Study links testosterone therapy to cardiovascular events in postmenopausal women

Researchers reported an association between testosterone therapy and cardiovascular events among postmenopausal women in a retrospective cohort study presented at The Menopause Society’s annual meeting. After matching, the study included 3,164 women in each of the therapy and control groups. The researchers found incident composite cardiovascular disease in 3.8% of women receiving testosterone and 0.5% of women with no exposure (HR = 8.08. 95% CI, 4.72-13.82), according to Healio.

The researchers said event rates were low and that the results should be considered hypothesis-generating because observational studies can have residual confounding. They said the findings warrant prospective validation. Fox News reported that the study’s observational design means it can show a link but cannot establish that testosterone caused the cardiovascular events.