Is there any evidence that HRT will strengthen my bones? i-checksum="40414" ends

Authors:

Savvas M. StuJWW. Norman S. Leather AT. Garnett TJ. Fogelman I.

Institution:

King's College Hospital, Denmark Hill,London SE5 9RS; United Kingdom.

Title:

Increase in bone mass after one year of percutaneous oestradiol and testosterone implants in post-menopausal women who have previously received long-term oral oestrogens.

Source:

British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Vol 99(9) (pp57-760), 1992.

Abstract:

Objectives:

To determine the effect on the bone density of the skeleton after changing from oral oestrogen to subcutaneous oestradiol and testosterone replacement.

Design:

Prospective non-randomized single centre study. Subjects: Twenty women who were receiving long-term oral oestrogen replacement. Ten changed to oestradiol and testosterone implants; the remaining ten continued with oral oestrogens.

Settings, Design and Main Outcome Measures:

Bone density was measured using dual photon absorptiometry at the lumbar spine and neck of femur at the start of the study and after one year.

Results:

The bone density increased significantly by 5.7% at the spine and by 5.2% at the neck of femur in those women who changed to implant therapy but remained unchanged in those women who continued with oral therapy.

Conclusion:

Subcutaneous oestradiol and testosterone implants will result in an increase in bone mass even after many years of oral oestrogen replacement therapy.