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In addition to its negative aesthetic impact, hyperkyphosis — an exaggerated anterior curvature of the thoracic spine — is associated with increased risk for falls, fractures, and premature mortality. Investigators used data from a longitudinal, multicenter, observational U.S. study of almost 10,000 community dwelling women 65 and older recruited in the 1980s.
They analyzed the association of self-reported menopausal hormone therapy (HT) use and kyphosis in 1063 women (mean age at year 15 year, 83.7) with evaluable baseline spine x-rays and follow-up films at 3.7 and 15 years. In all, 46% had never used HT, 24% had remote past use, 17% were intermittent users (current use reported at 1 to 5 of 7 visits), and 12% were continuous users (curren…