Clinical Usefulness of Lipid Ratios to Identify Subclinical Atherosclerosis in Perimenopausal/Menopausal Women

Evidence shows that lipid ratios perform better than individual lipids in predicting cardiovascular risk. The lipid ratio serves as a quick and simple tool for identifying subclinical atherosclerosis. The population at risk especially perimenopausal and menopausal women should be monitoring to prevent cardiovascular disease in the future.

To examine the association between lipid ratios and subclinical atherosclerosis by carotid intima media thickness (CIMT) in perimenopausal/menopausal women.

A cross-sectional study was conducted with 130 participants aged 40 to 80 years between February 2015 and January 2016 in Suranaree University of Technology Hospital, Thailand. CIMTs were assessed using a highresolution B mode ultrasound system. Traditional anthropometry, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and parameters including blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, lipid profile [Total cholesterol (TC), Triglyceride (TG), Highdensity lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)], and CIMT were assessed in all subjects. All lipid ratios were calculated.

One hundred thirty perimenopausal/menopausal participants were included in this study. Of those participants, 41% were central obese phenotype and 22% had abnormal CIMT that can identify atherosclerosis. Age and systolic blood pressure in atherosclerosis group were higher than normal CIMT group; <0.01 and <0.01, respectively. Lipid ratio in normal CIMT was higher than atherosclerotic group but not statistically significance except TG/HDL-C (p = 0.03). All lipid ratios and single lipid parameters lacked prediction for the presence of early atherosclerosis.

All of lipid ratios, TC/HDL-C, TG/HDL-C, and LDL-C/HDL-C were not identified as early subclinical atherosclerosis among perimenopausal/menopausal women.