Abstract
Objective
To review the available literature to determine whether the menopausal transition
is associated with asthma incidence.
Methods
We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort and cross-sectional studies
providing a definition/assessment of menopausal status, incidence or prevalence of
a defined diagnosis of asthma, and providing a measure of the association or of menopausal
state and asthma or enough data for a calculation of this association. Where possible
these meta-analytic estimates were also stratified by intake of menopausal hormone
therapy (MHT).
Results
Of 76 potentially relevant articles, 8 studies met the inclusion criteria and were
included in the review, and 6 in the meta-analysis. There was heterogeneity across
studies: four studies reported slightly increased prevalence rates of asthma in post-menopause,
one large cohort yielded a lower asthma incidence and one cross-sectional study a
lower prevalence in post-menopause. Overall, the meta-analysis showed no significant
association between menopause and asthma rates. When stratifying by use of MHT, the
association between menopause and asthma rates was increased in women reporting use
of MHT (RR 1.32, 95%CI 1.01–1.74), but not in women not using MHT.
Conclusion
We found no significant association of menopause with asthma prevalence or incidence
except for women reporting use of MHT. However, these findings result from a small
number of studies, including only 1 large cohort with incidence rates for pre- as
well as post-menopause. Further studies are needed addressing more closely subgroup
analyses and a possible modification of the association of menopause and asthma by
MHT.
Abbreviations:
MHT (menopausal hormone therapy), NHS (Nurses’ Health Study)Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: September 03, 2012
Accepted:
August 12,
2012
Received:
August 7,
2012
Identification
Copyright
© 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
