title: Estrogen replacement therapy and asthma.
abstract: A growing body of clinical and experimental evidence indicates that female sex hormones, particularly estrogen, have significant effects on normal airway function as well as on respiratory disorders, such as asthma. These effects are very complex and are exerted at several levels, directly on airway reactivity or indirectly through regulation of the immune and inflammatory responses in the lung. They can have relevant clinical implications not only according to the phases of the reproductive life in women, but also in relation to the therapeutical administration of estrogen, as in the case of menopausal hormone therapy. Clinical evidence suggests that administration of estrogen to menopausal women is associated with increased rates of newly diagnosed asthma. Conversely, functional studies show that estrogen can improve objective indexes of respiratory functionality.
authors.affiliation: Academic Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Section of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: ticconi@med.uniroma2.it.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ticconi
authors.forename: Adalgisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pietropolli
authors.forename: Emilio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Piccione
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D004967:Estrogens / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology; D008593:Menopause / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D004967:Estrogens
keywords: Asthma; Estrogen; Hormone replacement therapy; Menopause