HRT can ease joint pain in post-menopausal women
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is able to reduce joint pain in women who have gone through the menopause, a new study has found.
Conducted by the Women's International Study of long Duration Oestrogen after Menopause (WISDOM), the research revealed that combined oestrogen and progestogen HRT can give post-menopausal women a better quality of life.
The results of the study, which involved more than 2,100 female participants in the UK, New Zealand and Australia, were published on the website of the British Medical Journal.
All of the women had been through the menopause 13 years previously and no longer displayed any symptoms of menopause.
The findings showed that when compared to a placebo, HRT helped to provide a "noted improvement" in joint pain. In addition, HRT was found to aid sleep and sexuality in those observed for the study.
Dr Beverley Lawton, head of WISDOM New Zealand, said that the results should be taken into account when comparing the benefits of HRT to the potential risks.
She explained: "The quality of life benefits of HRT may be greater in women with more severe symptoms near menopause. New research suggests that HRT taken from near menopause avoids the cardiovascular risks seen when HRT is initiated many years after menopause."
A spokeswoman for the Arthritis Research Campaign said if women were considering long-term HRT use, they should discuss the potential risks and benefits with their doctor.
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