Changes of menopausal hormone therapy use pattern since 2000: results of the Berlin Spandau Longitudinal Health Study.

BACKGROUND: There are virtually no prospective cohort studies in Germany regarding the changes of menopausal hormone therapy (HT) use pattern and factors associated with HT discontinuation after the release of the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) trial results. METHODS: We assessed HT prevalence and use pattern as well as factors associated with HT discontinuation in a cohort of 903 women 40 years of age and older, who participated in two consecutive follow-up visits in a 20-year prospective health study from July 2000 to February and from August 2002 to December 2004. RESULTS: Overall, the prevalence of HT users in the cohort declined significantly from 35.4% in 2000-2002 to 22.5% in 2002-2004. Adjusting for aging of the population, a statistically significant decrease in HT user prevalence was consistently observed across subgroups of HT users defined by type and duration of HT use. The decline was most pronounced with respect to women using combined estrogen-progestin regimens (-10.5%), higher-dose estrogens (-11.6%), oral preparations (-11.1%), as well as long-term HT users (-8.4%). The prevalence of women indicating HT use for climacteric symptoms decreased significantly (-12.4%), whereas the prevalence of women reporting use of HT for the prevention of osteoporosis increased (+1.8%) significantly. Irrespective of hysterectomy status, half of the women who continued HT changed their HT preparations and switched to lower estrogen doses (11.5%), topical estrogens (8.2%), or phytohormones (3.8%). We did not observe any significant differences between women who continued and discontinued HT regarding health-related characteristics of the study population as of 2000-2002. However, women seeing a gynecologist in the 12 months preceding the 2002-2004 visit were significantly less likely to discontinue HT use in bivariate and multivariate analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Substantial declines in HT user prevalence as well as changes in HT use patterns to lower-dose estrogen preparations and non-oral routes of administration are likely to reflect effects of the publication of the WHI results. Consulting a gynecologist appeared to be relevant for a woman's decision to continue HT.

Use of complementary medicinal therapies in West Pomerania: a population-based study.

OBJECTIVES: Prior studies suggested a high prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in Germany. The objectives of this study were (1) to describe in more detail the utilization of CAM, (2) to compare characteristics between CAM users and non-users, and (3) to delineate information on source of prescription and insurance coverage of 14 specific CAM therapies. METHODS: We extracted information derived from a computer-aided personal interview on the use of CAM, medical history, behavioral, and sociodemographic characteristics, all of which were generated by the Study of Health in Pomerania (formerly part of East Germany), a cross-sectional population-based survey. We analyzed data from 4291 individuals aged 20-79 years. RESULTS: Use of any CAM within the previous year was reported by 6.0% of the population. The modality used most widely among CAM users was active and passive exercise therapy (including various massage therapies). CAM users, when compared to non-users, were more likely to be female, experienced more years of education, were more physically active, less often overweight, reported a lower self-rated physical health status, and were more likely to visit an outpatient facility during the last year. There were higher proportions of several chronic diseases in CAM users than non-users. The results of this survey suggest that CAM therapies were most often utilized to alleviate pain. Most CAM therapies were prescribed by a physician. Reimbursement schemes were complex and differed according to therapy. CONCLUSIONS: The low estimate of CAM use might be explained by specific characteristics of the study region, including changes after the German reunification. CAM users and non-users differ with respect to several behavioral, sociodemographic and medical characteristics.

Gynaecological health care utilization and use of sex hormones--the study of Health in Pomerania.

BACKGROUND: In Germany, there is a lack of population-based data related to the use of gynaecological health care services. The objectives of our analyses utilizing a population-based cross-sectional survey conducted in one geographically defined area [Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP)] are to assess the prevalences of: (i) attendance of gynaecological outpatient facilities and of (cervical) cancer screening; (ii) gynaecological and breast surgery; (iii) use of oral contraceptives (OC) and menopausal hormone therapy (MHT). METHODS: We analysed socio-demographic factors, reproductive history, gynaecological service utilization, and use of sex hormones in 2186 women aged 20-79 years. We used standard statistics and sex- and age group-specific weighting factors to reflect characteristics of the population of Western Pomerania. RESULTS: Approximately 43% of women reported surgical procedures. Participation in cancer screening at least once was reported by 78% of women (lifetime prevalence). Two-thirds of women stated ever use of OC, 28% (aged >40 years) ever use of MHT. CONCLUSIONS: Women in Western Pomerania reported a high life-time use of both OC and MHT. The use of cervical cancer screening exceeded the national average. Women had an almost 50% risk of undergoing gynaecological, breast or obstetric surgery. The high use of MHT and surgical procedures calls for efforts regarding continuing medical education and health care policy actions.

Prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis with oestrogen replacement therapy and associated compounds: update on clinical trials since 1995.

Hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) is generally regarded as first choice for pharmacological prevention of osteoporosis in women. We reviewed recent studies of HRT regimens and selective oestrogen receptor modulators (SERMs), including controlled trials of at least one-year duration published since 1995 until February 2000 providing data on bone mineral density (BMD) or fractures. Natural and synthetic oestrogens exert a continuum of positive effects on BMD in a dose-dependent, though non-proportional, fashion independent of age and mode of administration. Bone loss may be largely prevented by 25 microg transdermal patch oestradiol, 0.3 mg conjugated equine or 0.3 mg esterified oestrogens. Progestogens neither attenuate nor augment the effect of oestrogens; sole use of tibolone prevents bone loss. Both the SERMs, tamoxifen and raloxifene, slightly increase BMD. There are no adequately powered fracture trials for any HRT regimen. Raloxifene 60 mg daily decreases the relative risk of vertebral fractures by at least 30%, as demonstrated by one 3-year fracture study of osteoporotic women. In conclusion, the recommendation to use oestrogen for postmenopausal osteoporosis, given both the lack of fracture trials and the rare trials on long-term use of HRT in (late) postmenopausal women, is not well supported. Fracture trials could overcome shortcomings of the current level of evidence.

Southern cooking and lung cancer.

Dietary associations were examined as part of a case-control study exploring reasons for exceptionally high rates of lung cancer in northeast Florida. Interviews, which included a nationally standardized food frequency questionnaire, were conducted with 507 patients diagnosed with lung cancer during 1993-1996 or their next of kin and 1,007 persons of similar age, race, and gender randomly selected from the general population. A substantial reduction in risk was associated with high consumption of nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables. Risk was nearly doubled among men and women in the highest quartile of fat intake. The effects were most prominent for saturated and monounsaturated fats and not apparent for polyunsaturated fat consumption. Increased risk was linked to consumption of several individual high-fat foods, including some traditional Southern foods or methods of cooking, such as cooking vegetables with lard/fatback/bacon fat. Reported use of vitamin/mineral supplements was associated with decrease risk of lung cancer as well as dietary consumption of vitamins A, C, and E and some carotenoids. The findings are consistent with emerging evidence that risk of lung cancer rises with increasing dietary fat consumption. They indicate the need for further research to determine whether the association between fat intake and lung cancer is causal and, if so, to clarify the relationships with individual fat fractions.