Metabolic syndrome and menopause: cross-sectional study in gynecology clinic.
BACKGROUND
In Brazil, there are few studies of the metabolic syndrome in the general population, and even fewer studies that establish a correlation between metabolic syndrome and climacteric.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its components among climacteric women.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study with 323 climacteric women, divided into two groups: pre and post-menopausal. They were examined for the presence of metabolic syndrome, according to the criteria of National Cholesterol Education Program's (NCEP) and International Diabetes Federation (IDF). It was possible to notice the association between the variables under study and the metabolic syndrome by conducting a univariate analysis and a multivariate analysis. A p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.


RESULTS
The prevalence of metabolic syndrome during the climacteric was 34.7% (NCEP) and 49.8% (IDF). The most frequent components of the metabolic syndrome were low HDL-cholesterol, hypertension, abdominal obesity, hypertriglyceridemia and diabetes in both criteria. The multivariate analysis showed that age was the most important risk factor for the development of metabolic syndrome (p < 0.001), which was present in 44.4% (NCEP) and 61.5% (IDF) of postmenopausal women compared to 24% (NCEP) and 37% (IDF) of premenopausal women.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was higher in postmenopausal women than in premenopausal women. The main risk factor for the increase in this prevalence was age. Menopause, when it is analyzed alone, did not constitute a risk factor for metabolic syndrome.
Figueiredo Neto
José Albuquerque de
JA
Universidade Federal do Maranhão, São Luiz, MA, Brasil. jafneto@cardiol.br
Figuerêdo
Eduardo Durans
ED
Barbosa
José Bonifácio
JB
Barbosa
Fabrício de Flores
Fde F
Costa
Geny Rose Cardoso
GR
Nina
Vinícius José da Silva
VJ
Nina
Rachel Vilela de Abreu Haickel
RV
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000502:physiology; D017697:Premenopause / Q000502:physiology