Are climacteric complaints associated with risk factors of cardiovascular disease in peri-menopausal women?

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Endocrinology
• Cardiovascular Medicine
• Metabolic Health

Background:

• Post-menopausal women exhibit increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) metabolic risk, often linked to symptoms like hot flushes.
• Peri-menopause represents a transitional phase where similar metabolic disturbances and CVD risk factors may emerge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between climacteric complaints and cardiovascular risk factors in peri-menopausal women.
• To determine if menopausal symptoms correlate with biochemical markers of atherosclerosis and CVD risk.

Main Methods:

• An observational study involving 590 peri-menopausal women at a university hospital outpatient center.
• Assessment of cardiovascular risk factors including blood pressure, fasting glucose, and fasting lipids.
• Utilized Greene's Climacteric Scale to quantify menopausal symptoms, with analyses corrected for confounders.

Main Results:

• Greene's score positively correlated with triglycerides, triglycerides/HDL-cholesterol ratio, glucose levels, and the 10-year CVD risk (Framingham formula).
• The vasomotor sub-score independently predicted LDL-cholesterol and LDL/HDL-cholesterol ratio.
• The depression sub-score was a negative determinant of HDL-cholesterol levels.

Conclusions:

• Menopausal symptoms experienced during peri-menopause are significantly associated with adverse biochemical risk factors for atherosclerosis.
• These findings highlight the importance of monitoring cardiovascular health in peri-menopausal women experiencing climacteric symptoms.
• Validated climacteric scales can identify individuals at higher metabolic risk during this transitional life stage.