Surgically Confirmed Gallbladder Disease, Venous Thromboembolism, and Breast Tumors in Relation to Postmenopausal Estrogen Therapy

Abstract

A survey conducted by hospitals in the Boston area of 5339 postmenopausal women for the possible influence of estrogen-containing drugs on gall bladder disease, venous thromboembolism, and breast tumors found gall bladder disease to be the only significantly increased risk (p less than .001). The relative risk for postmenopausal estrogen users was 2.5 (95% confidence interval was from 1.5 to 4.2), and the incidence rate was 131/100,000 women per year. Significant associations between estrogen use and the other diseases were not found.