title: Gonadotropins Are Related to Lean Mass in Healthy Postmenopausal Women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It has been suggested that the changes in hormone levels that occur with menopause and aging are related to loss of muscle mass. However, the role of gonadotropins in this process is unknown.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the relationship between follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) and lean mass in a cohort of healthy women.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a cross-sectional study including 91 postmenopausal women (48-65 years old). Serum FSH, LH, and estradiol (E2) were measured. Lean mass was estimated by bioelectrical impedance analysis and expressed as appendicular skeletal muscle mass (AMM) index.
  
  
  RESULTS
  AMM index was negatively correlated with FSH levels (r = -0.33, p = 0.001) and LH (r = -0.293, p = 0.005), while there was no association with E2. When muscle mass expressed as AMM index was stratified into tertiles, there were significant differences between the lowest and the highest tertile for both FSH (82.4 ± 30, vs. 67.9 ± 25.8 mIU/mL, p = 0.04) and LH (40.9 ± 15.2 vs. 36.1 ± 12.3 mIU/mL, p = 0.03). In logistic regression analysis adjusted for age and E2 levels, high concentrations of FSH (OR = 1.03, 95% CI = 1.01-1.05, p = 0.008) and LH (OR = 1.06, 95% CI = 1.01-1.1, p = 0.01) were risk factors for having lower lean mass expressed as AMM index.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Menopausal women with high levels of gonadotropins have lower levels of lean mass than those with lower gonadotropins levels.
authors.affiliation: a Bone Metabolic Unit, Endocrinology Division, Hospital Universitario San Cecilio , Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: Antonia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: García-Martín
authors.affiliation: a Bone Metabolic Unit, Endocrinology Division, Hospital Universitario San Cecilio , Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: Rebeca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Reyes-García
authors.affiliation: b Internal Medicine Division, Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves , Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: José Miguel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: García-Castro
authors.affiliation: c Endocrinology Division, Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Victoria , Malaga, Spain.
authors.forename: Araceli
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Muñoz-Garach
authors.affiliation: a Bone Metabolic Unit, Endocrinology Division, Hospital Universitario San Cecilio , Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Escobar-Jiménez
authors.affiliation: a Bone Metabolic Unit, Endocrinology Division, Hospital Universitario San Cecilio , Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Muñoz-Torres