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QUESTION: In postmenopausal women with ischaemic stroke or transient ischaemic attack (TIA), is oestrogen more effective than placebo for preventing cerebrovascular events?
Design
Randomised {allocation concealed*}†, blinded (patients and clinicians),* placebo controlled trial with a mean follow up of 2.8 years (Women's Estrogen for Stroke Trial [WEST]).
Setting
21 hospitals in the USA.
Patients
664 postmenopausal women who were > 44 years of age (mean age 71 y, 84% non-Hispanic white) and had had a qualifying ischaemic stroke or TIA within the previous 90 days. Exclusion criteria included ischaemic stroke or TIA that was disabling or had occurred while the patient was taking oestrogen, and a history of breast or endometrial cancer. All patients were included in the analysis.
Intervention
Women were allocated …