title: Association of parity with osteoprotegerin levels and atherosclerosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Association of serum osteoprotegerin (OPG) levels and cardiovascular disorders has been shown previously. The aim of this observational study was to investigate the relationship between parity, OPG and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) in premenopausal women.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 128 women (mean age ± SD, 37.8 ± 4.7 years) were divided into three group according to parity [1-3 as group 1 (n = 41), 4-6 as group 2 (n = 55) and ≥7 as group 3 (n = 32)]. Serum OPG was measured and CIMT was evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both serum OPG levels and CIMT tended to increase with advancing parity; OPG level was significantly higher in group 3 than in group 1 (p = 0.013) and CIMT was significantly higher in group 2 and group 3 than in group 1 (p < 0.001 for both). In correlation analyses, there were significant correlations between all three parameters.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results revealed that there was an increased risk of cardiovascular disease in women with multiparity. Significant association of OPG with CIMT suggested that OPG might play a role in the pathogenesis of parity-induced atherosclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Harran University, Yenisehir Campus, Sanliurfa 63300, Turkey. drmalieren@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Mehmet Ali
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Eren
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vural
authors.forename: Sema
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yildiz
authors.forename: Hasan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cece
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Camuzcuoglu
authors.forename: Harun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Toy
authors.forename: Abdurrahim
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kocyigit
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D015992:Body Mass Index; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053244:Osteoprotegerin / Q000097:blood*; D010298:Parity / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D017697:Premenopause; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D053244:Osteoprotegerin