Hormone replacement therapy may slow the decline in lung function in
middle-aged women, according to new research presented today at the
International Congress of the European Respiratory Society.
Data from a 20-year study of 3,713 women from the early 1990s to 2010 showed
that those who used long-term hormone replacement therapy (for two years or
more) performed better on test results. lung function than women who have never
resorted to this type of treatment. The peak of lung activity occurs, on
average, at twenty to twenty-five years, and from that moment activity
decreases, however, it is possible to determine what factors affect the
process, either by slowing down, or speed it up. One of the acceleration
factors, for example, is menopause. So the key question is whether hormone
therapy can, at least partially, counteract this. Lung function was measured at
baseline and twenty years later. The work showed that women who took hormone replacement
therapy for two or more years lost an average of forty-six milliliters less
lung volume compared to women who never took such drugs. Most likely, the
result will not be clinically significant for healthy women. However, in women
with respiratory conditions—asthma, COPD, and others—decreased lung function
can affect quality of life, as it can lead to increased shortness of breath,
decreased performance, and fatigue. To illustrate, similar losses in lung
capacity would occur if a woman smoked a pack of cigarettes a day for three
years. The results show that female sex hormones are important for maintaining
lung function in middle-aged women. Women from Norway, Sweden, Iceland,
Estonia, Denmark, Belgium, Germany, France, Spain and the UK participated in
this work. A total of 236 participants were on long-term hormone replacement
therapy. These women were matched with the same number of participants who had
never taken these drugs for age, weight, height, age at menopause, smoking, and
baseline lung function. In 2010, when follow-up tests were performed, the women
were 44-67 years old, with a median age of fifty-nine. The researchers adjusted
for factors that could affect the results, such as spirometer type, length of
follow-up, and clinical center. In this analysis, physical activity and
menopause were not significantly associated with decreased lung function.
However, physical activity is reported to have a number of positive effects, so
the authors believe it is advisable to do a balanced amount of exercise. The
researchers emphasize that their findings should not be seen as advocating the
use of hormone therapy, nor are they opposed to it. While these treatments may
help with menopausal symptoms and protect against osteoporosis, they are also
associated with an increased risk of breast cancer and heart and blood vessel
problems.