Compliance with 10 years oral hormonal replacement therapy.
OBJECTIVE
To study 10 years compliance with oral hormonal replacement therapy (HRT).


METHODS
One hundred and fifty-one early postmenopausal women were initially randomly allocated to three groups in a double blind, 2-year placebo controlled trial. Fifty women received continuous combined therapy, 50 were placed on sequential therapy, while the last 51 women were given placebo for 2 years and after that no therapy. After the trial, the women were followed in an open investigation for a total of 10 years.


RESULTS
One hundred and twenty-six women (83%) out of 151 came to a 10-year interview, 4% had died and the remaining did not want to participate. None of the women in the combined group had changed to other regimens (42% were still in treatment after 10 years). Twenty-four percent from the original sequential group were still in sequential therapy; another 24% of the group had changed to other HRTs (mainly because the women disliked the monthly bleedings). Fifty-three percent of the women from the placebo group had not received any HRT. Eighteen percent were on HRT. Eighty-seven percent of the women who had taken combined therapy for 8 years were still being treated at the tenth years' visit.


CONCLUSIONS
Long-term compliance was excellent for continuous combined therapy and better than for sequential after 10 years.
Eiken
Pia
P
Department of Clinical Physiology, Hillerød Hospital, DK-3400 Hillerød, Denmark. peels@dadlnet.dk
Kolthoff
Niels
N
D000284:Administration, Oral; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004967:Estrogens / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D017698:Postmenopause; D011372:Progestins / Q000008:administration & dosage
D004967:Estrogens; D011372:Progestins