The effects of hormone replacement therapy type on pulmonary functions in postmenopausal women

Effect of Menopause on Pulmonary Functions: An Analysis

“…However, the exact mechanisms involved in lower lung function in postmenopausal women of the present study cannot be elucidated from this type of study. According to the suggestions made by different investigators, 8,9 lower percentages of predicted values of FVC and FEV 1 , PEFR, and FEF 25-75 in postmenopausal women in comparison to premenopausal women during follicular and luteal phase are most likely due to decreased level of progesterone and estrogen as observed in this study. Reduced levels of estrogen and progesterone would cause decreased muscular strength, decreased relaxation of bronchial smooth muscle, and increased compression of thoracic spine and as a result there is reduced total lung capacity.…”

“…In postmenopausal women, relationship between low level of estrogen and progesterone and the changes in FEF and PEFR has been explored by several investigators of different countries. [8][9][10] In this study, mean percentage of predicted values of FEF 25-75 and PEFR was lower in postmenopausal women. Various mechanisms have been proposed for these observed changes in lung function in postmenopausal women.…”

Lower lung function associates with cessation of menstruation: UK Biobank data

“…We observed less airflow obstruction in women who had undergone surgical cessation of menstruation, but this may have been due to use of HRT since exclusion of women who had used this therapy made the association disappear. This finding is supported by at least a population-based observational study and two trials showing better lung function (FVC and FEV1) in post-menopausal women taking HRT [20][21][22]. None of these studies assessed the association of cessation of menstruation with spirometric restriction.…”

Estrogen receptor regulation of pulmonary alveolar dimensions: alveolar sexual dimorphism in mice

“…The standardized mortality rate is almost twice higher in women than men among individuals with COPD who participated in a survey in which the average age upon entry was 56.6 yr (27). Thus evidence is growing to indicate estrogen may delay the loss of, and improve, those lung functions that reflect maintenance of alveolar structure (3,4,13,25,30) and, as a consequence, the number of alveolar attachments to small conducting airways.…”