Summary of findings for the main comparison. Hormone therapy compared to placebo for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in post‐menopausal women.
| Hormone therapy compared to placebo for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in post‐menopausal women | ||||||
| Patient or population: Post‐menopausal women without prior cardiovascular disease Intervention: Hormone therapy Comparison: Placebo or no treatment | ||||||
| Outcomes | Illustrative comparative risks* (95% CI) | Relative effect (95% CI) | No. of Participants (studies) | Quality of the evidence (GRADE) | Comments | |
| Assumed risk | Corresponding risk | |||||
| Placebo | Hormone therapy | |||||
| Death (all‐causes) | Study population | RR 1 (0.89 to 1.12) | 34,422 (8 studies) | ⊕⊕⊕⊕ high | ||
| 32 per 1000 | 32 per 1000 (29 to 36) | |||||
| Death (cardiovascular causes) | Study population | RR 0.81 (0.47 to 1.40) | 28,353 (3 studies) | ⊕⊕⊕⊕ high | ||
| 8 per 1000 | 7 per 1000 (4 to 11) | |||||
| Stroke | Study population | RR 1.32 (1.12 to 1.56) | 28,719 (4 studies) | ⊕⊕⊕⊕ high | ||
| 18 per 1000 | 23 per 1000 (20 to 28) | |||||
| Venous thromboembolism | Study population | RR 1.92 (1.24 to 2.99) | 33,477 (6 studies) | ⊕⊕⊕⊝ moderate1 | ||
| 10 per 1000 | 20 per 1000 (13 to 31) | |||||
| Pulmonary embolism | Study population | See comment | 31,732 (3 studies) | ⊕⊕⊕⊝ moderate1 | Risks were calculated from pooled risk differences | |
| 5 per 1000 | 9 per 1000 (5 to 15) | |||||
| *The basis for the assumed risk is the median control group risk across studies. The corresponding risk (and its 95% confidence interval) is based on the assumed risk in the comparison group and the relative effect of the intervention (and its 95% CI). CI: Confidence interval; RR: Risk ratio; | ||||||
| GRADE Working Group grades of evidence High quality: Further research is very unlikely to change our confidence in the estimate of effect. Moderate quality: Further research is likely to have an important impact on our confidence in the estimate of effect and may change the estimate. Low quality: Further research is very likely to have an important impact on our confidence in the estimate of effect and is likely to change the estimate. Very low quality: We are very uncertain about the estimate. | ||||||
1 Downgraded one level due to inconsistency.