title: The relationship between endogenous androgens and body fat distribution in early and late postmenopausal women.
abstract: To investigate the relationship between endogenous androgens and body fat distribution in early and late postmenopausal women.
  
  
  
  We enrolled postmenopausal women consisting of an early group (≤ 5 years since menopause, n = 105) and a late group (≥ 10 years since menopause, n = 107). Each group was subdivided into normal weight (BMI <24 kg/m(2)) group, overweight and obese (BMI ≥ 24 kg/m(2)) group. Fasting total testosterone (T), dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEA-S) and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) levels were measured. Body fat distribution was evaluated by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA).
  
  
  
  Late postmenopausal women had a higher proportion of body fat than early postmenopausal women. The body fat of the overweight and obese women had a greater tendency to accumulate in the abdomen compared with the normal weight women both in early and late postmenopausal groups. The overweight and obese women had a higher free testosterone (FT) than the normal weight women in early postmenopausal women (P<0.05). In late postmenopausal women, the overweight and obese women had higher DHEA-S levels than normal weight women (P<0.05). No direct relationship was observed between the T levels and body fat distribution both in early and late postmenopausal groups (P>0.05).The FT in early postmenopausal women and the DHEA-S levels in late postmenopausal women correlated positively with the trunk/leg fat ratio (T/L) and the proportion of android fat whereas correlated negatively with the proportion of gynoid fat in the partial correlation and multiple linear regression analyses (all P<0.05).
  
  
  
  Serum T levels do not correlate directly with body fat distribution, the FT in early postmenopausal women and DHEA-S levels in late postmenopausal women correlate positively with abdominal fat accumulation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Yuankui
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Shaofen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Shien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.forename: Xian
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xia
mesh_terms: D050153:Abdominal Fat / Q000502:physiology; D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000728:Androgens / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D000886:Anthropometry; D050218:Body Fat Distribution; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000502:physiology*; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin / Q000378:metabolism; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; D013739:Testosterone; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate