In both groups, strong similarities existed across multiple screening factors. The median age of both groups was 53, and when comparing for pertinent criteria, the results were as follows: body mass index, 27.1 for case group and 25.2 for control group; average age of menstrual onset, 13 years for both groups; the incidence for those who never had children, 15 percent for case group and 13 percent for control group; and the incidence for those whose first pregnancy occurred over 30 years of age, 10 percent for case group and 11 percent for control group. Where it concerned use of estrogen modifying agents, however, the results took a notable turn between the two groups. The rate of OC usage was 60 percent for the case group as compared to 77.6 percent for the control group; the rate of HRT usage was 23.7 percent for the case group and 44.8 percent for the control group. Furthermore, when comparing median duration of OC use, results showed 2.6 years for the case group and 5.2 years for the control group.
According to Chen, these differences in the usage of estrogen modifying agents qualify as statistically significant and indicate that women with brain aneurysms not only used OC and HRT less frequently than the general population, but if they did, in the case of OC, it was of shorter duration. It is reasonable to conclude, said Chen, that these results, therefore, support the hypothesis that drops in estrogen that occur in menstruation and particularly at menopause may explain why cerebral aneurysms are more frequently found in women, particularly at menopause.
"For neurointerventional practitioners, this study provides yet another piece of evidence that estrogen stabilization may play a protective role in women who are at risk for brain aneurysms," said Chen. Currently, Chen and his colleagues are designing more studies that will further examine the effects of estrogen on the blood vessels in the brain.
About SNIS
SNIS members are neurointerventional practitioners with backgrounds in neuroradiology, neurosurgery and neurology that come together in the shared discipline of neurointerventional surgery. Our practitioners specialize in minimally invasive and endovascular procedures to treat stroke, aneurysms, carotid stenosis and spine fractures. Over the past two decades, our physicians have made numerous contributions to the neurosciences including: advancing stroke treatment through catheter based therapy; innovating endovascular coiling for aneurysms; pioneering interventional procedures to treat fractures in the spine; and initiating the first-ever stroke registry to track procedural success in the treatment of acute stroke. More information on SNIS and our members' treatment specialties may be found at www.snisonline.org.
Source: Society of NeuroInterventional Surgery
CONTACT: Rebecca Hall, Media Relations, SNIS, +1-305-519-2094
Web Site: http://www.snisonline.org/
转载自pharmaLive