Menopause without symptoms: the endocrinology of menopause among rural Mayan Indians.
OBJECTIVE
Our purpose was to determine the characteristics of menopause among Mayan women who did not have menopausal symptoms.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study of Mayan women from Chichimila, Mexico, was performed. Demographic information, history and physical examination, hormone concentrations, and radial bone density measurement were obtained.


RESULTS
Fifty-two postmenopausal women were compared with 26 premenopausal women. Menopause occurred at 44.3 +/- 4.4 years. None of the women admitted to hot flushes and did not recall significant menopausal symptoms. Hormone levels included elevated follicle-stimulating hormone (66.6 +/- 29 mlU/ml), low estradiol and estrone (9.4 +/- 8.3 and 13.3 +/- 7.8 pg/ml), estrone greater than estradiol levels, normal levels of testosterone and androstenedione (0.17 +/- 0.14 and 0.31 +/- 0.17 ng/ml). Bone mineral density declined with age, but height did not. Clinical evidence of osteoporosis was not detected.


CONCLUSIONS
Lack of symptoms during the menopausal transition is not attributable to a difference in endocrinology. Postmenopausal Mayan women are estrogen deprived and experience age-related bone demineralization but do not have a high incidence of osteoporotic fractures.
Martin
M C
MC
UCSF, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences 94143-1032.
Block
J E
JE
Sanchez
S D
SD
Arnaud
C D
CD
Beyene
Y
Y
D000328:Adult; D000728:Androgens / Q000097:blood; D015519:Bone Density; D004702:Endocrine Glands / Q000502:physiology*; D004967:Estrogens / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American; D008593:Menopause / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D008800:Mexico / Q000208:ethnology; D008875:Middle Aged
D000728:Androgens; D004967:Estrogens