Purpose This cohort study was established to investigate the effects of unilateral and bilateral oophorectomy on the ageing processes in women. Participants We used the records-linkage system of the Rochester Epidemiology Project (REP, http://www.rochesterproject.org ) to identify 570 women who underwent unilateral oophorectomy and 1653 women who underwent bilateral oophorectomy in Olmsted County, Minnesota from 1988 through 2007 (20 years). Each woman was matched by age (±1 year) to a population-based referent woman who had not undergone any oophorectomy (570 referent women) or bilateral oophorectomy (1653 referent women). These four cohorts are being followed to assess morbidity and mortality and to study imaging and biological markers related to ageing. Findings to date An extensive medical record abstraction using the REP has been completed for each woman to obtain demographic, reproductive and adult life characteristics and extensive clinical information about the surgical procedure and subsequent oestrogen replacement therapy (or other sex steroid therapy). The cohorts have been used to date to study the accumulation of multiple chronic conditions following bilateral oophorectomy in women with or without chronic conditions at the time of the oophorectomy (or index date). From the cohorts, we have also derived a sample of 128 pairs of women for a case–control study linking adverse childhood or adult experiences to the risk of bilateral oophorectomy. Future plans We hypothesise that the abrupt hormonal changes caused by bilateral oophorectomy in younger women have a major effect on the ageing processes across the full body. Therefore, we plan to investigate the risk of a wide range of chronic conditions following bilateral oophorectomy. Specific studies are underway for kidney diseases, psychiatric diseases and neurological diseases. In addition, we plan to invite a subsample of women from the bilateral oophorectomy cohort to participate in an in-person study involving brain imaging and the collection of biomarkers.
Response to Letter by Friedman on “Incidence and time trends of drug‐induced parkinsonism: A 30‐year population‐based study”
Objectives Bilateral oophorectomy has commonly been performed in conjunction with hysterectomy even in women without a clear ovarian indication; however, oophorectomy may have long-term deleterious consequences. To better understand this surgical practice from the woman’s perspective, we studied the possible association of adverse childhood or adult experiences with the subsequent occurrence of bilateral oophorectomy. Design Population-based case–control study. Setting Olmsted County, Minnesota (USA). Participants From an established population-based cohort study, we sampled 128 women who underwent bilateral oophorectomy before age 46 years for a non-cancerous condition in 1988–2007 (cases) and 128 age-matched controls (±1 year). Methods Information about adverse experiences was abstracted from the medical records dating back to age 15 years or earlier archived in the Rochester Epidemiology Project (REP) records-linkage system. Adverse childhood experiences were summarised using the Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) score. Results We observed an association of bilateral oophorectomy performed before age 46 years with verbal or emotional abuse, physical abuse, any abuse, substance abuse in the household, and with an ACE score ≥1 experienced before age 19 years (OR=3.23; 95% CI 1.73 to 6.02; p<0.001). In women who underwent the oophorectomy before age 40 years, we also observed a strong association with physical abuse experienced during adulthood (OR=4.33; 95% CI 1.23 to 15.21; p=0.02). Several of the associations were higher in women who underwent oophorectomy at a younger age (<40 years) and in women without an ovarian indication for the surgery. None of the psychosocial or medical variables explored as potential confounders or intervening variables changed the results noticeably. Conclusions Women who suffered adverse childhood experiences or adult abuse are at increased risk of undergoing bilateral oophorectomy before menopause. We suggest that the association may be explained by a series of biological, emotional, and psychodynamic mechanisms.
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