Open AccessHormone replacement therapy, renal function and heart ultrasonographic parameters in postmenopausal women: an observational study
Author(s) -
Vitolo E.,
Comassi M.,
Caputo M. T.,
Solini A.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
international journal of clinical practice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.756
H-Index - 98
eISSN - 1742-1241
pISSN - 1368-5031
DOI - 10.1111/ijcp.12597
Subject(s) - medicine , renal function , ejection fraction , cardiology , hormone replacement therapy (female to male) , menopause , urology , population , endocrinology , heart failure , environmental health , testosterone (patch)
Summary Background and Aim A certain degree of impaired kidney function is related to an increased cardiovascular risk. The cardiovascular protection exerted in the postmenopausal state by the hormone replacement therapy ( HRT ) is debated. No studies have so far explored the relationship between menopause, renal function and cardiovascular risk profile in healthy menopausal women in relation with HRT . Subjects and Methods A total of 362 postmenopausal healthy women with normal albumin excretion rate were recruited and divided into two groups ( HRT + and HRT −) according to the presence or absence of HRT . All participants underwent a complete routine biochemical analyses and an echocardiogram. Results Clinical characteristics of the two groups were similar, but HRT+ showed a significantly higher estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR; by CKD‐EPI formula). Regarding the heart ultrasonography, HRT+ had a significantly lower size of the aortic root and left atrium diameter (p = 0.038 and p = 0.012, respectively); no differences were found in the ejection fraction and Left Ventricular Mass Index (LVMI). In the whole study group, e GFR correlated inversely with LVMI and with the size of the aortic root (both p < 0.0001), being GFR the only determinant of the former by a stepwise regression. Dividing the study population according to an eGFR cut‐off (> 80 and < 80 ml/min/1.73 m 2 ); > 80 women, in comparison with < 80, showed a significantly lower LVMI and lower size of aortic bulb, further reduced in the HRT+. Conclusion In a cohort of healthy, drug‐naïve, postmenopausal women, HRT seems to positively affect glomerular filtration and is associated with lower values of left ventricular mass and aortic root size, thus offering a further mechanism through female hormones exert cardioprotection.