Association of menopause and hormone replacement therapy with large artery remodeling

ObjectiveTo evaluate the remodeling of large arteries according to age at menopause, duration of menopause, and use of hormone therapy (HT).DesignA cross-sectional study consisting of baseline measurements of a multicentric randomized trial were used to evaluate arterial parameters.SettingThe study was conducted in France, Belgium, and the Netherlands in academic hospitals and private clinics.Patient(s)Postmenopausal women (n = 538) with mild hypercholesterolemia.Intervention(s)None.Main Outcome Measure(s)Common carotid artery intima–media thickness (CCA-IMT), central pulse pressure, and aortic stiffness (carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity) were measured and centrally controlled for quality. Multivariate regression analysis was used to assess the possible covariates associated with arterial parameters.Result(s)Women were 58 ± 6 (mean ± SD) years of age with an age of 50 ± 5 at menopause and a mean duration of menopause of 8 ± 7 years. Lower age at menopause, time since menopause, and absence of HT use were independently associated with worsening of the arterial parameters. After multivariate analysis, HT was associated with a lower CCA-IMT (−40 μm [range −64 to −1]), whereas lower age at menopause and menopause duration were respectively associated with a CCA-IMT increase (25 μm/5 y and 27 μm/5 y). Similarly, values of central pulse pressure and pulse wave velocity were lower in HT users (−3.1 mm Hg [−5.1 to −0.9] and −0.31 m/s [−0.63 to −0.02], respectively) but worsened with age at menopause and menopause duration.Conclusion(s)The age at menopause, the time since menopause, and the use of HT are independently associated with the thickening and stiffening of the large arteries.Clinical Trial Registration NumberNCT00163163.