OBJECTIVETo investigate the correlation between dehydroepiandrosterone and arteriosclerosis in premenopausal and postmenopausal women.

METHODSForty premenopausal and 40 postmenopausal women were examined for serum concentrations of dehydroepiandrosterone and intima-media thickness of the carotid artery, and the serum concentrations of lipids, estrogen, endothelin, and E-selectin were also measured.

RESULTSCompared with premenopausal women, the mean intima-media thickness was increased but dehydroepiandrosterone and estrogen levels were decreased in postmenopausal women. A significant inverse correlation was detected between the intima-media thicknesses and dehydroepiandrosterone level. The postmenopausal women had decreased antioxidation and elevated low-density lipoprotein level.

CONCLUSIONArteriosclerosis is more likely to occur in women with low dehydroepiandrosterone level which causes decreased antioxidation and elevation of blood lipid levels.

Adult ; Arteriosclerosis ; blood ; Carotid Artery Diseases ; blood ; Dehydroepiandrosterone ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Lipids ; blood ; Middle Aged ; Postmenopause ; blood ; Premenopause ; blood

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim of this study was to quantitatively measure changes in lipids and lipoproteins during perimenopause and to identify variables related to these changes. METHODS: Among women who had three regular health evaluations over a span of 2-4 years, 34 women remained in the premenopausal state, 34 premenopausal women transitioned to the postmenopausal state, and 36 postmenopausal women were enrolled. The menopausal state was determined not only by a history of amenorrhea but also by levels of female sex hormones. Yearly changes in lipids were calculated using a linear regression of the three measurements. RESULTS: The transition from premenopause to postmenopause was associated with increased total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels by 7.4 +/- 8.0 mg/dL (4.2 +/- 4.9%) and 6.9 +/- 6.5 mg/dL (6.8 +/- 7.0%) over one year, resulting in an elevation of 19.6 +/- 22.6 mg/dL (10.9 +/- 13.0%) and 18.9 +/- 19.5 mg/dL (18.6 +/- 20.3%), respectively, during perimenopause. There were no changes observed in premenopausal and postmenopausal women. Body weight, blood pressure, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and triglycerides did not change in any of the three groups. In all women, changes in both total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol were associated with changes in follicle stimulating hormone (r = 0.40, p < 0.001 and r = 0.38, p < 0.001, respectively). Changes in triglycerides were associated with changes in body weight (r = 0.28, p = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: During perimenopause, total and LDL cholesterol levels increase and these changes in cholesterol are mainly dependent on changes in female sex hormones.
Adult ; Cholesterol, HDL/blood ; Cholesterol, LDL/blood ; Female ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone/blood ; Humans ; Lipids/*blood ; Lipoproteins/*blood ; Middle Aged ; Postmenopause/*blood ; Premenopause/*blood

OBJECTIVETo study the changes in sexual function in premenopausal women after renal transplantation.

METHODSForty-two married premenopausal women receiving dialysis therapy for at least 6 months with normal renal function for 6 months after renal transplantation were examined for hormonal profiles and menstrual cycles. The sexual functions of the patients were evaluated using Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) before and 6 months after the transplantation.

RESULTSBefore renal transplantation, amenorrhea, oligomenorrhea, polymenorrhea, and eumenorrhea were found in 18 cases (42.9%), 10 cases (23.8%), 5 cases (11.9%) and 9 cases (21.4%), as compared to 7 cases (16.7%), 5 cases (11.9%), 6 cases (14.3%) and 24 cases (57.1%) after the transplantation, respectively. Prolactin (PRL), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) levels significantly decreased and estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P) significantly increased after renal transplantation (P<0.001). Nineteen patients (45.2%) before and 36 patients (85.7%) after the surgery reported to have an active sexual life (P<0.001). The total incidences of female sexual dysfunction before and after kidney transplantation were 90.5% and 40.5% (P<0.001), respectively. The scores for sexual desire, arousal, lubrication, satisfaction, orgasm, and pain in FSFI were significantly increased after kidney transplantation (P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONSA successful renal transplantation can significantly improve sexual functions in premenopausal women.

Adult ; Estradiol ; blood ; Female ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; blood ; Humans ; Kidney Transplantation ; adverse effects ; Menstrual Cycle ; Middle Aged ; Premenopause ; Progesterone ; blood ; Prolactin ; blood ; Sexual Behavior ; Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological ; epidemiology

It has been generally accepted that high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level decreases with menopause in women. However, recent reports show different results. There is very little data concerning perimenopausal women. To verify these findings, lipids and lipoprotein(a) +AFs-Lp(a)+AF0- levels were compared among pre-, peri- and postmenopausal women of similar mean ages. Postmenopausal women had higher HDL-C levels than premenopausal women (p+ADw-0.001) and there was no difference between peri- and postmenopausal women. LDL-C level in perimenopausal women was lower than in postmenopausal women (p+ADw-0.001) and higher than in premenopausal women with borderline significance (p+AD0-.051). Total cholesterol levels showed stepwise elevation from premenopause to postmenopause. Perimenopausal women had lower Lp(a) levels than postmenopausal women (p+ADw-0.0005) and similar levels to premenopausal women. Lp(a) levels between 0.1 to 10.0 mg/dL were the most prevalent in pre- and perimenopausal women, and those between 10.1 to 20.0 mg/dL in postmenopausal women. In conclusion, menopause itself is associated with the elevation of HDL-C level, and the postmenopausal increase of coronary artery disease is not related to postmenopausal change of HDL-C level. Perimenopausal status, although transient, may favor Lp(a) and lipid profiles for delaying atherosclerosis.
Apolipoproteins A/blood ; Arteriosclerosis/epidemiology ; Biological Markers ; Cholesterol/blood ; Comparative Study ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; FSH/blood ; Female ; Human ; Lipids/blood+ACo- ; Lipoprotein(a)/blood ; Lipoproteins, HDL Cholesterol/blood+ACo- ; Menopause/blood+ACo- ; Middle Age ; Postmenopause/blood ; Premenopause/blood ; Risk Factors

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to estimate the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome in pre-menopausal housewives and to explore controllable and uncontrollable factors regarding metabolic syndrome. METHODS: The study population of this cross-sectional survey was from the Korean Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KHANES) 2010 through 2015, including the fifth and sixth population-based studies. The criteria for metabolic syndrome include waist circumference, blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) based on Korean Clinical Practice Guideline for Metabolic Syndrome by the Korean Academy of Family Medicine 2015. RESULTS: Among the 2,498 subjects, 247 subjects had metabolic syndrome and the prevalence was estimated to be 9.9%. The number of subjects who met the criterion of HDL was 936 (36.2%), which was the most prevalent among the criteria for metabolic syndrome. Statistically significant (p < .05) factors include age, livinghood benefit group, perceived health status, obesity, family history of DM, sleeping time, awareness of stress,leukocyte, and erythrocyte count. The odds ratio of obesity in the BMI ≥25 group was 12.59 times as high as that of the BMI < 25 group (p < .001) for metabolic syndrome. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome in pre-menopausal housewives in the survey was not low, and it is necessary to develop and apply comprehensive health habit management programs to improve controllable factors including exercise and food intake.
Blood Glucose ; Blood Pressure ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Eating ; Erythrocyte Count ; Fasting ; Female ; Humans ; Lipoproteins, HDL ; Nutrition Surveys ; Obesity ; Odds Ratio ; Premenopause ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Triglycerides ; Waist Circumference

OBJECTIVETo explore the memory quotient and hormone level in women with perimenopausal syndrome and healthy women in perimenopausal period, and the effect of estrogen and Chinese nourishing Kidney herbs (CNKH) on memory.

METHODSFifty-six women of perimenopausal syndrome were treated with estrogen (n = 24) and CNKH (n = 32) respectively. The changes of memory and estrogen level before and after treatment were determined and compared with those in healthy women.

RESULTSThe memory quotient (MQ) and estrogen level increased and follicule-stimulating hormone (FSH) level decreased significantly after treatment in both groups (P < 0.01), these parameters approached to those in healthy women. The difference of therapeutic effect between the two treated group was insignificant (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe decrease of memory is related to the lowering of estrogen level, CNKH could improve the brain function and enhance memory.

Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Estradiol ; blood ; Female ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; blood ; Humans ; Intelligence Tests ; Luteinizing Hormone ; blood ; Memory Disorders ; blood ; drug therapy ; etiology ; Middle Aged ; Phytotherapy ; Postmenopause ; blood ; Premenopause ; blood

PURPOSE: We investigated the effects of group III mechanoreceptors to cardiovascular responses in both pre-menopausal woman and post-menopausal woman during passive ankle dorsiflexion (PAD). METHODS: Twenty healthy volunteers (10 post-menopausal women and 10 pre-menopausal women) were recruited for this study. Stroke volume (SV), heart rate (HR), cardiac output (CO), and total vascular conductances (TVC) were measured continuously throughout the experiment. To stimulate the group III mechanoreceptors, PAD was performed for one minute. RESULTS: The results showed that mean arterial pressure (MAP) mediated by the mechanoreflex activation was significantly increased in both groups. However, this pressor response was significantly higher in post-menopausal women. This reflex significantly increased both SV and CO in pre-menopausal women, while there were no differences in post-menopausal women. There was no difference in HR in either group. The mechanoreflex significantly decreased TVC in post-menopausal woman, while there was no difference in pre-menopausal woman. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that the excessive pressor response mediated by the mechanoreflex occurs due to overactivity of group III mechanorecptors and the mechanism is produced mainly via peripheral vasoconstriction in post-menopausal women.
Aged ; Blood Pressure ; Body Mass Index ; Cardiac Output ; Estrogens/*metabolism ; Female ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Mechanoreceptors ; Middle Aged ; Postmenopause ; Premenopause ; Reflex, Stretch/*physiology ; Stroke Volume

The upstream stimulatory factor 1 (USF1) gene has been shown to play an essential role as the cause of familial combined hyperlipidemia, and there are several association studies on the relationship between USF1 and metabolic disorders. In this study, we analyzed two single nucleotide polymorphisms in USF1 rs2073653 (306A>G) and rs2516840 (1748C>T) between the case (dyslipidemia or obesity) group and the control group in premenopausal females, postmenopausal females, and males among 275 Korean subjects. We observed a statistically significant difference in the GC haplotype between body mass index (BMI) > or =25 kg/m(2) and BMI <25 kg/m(2) groups in premenopausal females ( chi-square=4.23, p=0.04). It seems that the USF1 GC haplotype is associated with BMI in premenopausal Korean females.
Adult ; Aged ; *Body Mass Index ; Cholesterol, HDL/blood ; Female ; Genotype ; *Haplotypes ; Humans ; Linkage Disequilibrium ; Male ; Middle Aged ; *Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Premenopause ; Upstream Stimulatory Factors/*genetics

PURPOSE: This study was to examine the effects of self-foot reflexology on stress, fatigue and blood circulation in premenopausal middle-aged women. METHODS: A quasi-experimental nonequivalent control group, pretest-posttest design was used. Participants were 59 premenopausal, middle-aged women in their 40s and 60s living in G city: 30 in the experiment group and 29 in the control group. Data were collected from May to August 2008. Self-foot reflexology was performed three times a week for 6 weeks for 40 min at each session. RESULTS: The results showed that self-foot reflexology was effective in reducing perceived stress and fatigue and helped blood circulation in premenopausal middle-aged women. CONCLUSION: Self-foot reflexology may be an effective nursing intervention in reducing perceived stress and fatigue and in improving blood circulation.
Adult ; Blood Pressure/*physiology ; Demography ; Fatigue/*therapy ; Female ; Foot ; Humans ; Massage/*methods ; Middle Aged ; Patient Education as Topic ; *Premenopause/physiology/psychology ; Stress, Psychological/*therapy

Soy-isoflavones may act as estrogenic agonists or antagonists depending on the endogenous hormone status. These clinical effects can be exerted variably in individuals by the metabolic ability to produce a more potent metabolite than precursors. The objective of this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was to investigate the skeletal effect of isoflavones according to their metabolic variability in premenopausal women. Volunteers were randomly assigned to receive either soy-extract isoflavones (n=32) or lactose (n=21) once a day for three menstrual cycles. After intervention, the urinary excretions of isoflavones and their metabolites were significantly higher in the soy group than in the placebo group and showed a large inter-individual variation. Women in the soy group were divided into subgroups according to their ability to excrete more potent metabolites. Serum osteocalcin and urine deoxypyridinoline showed a tendency to increase after a challenge in equol high-excretors. Serum osteocalcin concentration in the genistein high-excretors increased significantly after a challenge (P=0.04) but did not increase in either the placebo or genistein low-excretors. An estrogenic antagonistic effect of isoflavones on bone turnover was observed in premenopausal women who are able to produce more potent metabolites.
Adult ; Amino Acids/urine ; Bone and Bones/*drug effects/metabolism ; Double-Blind Method ; Estrogen Antagonists/*pharmacokinetics/pharmacology/urine ; Female ; Humans ; Isoflavones/*pharmacokinetics/pharmacology/urine ; Middle Aged ; Osteocalcin/blood ; *Premenopause