title: Effect of oestrogen replacement therapy on idiopathic outflow tract ventricular arrhythmias in postmenopausal women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sex hormones and gender differences are associated with the occurrence of ventricular arrhythmias.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the relationship between sex hormones and idiopathic outflow tract ventricular arrhythmias (IOTVA), and the effect of oestrogen replacement therapy on IOTVA, in postmenopausal female patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Plasma sex hormone concentrations and ventricular arrhythmia counts were estimated in postmenopausal patients with IOTVA and control postmenopausal women. The effect of oestrogen replacement therapy on IOTVA was observed in postmenopausal patients with IOTVA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The concentration of oestradiol in postmenopausal patients with IOTVA was significantly lower than that in control postmenopausal women (8.4 ± 3.4 vs 36.9 ± 12.8pg/mL, respectively; P<0.001). The ventricular arrhythmia count in postmenopausal patients with IOTVA was significantly higher than that in controls (10,171 ± 6091 vs 209 ± 468 counts/24 hours, respectively; P<0.001). After 3 months of oestrogen replacement therapy, the ventricular arrhythmia count was significantly lower than that before therapy (3958 ± 1972 vs 10171 ± 6091 counts/24 hours, respectively; P<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study showed that the concentration of oestradiol was lower in postmenopausal patients with IOTVA than in control postmenopausal women, and that oestrogen replacement therapy can inhibit effectively the genesis of IOTVA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Cardiovascular Research Institute of Wuhan University, Jiefang Road, Wuchang, 430060 Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Xiaorong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Jichun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Changwu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Zhibing
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002681:China; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause; D017180:Tachycardia, Ventricular / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018879:Ventricular Premature Complexes / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D004958:Estradiol