Hormone replacement therapy in women with spinal cord injury - a survey with literature review.

STUDY DESIGN

Postal questionnaire survey.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the current use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in a sample of menopausal women with spinal cord injury (SCI).

SETTING

National Spinal Injuries Centre (NSIC), Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Aylesbury, UK.

METHOD

A postal questionnaire was sent to 94 women from the NSIC patient database who met the study inclusion criteria (wheelchair dependent, aged 49 years and above, last seen or heard from within the last 3 years).

RESULTS

A total of 59 valid questionnaires were analysed. At the time of the survey, 50 women were menopausal and 11 of them were using HRT, six for menopausal symptoms and five for osteoporosis prevention. Another 11 had used HRT, eight for menopausal symptoms and three for osteoporosis prevention, but had discontinued it. The main reasons for stopping HRT were side effects. Of the 28 women who had never been on HRT, 20 had either enquired about it, or had been offered HRT, but decided against it. Of the nine women who were still premenopausal at the time of the survey, four would consider using HRT.

CONCLUSIONS

Results show that 44% of the menopausal women in our sample have used HRT at some point and 22% still do, mostly for treatment of menopausal symptoms and for osteoporosis prevention. In view of the latest literature findings in able-bodied women, use of HRT for osteoporosis prevention in women with SCI may have to be reconsidered.