here.
The year noted is when the study results were published. The name following the title of the study is the last
name of the first author on the publication.
E = estrogen; P = progestin
|
Year
|
Study
|
Study Type
|
Participants
|
Hormones
|
Results
|
Other Notes
|
|
1996
|
Nurses' Health Study, Grodstein (B)
|
Cohort
|
112,593
|
E, E + P
|
Current use increases risk of pulmonary
embolism 111%
|
No distinction between E and E + P; up to 16 years follow-up; no increased
risk associated with past use
|
|
1998
|
Heart and Estrogen/progestin Replacement
Study (HERS), Hulley
|
Randomized
|
2,763
|
E + P
|
Increases risk 189%
|
Average follow-up 4.1 years
|
|
2000
|
Estrogen in Venous
Thromboembolism Trial, Hoibraaten
|
Randomized
|
140
|
E
|
Increased risk of recurrence
|
Participants had prior history of blood clots; trial
stopped early with 10.7% recurrence in treatment group and 2.7% recurrence in placebo group
|
|
2002
|
Miller
|
Meta-analysis
|
12 studies:
3 randomized,
9 observational
|
E
|
Current use increases risk 214%
|
|
|
2002
|
Heart and Estrogen/progestin
Replacement Study (HERS II), Hulley
|
Randomized
|
2,321
|
E + P
|
Increases risk 108% overall (6.8 years)
|
2.7 year extension of HERS with subset of
participants from original study; 6.8 years total follow-up
|
|
2002
|
Women's Health Initiative
|
Randomized
|
16,608
|
E + P
|
Increases risk 111%
|
5.2 years follow-up
|
|