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Hormone use linked to asthma in women

Women who use hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to curb the symptoms of menopause appear to be at an increased risk for developing asthma.

Hormone use linked to asthma in women

Women who use hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to curb the symptoms of menopause appear to be at an increased risk for developing asthma. Asthma is one of the several conditions to be linked to HRT. In 2002, the Women's Health Initiative trial, a large multicentre study, was stopped about three years early after HRT was linked to an increased risk of stroke, thrombosis, coronary heart disease, and invasive breast cancer. There has been a long-standing debate on the effect of female reproductive hormones on asthma. Researchers from Columbia University in New York suggest that HRT use is associated with an increased risk of newly diagnosed asthma.The findings are from a study of women who participated in the Nurse's Health Study and were followed from 1976 to 1998. HRT use and newly diagnosed asthma were assessed with questionnaires starting in 1976 and 1988, respectively. Compared with no HRT use, current HRT use doubled the risk of newly diagnosed asthma. In contrast, HRT use was not associated with another lung problem called chronic obstructive pulmonary (or lung) disease.

HRT might cause asthma probably due to the inflammatory effects of HRT, which are often thought of as affecting the heart, but are also important in the lung. The findings suggest another potential harm of HRT, but they are not sure how strongly they should be weighed in the decision to use such therapy. Although the risk of asthma is doubled with HRT use, the absolute risk remains very low.

Archives of Internal Medicine ,
February 2004
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