Miller VM, et al. - In order to assess the progression of preclinical atherosclerosis upon cessation of menopausal hormone therapy (MHT), researchers evaluated changes in carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT) in a subgroup (n = 76) during 4 years and 3 years among the women enrolled in Kronos Early Estrogen Prevention Study (KEEPS) at Mayo Clinic (n = 118). KEEPS MHT assignments included placebo (PBO), n = 33; transdermal 17β-estradiol (tE2), n = 23; and oral conjugated equine estrogens group (oCEE), n = 20. Findings suggested no alteration in the trajectory of CIMT over a 3-year follow-up period, when cessation of MHT at the lower doses and formulations used in KEEPS was done. However, all groups displayed increased CIMT over the entire 7-year timeframe as expected with age and timing of menopause possibly key contributors.