Roles of Hormone Replacement Therapy and Menopause on Osteoarthritis and Cardiovascular Disease Outcomes: A Narrative Review.

This is a narrative review, so it does not report systematic search methods, eligibility criteria, study selection, or quality appraisal. The review says no research directly examined the intersection of osteoarthritis and cardiovascular disease with hormone therapy. Hormone therapy studies varied in type, timing, dose, duration, and adherence, and many grouped use only as never, current, or past. Much of the mechanistic evidence comes from animal studies, which the review describes as a way to isolate variables that is challenging in human trials. The review notes that social disadvantage, gender identity, ethnicity, and access to care are under-studied in this area.

Funding came from Canadian research institutes and grants. An author reported a Pfizer grant and advisory board roles for Pfizer and Bio-syent. The funding sources were said not to have designed, written, reviewed, or decided to submit the manuscript. The authors also declared no commercial or financial relationships.

Do not read this review as evidence that hormone therapy protects joints or prevents cardiovascular disease in post-menopausal women. The joint findings were mixed, and cardiovascular benefit was linked to early timing, while late use showed no cardiovascular improvement and more stroke and venous thromboembolism.