title: Interrelationship between insulin resistance and menopause on the metabolic syndrome and its individual component among nondiabetic women in the kinmen study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The literature to date is not clear as to whether any interactive effect exists between insulin resistance and menopause on the metabolic syndrome and its individual components. We explored this issue in 4107 homogeneous, nondiabetic Chinese women in the Kinmen Study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Overnight fasting blood samples were drawn for glucose, insulin, lipid, and other biochemical measurements. Demographic and clinical variables including body mass index, waist circumference, and blood pressure were measured and documented during face-to-face interviews with structured questionnaires. Menstrual history was used to define menopause as the absence of menses for 12 consecutive months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Approximately 16% of premenopausal women (390/2423) were insulin-resistant. After adjustment for age, body mass index, lifestyle, and diet, both menopause and insulin resistance were independently and significantly correlated with metabolic syndrome. For each component of the metabolic syndrome, besides the main effect, the interaction (insulin resistance x menopause) had significant correlation with systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and waist circumference.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both insulin resistance and menopause have significant effects on metabolic syndrome independent of age and obesity. In premenopausal and nondiabetic women, various degrees of insulin resistance exist. The synergistic contribution of insulin resistance and menopause to components of the metabolic syndrome were observed with systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and waist circumference. This requires further study.
authors: Department of Nursing, National Taipei College of Nursing, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors: Kuan-Chia
authors: KC
authors: Lin
authors: Shih-Tzer
authors: ST
authors: Tsai
authors: Su-Chen
authors: SC
authors: Kuo
authors: Shiow-Luan
authors: SL
authors: Tsay
authors: Pesus
authors: P
authors: Chou
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002681:China; D005006:Ethnicity; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008593:Menopause; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires