title: Risk of ischemic stroke and lifetime estrogen exposure.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Estrogen loss has been related to higher incidence of stroke in postmenopausal women, but randomized trials have demonstrated an increased risk of stroke in women receiving hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the relationship between exposure to endogenous ovarian hormones and the risk of noncardioembolic ischemic stroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a multicenter, age-matched, case-control study in postmenopausal women (case: nonembolic ischemic stroke; control: no stroke) comparing duration of ovarian activity or lifetime estrogen exposure, which was defined as age at menarche to age at menopause. Embolic cardiopathy and unreliable gynecologic data were exclusion criteria. Cardiovascular disease risk factors were recorded. The relationships of the principal variables to the risk of stroke were assessed using a conditional logistic regression analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 430 cases and 905 controls in the study. In the multivariate analysis, hypertension (odds ratio [OR]: 2.73; 95% CI: 2.09 to 3.58; p < 0.0001), diabetes (OR: 3.38; 95% CI: 2.53 to 4.52; p < 0.0001), hyperlipidemia (OR: 1.31; 95% CI: 1.01 to 1.7; p = 0.045), lifespan of ovarian activity <34 years (OR: 1.51; 95% CI: 1.13 to 2.03; p = 0.005), and menarche at <13 years of age (OR 1.49; 95% CI: 1.15 to 1.92; p = 0.002) were independently related to an increased risk of stroke. Obesity (OR: 0.73; 95% CI: 0.56 to 0.95; p = 0.021) was related to a lower risk of stroke.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Longer lifetime exposure to ovarian estrogens may protect against noncardioembolic ischemic stroke. However, a very early age of exposure onset could be disadvantageous.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Hospital Ramon y Cajal, Ctra de Colmenar Km 9,100, 28034 Madrid, Spain. mariaalonsoleci@telefonica.net
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alonso de Leciñana
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Egido
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fernández
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Martínez-Vila
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Morales
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Martínez
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pareja
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Alvarez-Sabín
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Casado
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy; D004967:Estrogens / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D004967:Estrogens