Postmenopausal estrogen therapy and the risk for developing systemic lupus erythematosus.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the relation between postmenopausal hormone use and development of systemic lupus erythematosus.


METHODS
Prospective cohort study.


METHODS
Nurses' Health Study.


METHODS
69,435 women aged 30 to 55 years in 1976 who reported that they had completed menopause and did not have systemic lupus erythematosus or any connective tissue disease were followed every 2 years from 1976 to 1990. These women were classified as never- or ever-(current and past) users of postmenopausal hormones.


METHODS
Incidence rates of systemic lupus erythematosus and classification criteria from the American College of Rheumatology that were confirmed by chart review.


RESULTS
With never-users of postmenopausal hormones as the reference group, age-adjusted relative risks for systemic lupus erythematosus (n = 45 women) were 2.1 (95% CI, 1.1 to 4.0) for ever-users, 2.5 (CI, 1.2 to 5.0) for current users, and 1.8 (CI, 0.8 to 4.1) for past users. A proportional increase in the risk for systemic lupus erythematosus was observed that was related to the duration of use of postmenopausal hormones (test for trend, P = 0.011).


CONCLUSIONS
Postmenopausal hormone therapy is associated with an increased risk for developing systemic lupus erythematosus.
Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
J
J
Sánchez-Guerrero
M H
MH
Liang
E W
EW
Karlson
D J
DJ
Hunter
G A
GA
Colditz
D000328:Adult; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors