More from the WHI: Estrogen Alone for Women with Hysterectomy

The findings suggest that estrogen alone should not be used for chronic disease prevention, although it might have a role in treating symptoms in women who have undergone hysterectomy.

The objective of the estrogen-only arm of the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) was to assess the effect of conjugated equine estrogen (CEE) on incidence rates of common chronic diseases in postmenopausal women who had undergone hysterectomies.

A total of 10,739 women (age range, 50-79) were randomized to receive CEE (0.625 mg daily) or placebo and were followed for an average of 6.8 years. Because CEE had no effect on coronary heart disease (the primary outcome) and significantly increased risk for stroke, the NIH decided to terminate the study early. A trend toward increased risk for venous thromboembolism was noted in the estrogen group. However, estrogen use significantly decreased risk for hip fracture, and, contrary to most previous find…

Reviewing Author

Robert W. Rebar, MD