Estrogen use and early onset Alzheimer's disease: a population-based study
- Arjen J C Slootera,b,
- Juliana Bronzovaa,
- Jaqueline C M Wittemana,
- Christine Van Broeckhovenc,
- Albert Hofmana,
- Cornelia M van Duijna
- aDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Erasmus University Medical School, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, bUniversity Department of Neurology, University Hospital Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands, cNeurogenetics Laboratory, Flanders Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology (VIB), Born-Bunge Foundation (BBS), Department of Biochemistry, University of Antwerp (UIA), Antwerpen, Belgium
- Dr A J C Slooter, Department of Neurology, Utrecht University, PO Box 1738, 3000 Dr Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Received 20 April 1998
- Revised 18 June 1999
- Accepted 23 June 1999
Abstract
Estrogen use may be protective for Alzheimer's disease with late onset. However, the effects on early onset Alzheimer's disease are unclear. This issue was studied in a population based setting. For each female patient, a female control was matched on age (within 5 years) and place of residence. Information on estrogen use and other risk factors were, for cases (n=109) and controls (n=119), collected from the next of kin by structured interview. The strength of the association between estrogen use and early onset Alzheimer's disease was studied using conditional logistic regression with adjustment for age and education level. There was an inverse association between estrogen use and early onset Alzheimer's disease (adjusted odds ratio 0.34; 95% confidence interval 0.12–0.94). The study therefore suggests that estrogen use is beneficial to Alzheimer's disease with early onset.
