Menopausal women have hypofibrinolysis even in subclinical stage of atherosclerosis.
BACKGROUND
PAI-1 is the main inhibitor of fibrinolysis. Increase in PAI-1 levels has been associated with the risk of coronary disease; however, there are few studies on the relationship between subclinical atherosclerosis and PAI-1 levels.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between PAI-1 level and carotid intima-media thickness in premenopausal and postmenopausal women without apparent cardiovascular disease.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study was conducted in 142 women aged 45 to 60 years with no history of cardiovascular disease. Anthropometric and laboratory measurements were performed, including PAI-1 levels. All participants underwent a B-Mode ultrasound to measure intima-media thickness. Subclinical atherosclerosis was considered when intima-media thickness was ≥ 0.7 mm and/or an atheromatous plaque was observed.


RESULTS
Postmenopausal women had greater intima-media thickness than premenopausal women (0.688 ± 0.129 vs. 0.621 ± 0.113 mm; p < 0.05). Compared to women with normal intima-media thickness, women with subclinical atherosclerosis had higher PAI-1 levels (23.2 ± 13.7 vs. 30.4 ± 20.7 ng/ml; p < 0.05). In all participants, intima-media thickness correlated with PAI-1 (r = 0.302; p = 0.01) and with age (r = 0.358; p = 0001).


CONCLUSIONS
An increase in intima-media thickness was observed in postmenopausal women compared with premenopausal women. Asymptomatic women with increased intima-media thickness had higher PAI-1 levels. These findings suggest that fibrinolytic activity is low in the subclinical stage of atherosclerosis.
Medical Research Unit in Endocrine Diseases, Hospital de Especialidades, Centro Médico Nacional, IMSS, Mexico.|National School of Biological Sciences, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico.
Nydia
N
Córdova-Pérez
Medical Research Unit in Endocrine Diseases, Hospital de Especialidades, Centro Médico Nacional, IMSS, Mexico.
Lourdes
L
Basurto-Acevedo
Servicio de Imagenología, Hospital de Especialidades, Centro Médico Nacional, IMSS, Mexico.
José Antonio
JA
Degollado-Córdova
Medical Research Unit in Endocrine Diseases, Hospital de Especialidades, Centro Médico Nacional, IMSS, Mexico.
Renata Patricia
RP
Saucedo-García
Unidad de Trombosis y Hemostasia del Hospital General de México, SSA, Mexico.|Coordinación de Hospitales de Segundo Nivel, Dirección de Prestaciones Médicas, IMSS, Mexico.
Carlos
C
Martínez-Murillo
Medical Research Unit in Endocrine Diseases, Hospital de Especialidades, Centro Médico Nacional, IMSS, Mexico.
Arturo
A
Zárate-Treviño
Medical Research Unit in Endocrine Diseases, Hospital de Especialidades, Centro Médico Nacional, IMSS, Mexico.
Ana Laura
AL
Vázquez-Martínez
Medical Research Unit in Endocrine Diseases, Hospital de Especialidades, Centro Médico Nacional, IMSS, Mexico.
Sara
S
Vega-García
Medical Research Unit in Endocrine Diseases, Hospital de Especialidades, Centro Médico Nacional, IMSS, Mexico.|National School of Biological Sciences, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico.
Alma Grisel
AG
Díaz-Martínez
Coordinación en Investigación en Salud, IMSS, México, D.F., Mexico.
Gabriela
G
Borrayo-Sánchez
National School of Biological Sciences, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico.
Elba
E
Reyes-Maldonado
D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005342:Fibrinolysis / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 / Q000097:blood*; D017698:Postmenopause; D017697:Premenopause
D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1; C051321:SERPINE1 protein, human