[Correlation between follicle-stimulating hormone and total procollagen I N-terminal propeptide in perimenopausal...

To investigate the correlation between serum levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and total procollagen I N-terminal propeptide (TP1NP) in perimenopausal women.

Total 274 women aged 33~60 y with perimenopausal period were enrolled in this study. Serum levels of FSH and TP1NP were detected by electrochemiluminescence.

In 274 perimenopausal women, the average level of TP1NP was (48.99±20.31) ng/mL, which was positively correlated with FSH level (r=0.159, P=0.009). In 40-50 age group, TP1NP level in women with FSH<40 mIU/mL was lower than that in those with FSH≥40mIU/mL [(35.05±18.11) ng/mL vs (51.33±24.67) ng/mL; t=-2.954, P=0.004]. However, in <40 and 50-60 age groups, there were no significant differences in TP1NP levels between patients with FSH<40 mIU/mL and those with FSH≥40 mIU/mL (t=-0.063, P=0.950; t=1.177, P=0.242). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that standardized coefficients of age variable was 0.047 (P=0.448) and standardized coefficients of FSH variable was 0.146 (P=0.019).

TP1NP levels showed a certain correlation with FSH in perimenopausal women, especially for women aged 40-50, indicating that high FSH levels may be important factors for osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.