If I read this correctly, hazard ratios of 1 would mean that mortality and myocardial infarction rates between the HRT treated (numerator) and control (denominator) groups are equal. Hazard ratios of less than 1 indicate that mortality is lower for the HRT treated groups, which is what the study concludes. Note that the 95% confidence intervals for some groups actually do extend in the range above 1, but the averages for the intervals are still below 1.
Our findings suggest that initiation of hormone replacement therapy in women early after menopause significantly reduces the risk of the combined endpoint of mortality, myocardial infarction, or heart failure. Importantly, early initiation and prolonged hormone replacement therapy did not result in an increased risk of breast cancer or stroke.
Its a win-win-win thing – according to this study at least: Take hormones, live longer, have less (of at least some) illness.
The purpose of the study was “To investigate the long term effect of hormone replacement therapy on cardiovascular outcomes in recently postmenopausal women.” It involved 1006 Danish women who were pre- or post-menopausal, half of whom received hormone treatment and half who received none.
source:
Effect of hormone replacement therapy on cardiovascular events in recently postmenopausal women: randomised trial
BMJ 2012; 345 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmj.e6409 (Published 9 October 2012)
BMJ 2012;345:e6409
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