Effect of Long-Term Hormone Therapy on Telomere Length in Postmenopausal Women

• Published in: Yonsei medical journal 2005, 46(4), , pp.471-479
• Main Authors: 이덕철, 임지애, 김정호, 이혜리, 심재용
• Format: Article
• Language: Korean
• Subjects: 의학일반
• ISSN: 0513-5796; 1976-2437

Telomeres undergo attrition with each cell division, and telomere length is associated with age-related diseases and mortality in the elderly. Estrogen can influence the attrition of telomeres by diverse mechanisms. This is a retrospective case control study that investigated the influence of long-term hormone therapy (HT) on telomere length in postmenopausal women. We recruited 130 postmenopausal women from 55 to 69 years of age for this study, and divided them into two groups. The first group included 65 women who had been on estrogen and progesterone therapy for more than five years (HT group). The other group was composed of 65 women matched in age to the HT group who had never had HT (non- HT group). The relative ratios of telomere length of study subjects to a reference DNA from a healthy young female were measured using quantitative PCR. Plasma levels of lipid profiles, total antioxidant status (TAS), C-reactive proteins (CRP), fasting glucose levels, and estradiol levels were measured. Age at menopause, vitamin use, and exercise, alcohol, and cigarette smoking histories were also assessed in a questionnaire. Mean duration (±SD) of HT was 8.4±2.3 years. Prevalence of vitamin use and regular exercise were higher in the HT group than in the non-HT group (p