Menopause, but not age, is an independent risk factor for fasting plasma glucose levels in nondiabetic women.
OBJECTIVE
Glucose metabolism is influenced by various genetic and environmental factors. In women the prevalence of abnormal glucose metabolism is known to increase around and after age 50. The aim of this study was to determine whether menopause augments fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels in women.


METHODS
Of 672 Japanese women who underwent health examinations, we studied 505 nondiabetic participants who had no history of hysterectomy and had never used estrogens or progestins. All participants were administered an oral glucose tolerance test, and their blood measurements and information about their menopause status were obtained.


RESULTS
Of these 505 women, 208 were premenopausal and 297 were postmenopausal. Age, body mass index, triglycerides level, total cholesterol level, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level, blood pressure, and homeostasis model assessment insulin sensitivity index rose across quintiles of FPG levels, whereas high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level and homeostasis model assessment pancreatic beta-cell function index did not. The number of premenopausal women declined and the number of postmenopausal women increased across quintiles of FPG levels. Univariate regression analysis demonstrated that age, body mass index, triglycerides level, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level, and menopause status were associated with FPG level, whereas high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level was not. Stepwise multivariate regression analysis showed that the independent risk factors for elevated FPG levels were body mass index, menopause, and triglycerides level, whereas age and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level did not contribute to FPG levels.


CONCLUSIONS
Menopause, but not age, is directly involved in augmented FPG levels in nondiabetic women.
Otsuki
Michio
M
Department of Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan.
Kasayama
Soji
S
Morita
Shinya
S
Asanuma
Nobuyuki
N
Saito
Hiroshi
H
Mukai
Mikio
M
Koga
Masafumi
M
D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D018149:Glucose Intolerance / Q000097:blood; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D007564:Japan; D008593:Menopause / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D016387:Women's Health
D001786:Blood Glucose; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D014280:Triglycerides