Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics · 10 authors, 7 centres
This summary was generated by AI from a single paper. It has not been reviewed by a clinician and is not clinical advice. Verify against the source before acting on it.
This systematic review followed PRISMA guidelines and searched multiple databases from January 1990 to December 2021, ultimately including 51 studies (mostly observational studies of good quality, with randomized controlled trials generally presenting high or medium risk of bias).
This systematic review followed PRISMA guidelines and searched multiple databases from January 1990 to December 2021, ultimately including 51 studies (mostly observational studies of good quality, with randomized controlled trials generally presenting high or medium risk of bias). The review compared transdermal and oral estrogen administration routes for HRT in postmenopausal women. Results showed similar effects between routes for bone mineral density, glucose metabolism, lipid profile improvements, breast cancer, endometrial disease, and cardiovascular risk. The only clear difference identified was venous thromboembolism risk, which was higher with oral HRT, supported by prior meta-analyses. The authors note that most studies were limited by small sample sizes, and the limited number of direct comparisons and predominance of observational data constrain the strength of conclusions, warranting further larger and well-designed studies.
