From: Why are women predisposed to autoimmune rheumatic diseases?
Type of study | Comments | Reference |
---|---|---|
Case-control | Little or no association | [41] |
 | Little association between SLE and current use or duration of use of hormone replacement therapy or OCP |  |
 | No association with previous use of fertility drugs |  |
Prospective cohort | Slightly increased risk | [84] |
 | OCP use: relative risk = 1.4 (95% CI = 0.9 to 2.1) |  |
 | Duration of OCP use or time since first use did not increase the risk |  |
Case-control | Increased risk (current oestrogen users with exposure >2 years) | [85] |
 | SLE: odds ratio = 2.8 (95% CI = 0.9 to 9.0) |  |
 | Discoid lupus: odds ratio = 2.8 (95% CI = 1.0 to 8.3) |  |
 | When all cases were combined there was a difference between long-term users of oestrogen only (odds ratio = 5.3, 95% CI = 1.5 to 18.6) and those who used oestrogens combined with progestogens (odds ratio = 2.0, 95% CI = 0.8 to 5.0) when compared with nonusers |  |
Prospective cohort | Increased risk | [28] |
 | OCP use: relative risk = 1.5 (95% CI = 1.1 to 2.1) |  |
 | Postmenopausal hormones: relative risk = 1.9 (95% CI = 1.2 to 3.1) |  |