Serum lipids and lipoproteins in relation to endogenous and exogenous female sex steroids and age. The Women's Health in the Lund Area (WHILA) study.
BACKGROUND
Different studies have presented conflicting results concerning the effect of menopause on lipid levels.


OBJECTIVE
To describe the serum lipid profile and the prevalence of hyperlipidemia in women aged 50-60 and the perceived relation to endogenous and exogenous hormones and age.


METHODS
Out of a total population of 10,766 women aged 50-59 years, 6908 (64%) participated in a health assessment program, including a lipid profile evaluation. The women were grouped according to hormonal status into pre-menopausal (PM), post-menopausal without hormone replacement therapy (PM0) (HRT) and post-menopausal with hormone replacement therapy (PMT). Age groups used were 50-54, 55-59 and >60 years.


RESULTS
Serum cholesterol and triglycerides increased significantly by age in PM0 (P < 0.0001) and triglycerides also in PMT (P < 0.0001). Serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) levels decreased significantly by age in PMT (P = 0.002) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) increased in PM0 (P < 0.0001) and PMT (P = 0.007). The co-prevalence of levels of cholesterol >7 and triglycerides >2 mmol/l decreased by age in PM, but increased by age in PM0 and PMT. The prevalence of high-risk lipid levels and the prevalence of coexisting additional two metabolic risk factors were higher in the PM0 compared to the PMT group. The prevalence of serum triglycerides >1.5 and serum cholesterol >5 mmol/l were increasing by age in each of the hormonal groups.


CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that loss of endogenous sex steroids contribute substantially to an increased atherogenic lipid profile. Hormone replacement therapy may partly reverse these differences.
Nerbrand
Christina
C
Department of Medicine, University of Lund, Primary Health Care R&D, SE-221 85, Sweden. christina.nerbrand@skane.se
Lidfeldt
Jonas
J
Nyberg
Per
P
Scherstén
Bengt
B
Samsioe
Göran
G
D000367:Age Factors; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D008055:Lipids; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol