Personal use of HRT by postmenopausal women doctors and doctors' wives in the north of Italy

Abstract

This study aimed to describe the prevalence of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) use by women doctors and doctors' wives in northern Italy, to explore the relationship between their personal characteristics and HRT use, and to gather information about the use of alternative remedies. A questionnaire was mailed to all physicians born between 1935 and 1955 included in the database of the Medical Register of Turin County (Northern Italy). The questions were meant to explore medical, behavioral, and professional characteristics; personal use of HRT; reasons for and against HRT use; side effects and use of other therapies. 56.5% of postmenopausal women who completed the questionnaire had used HRTand 68.3% of them were current users. The median duration of HRT use was 3.7 years. Only 18.5% of the women had used HRT for 5 years or more; in this case, HRT was started significantly earlier than in the other groups. More than 50% had taken oral HRT, while 39% had used patches; estrogens only had been taken by 21.9%. HRT users had a significantly lower basal body mass index and more vasomotor and dystrophic symptoms at menopause onset compared with non-HRT users. More women on HRT were in good physical health and had an active sex life. Previous breast cancer and family history of cardiovascular diseases were inversely associated with HRT use. The main reason for not taking HRT or stopping it was fear of breast cancer (43.7% and 34.8%, respectively); irregular bleeding and weight gain were also frequently reported as a reason for HRT (30% and 22%). Overall, 22% of women had used alternative drugs to alleviate menopausal symptoms or prevent menopause-related diseases, mainly tibolone (21% among never HRT users and 2% among HRT users; p = 0.015) and phytoestrogens. The prevalence and duration of use of HRT by Italian physicians is consistent with the available data from other Western countries, and is much higher than in the general population. This is in contrast with the very low prevalence of use in the general population and may lead, in the near future, to a larger use of HRT in Italy.

Factors Modifying the Association Between Hormone-Replacement Therapy and Breast Cancer Risk

“…This is in contrast to a PAR of 2% obtained in an Italian case-control study [16]. This may be explained by the low prevalence of 10% of HRT use but a recent study from northern Italy reported that meanwhile every other post-menopausal women ever used HRT [17].…”

The use of complementary and alternative medicine by women experiencing menopausal symptoms in Bologna

“…Although a number of studies have investigated the use of CAM during the menopausal transition [9-19], only one study was conducted in Italy [20], which investigated the use of HRT and other treatments for menopausal syndrome amongst a convenience sample of female medical doctors and the wives of doctors.…”

Weight Change of Younger and Older Early Breast Cancer Patients – A Meta Regression

“…The average age in trials ranged from 39.9 years to 55 years. Six studies 13,16,17,25,28,32 reported on premenopausal patients, four 11,20,22,24 on postmenopausal patients, and fourteen 12,14,15,18,19,21,23,26,27,[29][30][31]33,34 reported on both premenopausal and postmenopausal patients. Seven 11,20,22,24,25,31,32 , nine 16,17,[20][21][22][23]29,30,34 and twelve studies 12-15, 18,20,22, 25-28,33 reported on CMF-only, CMF-containing and non-CMF regimens, respectively; several studies reported separately, by chemotherapy regimen.…”