Relation of cardiovascular risk factors in women approaching menopause to menstrual cycle characteristics and reproductive hormones in the follicular and luteal phases.
BACKGROUND
Menstrual cycle characteristics may be associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk.


OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to describe the relationships between menstrual cycle characteristics and daily reproductive hormone measures with CVD risk factors in middle-aged women.


METHODS
Cross-sectional associations were examined between CVD risk factors and urinary LH, FSH, estrone conjugates, and pregnanediol glucuronide (Pdg) measured across one menstrual cycle or 50 d.


METHODS
Menstruating women (n = 500) who were free from diabetes or past stroke or heart attack enrolled in the Daily Hormone Study-Study of Women's Health across the Nation were studied.


METHODS
Body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, hemostatic, and metabolic factors were measured.


RESULTS
Few differences existed in risk factors between women with evidence of luteal activity and those with no evidence of luteal activity. Associations between elevated CVD risk factors and long cycle length were reduced substantially by age and BMI adjustments. Those with lower estrone conjugate and PdG averaged across the follicular phase had higher waist circumference, triglycerides, insulin, plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1, tissue type plasminogen activator-antigen, and factor VIIc levels in age- and BMI-adjusted analyses (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
In midlife menstruating women, a longer cycle length was related to CVD risk factors, in large part through their common association with BMI. More favorable levels of metabolic and hemostatic factors were associated with higher levels of follicular-phase estrogen, a pattern consistent with a more competent ovary, and higher levels of follicular-phase PdG, perhaps of adrenal origin. Metabolic and hemostatic factors may be sensitive to hormonal variation during the early perimenopausal transition.
Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, USA. matthewska@upmc.edu
Karen A
KA
Matthews
Nanette
N
Santoro
Bill
B
Lasley
Yuefang
Y
Chang
Sybil
S
Crawford
Richard C
RC
Pasternak
Kim
K
Sutton-Tyrrell
Maryfran
M
Sowers
D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004970:Estrone / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000652:urine; D005498:Follicular Phase / Q000097:blood*; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008183:Luteal Phase / Q000097:blood*; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000652:urine; D008593:Menopause / Q000502:physiology*; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011276:Pregnanediol / Q000652:urine; D012307:Risk Factors; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects
D001786:Blood Glucose; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D008055:Lipids; D004970:Estrone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D011276:Pregnanediol