Menopause and Rheumatic Disease

Rheum Dis Clin North Am. 2017 May;43(2):287-302. doi: 10.1016/j.rdc.2016.12.011.

Abstract

Menopause occurs naturally in women at about 50 years of age. There is a wealth of data concerning the relationship of menopause to systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoarthritis; there are limited data concerning other rheumatic diseases. Age at menopause may affect the risk and course of rheumatic diseases. Osteoporosis, an integral part of inflammatory rheumatic diseases, is made worse by menopause. Hormone replacement therapy has been studied; its effects vary depending on the disease and even different manifestations within the same disease. Cyclophosphamide can induce early menopause, but there is underlying decreased ovarian reserve in rheumatic diseases.

Keywords: Menopause; Osteoarthritis; Rheumatoid arthritis; Systemic lupus erythematosus.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antirheumatic Agents / adverse effects
  • Antirheumatic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Arthritis, Rheumatoid / drug therapy
  • Arthritis, Rheumatoid / epidemiology
  • Cyclophosphamide / adverse effects
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / drug therapy
  • Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / epidemiology
  • Menopause*
  • Osteoarthritis / drug therapy
  • Osteoarthritis / epidemiology
  • Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / epidemiology
  • Rheumatic Diseases / drug therapy
  • Rheumatic Diseases / epidemiology
  • Rheumatic Diseases / physiopathology*

Substances

  • Antirheumatic Agents
  • Cyclophosphamide