title: Difference in the ratio of high-molecular weight (HMW) to total adiponectin and HMW adiponectin in late post-menopausal women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  High-molecular weight (HMW) isoform level and HMW ratio have been shown to be better predictors of insulin sensitivity and metabolic syndrome than total adiponectin level.We examined the changes in circulating levels of HMW adiponectin and ratios of HMW to total adiponectin in women during the menopausal transition.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a cross-sectional study in 217 healthy women and divided them into 4 stages: 58 women in pre-menopausal, 69 women in perimenopausal, 62 women in early post-menopausal and 28 women in late post-menopausal phase. Serum levels of total adiponectin and HMW adiponectin were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In late post-menopausal women, HMW adiponectin level was significantly higher than that in peri-menopausal women and the HMW to total adiponectin ratio was significantly lower than that in early post-menopausal women. In peri-menopausal women, HMW adiponectin level was significantly lower than that in pre-menopausal women and HMW to total adiponectin ratio was significantly lower than the ratios in pre-menopausal and early post-menopausal women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The ratio of HMW to total adiponectin is low in late post-menopausal women, though both levels of total and HMW adiponectin were high after menopause in our cross-sectional study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, 3-18-15 Kuramoto, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan. matsui.sumika@tokushima-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matsui
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yasui
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tani
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kunimi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Uemura
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kuwahara
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsuzaki
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Irahara
mesh_terms: D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood*; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008593:Menopause / Q000097:blood; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D008970:Molecular Weight; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000097:blood*; D017697:Premenopause / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D052242:Adiponectin