THURSDAY, Oct. 31, 2024 (HealthDay News) — Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is associated with an increased risk for developing irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in postmenopausal women, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology, held from Oct. 25 to 30 in Philadelphia.

Jacqueline Khalil, D.O., from Case Western Reserve University in Beachwood, Ohio, and colleagues investigated the effects of HRT on IBS and its related symptoms, medication use, and diagnostic testing in postmenopausal women. The analysis included 46,627 postmenopausal women (50 years and older) with and without a prescription for HRT (estrogen and progesterone) propensity matched (1:1) for age, race, ethnicity, ulcerative colitis, Crohn disease, and celiac disease.

The researchers found that among women prescribed HRT, 992 developed IBS at least 30 days after being prescribed HRT versus 581 not prescribed HRT (odds ratio [OR], 1.75). Over five years, these associations persisted in a sensitivity analysis (OR, 1.88). At least 30 days after being prescribed HRT, 235 postmenopausal women had a new encounter diagnosis ICD code of IBS with diarrhea (OR, 1.44), 188 with IBS with constipation (OR, 2.27), and 148 with mixed IBS (OR, 1.63) compared with those not on HRT. There were increased gastrointestinal symptoms, including abdominal distention (OR, 1.44), associated with HRT. Diagnostic procedures such as colonoscopy (OR, 2.08) and esophagogastroduodenoscopy (OR, 1.21) were more frequently performed in women taking HRT.

“These findings emphasize the importance of considering the potential consequences of HRT in postmenopausal women, particularly regarding IBS,” the authors write.

One author disclosed ties to Allurion, Bristol Myers Squibb, Johnson & Johnson, and Vibrant.

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