Although controversy continues, the preponderance of evidence indicates that estrogen replacement therapy favorably influences the risk of coronary heart disease in postmenopausal women. It remains uncertain how this effect is mediated and whether the cyclic addition of a progestin may influence adversely an estrogen-related cardioprotective effect. We investigated the influence of sex hormone ...

Studies suggest that when the lower-potency estrogen, estriol, is administered topically, it does not increase the risk of hormone-dependent cancers of the breast or endometrium (uterine lining).1-3 However, having weaker estrogenic effects does not mean that estriol has none of the benefits that come with more potent estrogens. Studies suggest that estriol reduces symptoms of menopause, such a...

possible explanation for these findings would be a regional variation in the incidence of mental illness, particularly among men. Alternatively, the explanation could be sociological, although the factor(s) involved will differ from those associated with inner city deprivation. Certainly, the conventional view of the rural idyll in the Scottish highlands-of contentment and freedom from stress-d...

Hypoparathyroidism results from insufficient parathyroid hormone (PTH) to maintain normal serum levels of calcium and phosphate. Unlike most endocrine deficiency disorders, the current standard of treatment is not replacement with PTH but supplementation with calcium and vitamin D. Normal physiology cannot be fully restored with calcium and vitamin D, and long-term complications of this treatme...

Background: While praised for its benefits in treating symptoms related to menopausal changes, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has been associated with an increased risk hormone-dependent cancer development, particularly endometrial and breast. Few studies have elucidated the relationship between HRT cessation receptor-positive breast proliferation. We report herein, best of our knowledge, fi...

OBJECTIVE To determine if human growth hormone (hGH) replacement therapy alters pharmacokinetics of hydrocortisone (CS) substitution in hypopituitary adults. DESIGN To this aim, we analysed serum and salivary CS profiles 270 min after oral CS administration at baseline and 6 and 12 months after initiation of hGH replacement therapy. METHODS Serum IGF-I, cortisol-binding globulin (CBG), thyr...

Menopausal hormone decline contributes significantly to the risk of osteoporosis. Therapies for treating osteoporosis, such as hormone replacement therapy (estrogen or combination estrogen-progestins), inhibit bone resorption. Both animal and human studies demonstrate phytoestrogenic soy isoflavones favorably impact bone health. The exact mechanism is still unclear. Additional research is neede...

BACKGROUND Several case reports have suggested that women's use of exogenous sex hormones is associated with acute pancreatitis; however, relevant epidemiologic data are sparse. We examined the association between postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy and risk of acute pancreatitis. METHODS We conducted a prospective study involving 31,494 postmenopausal women (aged 48-83 yr) from the po...

AIMS One previous study among women with established coronary heart disease found a gene-treatment interaction between the oestrogen receptor gene (ESR1) and hormone replacement in their association with high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c). We aimed to replicate these findings in a general population sample. METHODS AND RESULTS Cross-sectional associations were assessed in a study of...