title: Effects of menopause, gender and age on lipids and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol subfractions.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To distinguish the effects of menopause, gender and age on serum lipid risk markers for vascular disease, including high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) subfractions 2 and 3 (HDL2-C and HDL3-C).
  
  
  METHODS
  We undertook a cross-sectional database analysis of apparently healthy Caucasian pre- and postmenopausal women and men (n=515, 518 and 800, respectively) not taking drugs affecting lipid metabolism (including contraceptive or post-menopausal steroids). Measurements of serum total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C), triglycerides (TG), HDL-C, HDL2-C, HDL3-C and non-HDL-C concentrations and the TC/HDL-C concentration ratio were considered.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Men had lower TC than postmenopausal women (p<0.001) and similar LDL-C. Compared with premenopausal women, postmenopausal women had a more atherogenic lipid profile with lower HDL2-C (median 0.67 vs 0.60 mmol/L, p<0.001) but no difference in HDL3-C (0.96 vs 0.96 mmol/L, p=0.8). Compared with either pre or postmenopausal women, men had a more atherogenic profile with lower HDL2-C (0.36 mmol/L) and HDL3-C (0.91 mmol/L, all p<0.001). With standardization for confounding variables, including standardization to age of menopause (50 years), differences apparent in the non-standardized comparisons were generally sustained, although HDL3-C levels were lower at menopause, HDL2-C ceased to differ and LDL-C was lower in postmenopausal women than men.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Male gender is associated with a more atherogenic profile than female gender, with appreciably lower levels of the HDL2-C subfraction. Among women, menopause is associated with a more atherogenic lipid profile, but has less effect than male gender.
authors: Diabetes Endocrinology and Metabolic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, St. Mary's Campus, London, UK.
authors: Panagiotis
authors: P
authors: Anagnostis
authors: National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, Royal Brompton Campus, UK.
authors: John C
authors: JC
authors: Stevenson
authors: Clinical Investigations and Research Unit, Royal Sussex County Hospital, Sussex, School of Health Sciences, University of Brighton, UK.
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Crook
authors: Diabetes Endocrinology and Metabolic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, St. Mary's Campus, London, UK.
authors: Desmond G
authors: DG
authors: Johnston
authors: Diabetes Endocrinology and Metabolic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, St. Mary's Campus, London, UK. Electronic address: i.godsland@imperial.ac.uk.
authors: Ian F
authors: IF
authors: Godsland
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood*; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000097:blood*; D017697:Premenopause / Q000097:blood*; D012737:Sex Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D008055:Lipids; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol
keywords: Cholesterol; Gender; HDL cholesterol; HDL cholesterol subfractions; Menopause; Triglycerides