The change of hormone therapy in postmenopausal women in Korea before and after women's health initiative study: 2000~2009 / 대한산부인과학회지

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to survey the change of comsumption of hormone therapy (HT) before and after publication of Women's Health Initiative Study(WHI) result in Korea from 2000 to 2009. METHODS: Data from Intercontinental Marketing Services were used to analyze and ten years of hormone consumption from 2000 to 2009 was expressed in terms of hormone sales amount (Korean won, KRW, 1 dollar=1,100 won). Total hormone consisted of Estrogen (ET), Estrogen/Progestogen (EPT), and Tibolone. To identify changes in total hormone consumption, the cumulative growth rate was based on the sales in 2002. RESULTS: After publication of WHI result in 2002, HT consumption had been continuously decreased by 39% from 51.1 billion (bn) KRW in 2002 to 31.4 bn KRW in 2006. From 2007 to 2009, HT consumption has been slightly increased to 3.56 bn KRW. The decreased consumption of HT is mainly due to decrease of ET/EPT comsumption by 49%. Tibolone consumption was decreased by 25% during next 2years after WHI publication, but thereafter gradually increased over pre-WHI publication level in 2009. The proportion of consumption of low dosage regimen was markedly increased from 3.5% in 2002 to 41.8% in 2009. CONCLUSION: The total hormone consumption was markedly decreased after WHI. Low dosage regimen consumption was increased, comprising 3.5~41.8% of total EPT consumption. Tibolone consumption was transiently decreased during 2 years after WHI publication, but thereafter increased gradually and reached over the level of pre-WHI publication in 2009. We expect that low-dosage regimen of HT and tibolone will be more widely used. An individual-based treatment approach is essential in assessing the appropriateness of initiating hormone replacement therapy.