Estrogen use and early onset Alzheimer's disease: a population-based study

• Published in: Journal of neurology, neurosurgery and psychiatry Vol. 67; no. 6; pp. 779 - 781
• Main Authors: Slooter, Arjen J C, Bronzova, Juliana, Witteman, Jaqueline C M, Van Broeckhoven, Christine, Hofman, Albert, van Duijn, Cornelia M
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: London BMJ Publishing Group Ltd 01.12.1999; BMJ; BMJ Publishing Group LTD; BMJ Group
• Subjects: Age; Age Factors; Aged; Alzheimer Disease - prevention & control; Alzheimer's disease; Apolipoproteins E - genetics; Biological and medical sciences; Brain - drug effects; Commissions; Confidence intervals; Data collection; Dementia; Education; estrogen; Estrogens - pharmacology; Female; Heart attacks; Hormones. Endocrine system; Humans; Logistics; Medical sciences; Menopause; Menopause - physiology; Metabolic disorders; Pathology; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Phenotype; Population; Population Surveillance; Questionnaires; Risk Factors; Short Report; Statistical analysis; Studies; Variables; Womens health; Netherlands; Human; Nervous system diseases; Chemoprophylaxis; Chemotherapy; Age of onset; Alzheimer disease; Central nervous system disease; Estrogen; Early; Degenerative disease; Cerebral disorder
• ISSN: 0022-3050; 1468-330X
• DOI: 10.1136/jnnp.67.6.779

Estrogen use may be protective for Alzheimer's disease with late onset. However, the effects on early onset Alzheimer's disease are unclear. This issue was studied in a population based setting. For each female patient, a female control was matched on age (within 5 years) and place of residence. Information on estrogen use and other risk factors were, for cases (n=109) and controls (n=119), collected from the next of kin by structured interview. The strength of the association between estrogen use and early onset Alzheimer's disease was studied using conditional logistic regression with adjustment for age and education level. There was an inverse association between estrogen use and early onset Alzheimer's disease (adjusted odds ratio 0.34; 95% confidence interval 0.12–0.94). The study therefore suggests that estrogen use is beneficial to Alzheimer's disease with early onset.