title: Frequency of anovulation and early menopause among women enrolled in selected adult AIDS clinical trials group studies.
abstract: To obtain information on the prevalence of anovulation and early menopause and on pituitary-gonadal function among human immunodeficiency virus type 1-infected women, a study was undertaken that used stored serum samples from women aged 20-42 years who participated in selected Adult AIDS Clinical Trials Group protocols. Defined progesterone and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels were considered presumptive evidence of ovulation and of menopause, respectively. Anovulation occurred in 16 (48%) of 33 women for whom progesterone levels were tested; early menopause occurred in 2 (8%) of 24 women for whom FSH levels were tested. No statistically significant differences were seen in the demographic and clinical characteristics of anovulatory and ovulatory women, although women who ovulated had higher CD4 T cell counts and were less likely to have reported a recent change in menstrual periods. These data support the findings of prior studies of increased frequency of amenorrhea and/or irregular menstrual cycles, particularly among women with lower CD4 T cell counts.
authors.affiliation: HIV Outpatient Program, Louisiana State University Health Science Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA. rclark@lsuhsc.edu
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mulligan
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stamenovic
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Watts
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Squires
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Benson
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D000328:Adult; D000858:Anovulation / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D017567:Karnofsky Performance Status; D008594:Menopause, Premature / Q000097:blood; D015995:Prevalence; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D011374:Progesterone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone