Is hormone replacement therapy a risk factor for low back pain among postmenopausal women?
Women receiving hormone replacement treatment had a slightly, but significantly, higher prevalence of current back pain than nonusers (48% vs. 42%, respectively, P<0.05), which could not be explained by differences in occupation, smoking habits, or current physical activity. Although the association between hormone replacement therapy and back problems is weak and probably of minor clinical importance, it is speculated that hormonal effects on joints and ligaments may be involved.
We found that nocturnal hypoxemia and periodic limb movement during sleep, rather than apnea itself, were associated with an increased risk for death in patients with ESRD. However, conclusions from this study should be drawn with caution, because they are limited by the small sample size.