In a nutshell
This study examined whether hormone therapy increases the risk of cognitive impairment in elderly type 2 diabetic women.
Some background
Type 2 diabetes (T2D) increases the risk of cognitive impairment (difficulty remembering, concentrating and making decisions). Patients with T2D also have a higher risk of developing dementia (memory and personality changes). Recent studies have shown that high estrogen (hormone which regulates the menstrual cycle) levels may increase this risk further. Therefore, post-menopausal T2D women treated with estrogen hormone therapy may have a higher risk of developing cognitive impairment or dementia.
Methods & findings
This study aimed to determine whether T2D patients treated with hormone therapy have a higher risk of cognitive impairment compared to patients not receiving hormone therapy.
This study involved 7233 women aged 65-80 years. 538 of these women had T2D. Roughly half of the women received hormone therapy (0.625 mg of estrogen daily, with or without 2.5 mg of medroxyprogesterone acetate). The remaining half received a placebo (substance with no therapeutic effect). Patients were followed for an average of 7.7 years to assess whether they developed cognitive impairment or dementia.
T2D women overall had a 54% higher risk of developing dementia compared to women without T2D. T2D women also had an 83% higher risk of developing cognitive impairment.
T2D women treated with hormone therapy had 2.12 times the risk of developing dementia compared to women who did not have T2D and were not treated with hormone therapy. T2D women treated with hormone therapy had 2.2 times the risk of developing cognitive impairment compared to women who did not have T2D and were not treated with hormone therapy.
The bottom line
This study concluded that higher levels of estrogen can increase the risk of cognitive decline and dementia in older T2D women.
The fine print
This study did not account for additional factors which may increase the risk of cognitive decline in women treated with hormone therapy.
What’s next?
Discuss the risks of developing cognitive impairment or dementia with your doctor.
Published By :
Diabetes Care
Date :
Oct 20, 2015
