Exogenous Estrogen Use Linked to Cerebral Aneurysms

Lower rate of oral contraceptive use or hormone replacement therapy tied to cerebral aneurysm

WEDNESDAY, May 11 (HealthDay News) -- Women who use oral contraceptive pills or hormone replacement therapy may be less likely to have a cerebral aneurysm, according to a study published in the June issue of the Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery.

Michael Chen, M.D., from Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, and colleagues investigated whether exogenous estrogen use, which stabilizes estrogen levels, was associated with the presence of cerebral aneurysms. A cohort of 60 women with intradural cerebral aneurysms was questioned about their medical and female reproductive health, including use of oral contraceptives pills and HRT. These data were compared with data from a sample of 4,682 women from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development-sponsored Contraceptive and Reproductive Experiences Study, published in 2002.

The investigators found that there was a significant correlation between a lower rate of oral contraceptive use and hormone replacement therapy use and the presence of cerebral aneurysms (adjusted odds ratio, 2.1 and 3.09, respectively).

"Women with cerebral aneurysms used oral contraceptive pills and hormone replacement therapy significantly less frequently than women in the general population," the authors write.

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