title: The influence of a Vitamin D receptor gene polymorphism on the timing of female reproductive functions in humans.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the association between a common polymorphism of the Vitamin D receptor gene (VDR) and the timing of female reproductive functions in humans.
  
  
  METHODS
  One thousand fifty-eight consecutive women were included in this cross-sectional study. We analyzed the intron 8 Bsm I restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of VDR on chromosome 12q using a microarray-based system.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The presence of the VDR polymorphism did not influence the timing of menarche and natural menopause and was not associated with the number of spontaneous abortions, full term pregnancies (FTP) as well as the total number of pregnancies. Of note, women with at least one mutant allele of VDR were at a significantly decreased risk for experiencing surgical menopause (odds ratio [OR] 0.65, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.46-0.92, P = 0.02). Smoking and a body mass index (BMI) > 25 were associated with an earlier natural menopause and an increased risk for surgical menopause, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While no association of a common polymorphism of VDR with the timing of menarche and menopause was ascertained, we found the presence of at least one mutant allele of VDR to be associated with a decreased risk of experiencing surgical menopause, i.e., premenopausal hysterectomy, in a large series of Caucasian women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Vienna Medical School, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Grimm
authors.forename: Clemens B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Tempfer
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Walch
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Reinthaller
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tomovski
authors.forename: Johannes C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Huber
authors.forename: Sepp
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Leodolter
authors.forename: Lukas A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Hefler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002881:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 12; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy; D008572:Menarche / Q000235:genetics*; D008593:Menopause / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000502:physiology*; D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol / Q000235:genetics*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol