title: Physical activity, hormone replacement therapy, and the presence of coronary calcium in midlife women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Atherosclerotic calcification is a risk factor for cardiovascular events, independent of other traditional risk factors. Studies of the relation of menopausal hormone therapy to cardiovascular events have had inconsistent results, and often have been confounded by lifestyle behaviors and the "healthy user" effect. The authors evaluated the cross-sectional association of hormone therapy use with the presence and severity of atherosclerosis in postmenopausal women, independent of lifestyle factors, including diet and physical activity levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors consecutively enrolled postmenopausal asymptomatic women who were referred for coronary artery calcium scanning to measure cardiovascular risk. After consent was obtained, women were interviewed prior to their cardiac scan about cardiac risk factors, hormone therapy use, menopausal status, diet, and physical activity. Coronary artery calcium prevalence was defined as any calcification present (score >0).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 544 enrolled women aged 50-80 years, 252 (46.3%) were hormone therapy users. Hormone therapy users had a significantly lower prevalence of any coronary artery calcium (defined as coronary artery calcium score >0; 37%), than non-users (50%, p = 0.04), as well as significantly lower mean calcium scores (p = 0.02). Multiple logistic regression models demonstrated a significantly reduced odds of coronary artery calcium in hormone therapy users compared to non-users with an adjusted odds ratio of 0.58 (p = 0.04), adjusting for traditional cardiac risk factors and body mass index. Women who reported consuming a vegetarian or a high-protein diet had almost two-fold odds of coronary artery calcium compared with women who reported regular, mixed, or low-fat, low-salt diets (OR = 1.78, p = 0.02). Severity of coronary artery calcium was less with increasing levels of physical activity, and a significant association was observed between physical activity and hormone therapy use (adjusted OR = 4.05, p = 0.03), independent of coronary artery calcium severity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This cross-sectional study demonstrated a protective association of hormone therapy with the presence and severity of coronary artery calcium. Although a strong relationship was observed between hormone therapy and physical activity, their complex interplay may affect mechanistic biochemical and physiological processes that have yet to be clearly delineated. Thus, physical activity and diet should be taken into account in prospective studies of the relation of hormone therapy use to coronary artery calcium.
authors: Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA, 1124 West Carson Street, Torrance, CA 90502, USA.
authors: Nicole
authors: N
authors: Weinberg
authors: Amelia
authors: A
authors: Young
authors: Carol J
authors: CJ
authors: Hunter
authors: Nisha
authors: N
authors: Agrawal
authors: Songshou
authors: S
authors: Mao
authors: Matthew J
authors: MJ
authors: Budoff
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000378:metabolism; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D016017:Odds Ratio; D017698:Postmenopause; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D002118:Calcium