Effects of age at menopause on serum cholesterol, body mass index, and blood pressure

Akahoshi M, Soda M, Nakashima E, Tsuruta M, lchimaru S, Seto S, Yano K
Atherosclerosis 156(1):157-63, 2001

Summary

Pre- and postmenopausal cholesterol (mg/dl), body mass index (BMI; kg/m²), and systolic blood pressure (SBP; mmHg) levels were compared in three age-at-time-of-menopause (ATM) groups to examine the relationship between the three risk factors and age ATM. Cholesterol, BMI, and SBP levels recorded 4 years prior to and 8 years after menopause were examined and increases in these risk factors between the two measurements were noted. The three age groups were: group A (n = 49; age ATM [44 plus or minus 1] < 45), group B (n = 395; 45 less than or equal to age ATM [48 plus or minus 1] < 50), and group C (n = 578; age ATM [52 plus or minus 2] greater than or equal to 50). Cholesterol levels in premenopausal groups A (169 plus or minus 31 mg/dl, 40 years) and B (174 plus or minus 31, 44 years) were lower than those in group C (179 plus or minus 30, 48 years) (0.05 less than or equal to P < 0.1 and P < 0.05). Because, the increases in cholesterol were greater in group A (41 plus or minus 28 mg/dl) than in groups B (32 plus or minus 28) and C (29 plus or minus 28) (0.05 less than or equal to P < 0.1 and P < 0.05), cholesterol levels were identical among groups despite age differences upon reaching the postmenopause phase: group A (210 plus or minus 34, 51 years), group B (206 plus or minus 35, 56 years) and group C (208 plus or minus 35, 60 years). BMI and SBP increases were not different in groups A, B, and C. Differences in BMI and SBP levels among groups in order of premenopausal age were still observed after menopause. These data suggest that the greater increase in cholesterol associated with early menopause may be related to a higher prevalence of ischemic heart disease (IHD) in younger menopausal women.