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Updated: Sep 29, 2025
Author Spotlight: Assessing the Cardiovascular Profile of Patients with Metabolic Syndrome
Published on: September 27, 2024
Cardiometabolic profile of women with uterine leiomyoma: a cross-sectional study
Abdelrahman Alashqar1,2, Hala El Ouweini1,3, Megan Gornet1
1Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Insights
Women with uterine leiomyoma (fibroids) often have obesity, hypertension, and diabetes. Managing these cardiometabolic risk factors may help prevent fibroids and improve cardiovascular health.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Health
- Cardiology
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Cardiometabolic risk factors are increasingly linked to uterine leiomyoma (fibroid) development.
- The cardiometabolic profiles of women diagnosed with uterine leiomyoma are not well-defined.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between cardiometabolic comorbidities and medication use with a uterine leiomyoma diagnosis.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study analyzed electronic medical record data from 679,981 women (2013-2020).
- Cases were women with uterine leiomyoma (N.=27,703), controls were those without.
- Prevalence Odds Ratios assessed associations between comorbidities, medications, and leiomyoma status.
Main Results:
- Uterine leiomyoma cases showed higher prevalence of obesity (2.56), metabolic syndrome (1.82), hypertension (1.45), diabetes mellitus (1.29), and hyperlipidemia (1.23).
- These associations were more pronounced in younger women and persisted after excluding hysterectomy cases.
- Statin use was linked to a reduced risk of uterine leiomyoma (0.81).
Conclusions:
- Uterine leiomyoma is associated with an unfavorable cardiometabolic profile, including various comorbidities and medication use.
- Preventing and managing cardiometabolic risk factors may reduce uterine leiomyoma incidence.
- Screening women with uterine leiomyoma for cardiometabolic conditions can aid cardiovascular disease prevention.
Background:
Emerging evidence suggests that cardiometabolic risk factors contribute to uterine leiomyoma development, but cardiometabolic profiles of women with the tumor remain poorly defined. This study aimed to determine the association of cardiometabolic comorbidities and cardiometabolic medication use with a leiomyoma diagnosis.
Methods:
In this cross-sectional study, aggregate-level data from 2013-2020 were collected using the SlicerDicer feature of Epic (Epic, Verona, WI, USA) electronic medical record system. Women ≥18 years with at least one visit or hospital encounter at the Johns Hopkins Health System (N.=679,981) were assigned as cases or controls according to leiomyoma status. Individual prevalence of each prespecified cardiometabolic comorbidity and relevant prescription medications was obtained. Prevalence Odds Ratios were used to assess the association of cardiometabolic comorbidities and medication use with uterine leiomyoma.
Results:
Women with uterine leiomyoma (N.=27,703) were more likely to be obese (2.56; 95% CI: 2.49-2.63), have metabolic syndrome (1.82; 95% CI: 1.51-2.19), essential hypertension (1.45; 95% CI: 1.42-1.49), diabetes mellitus (1.29; 95% CI: 1.24-1.33) and hyperlipidemia (1.23; 95% CI: 1.19-1.26). These associations were stronger among younger women and persisted after excluding those with a hysterectomy. Notably, statins were the only medications associated with a lower leiomyoma risk (0.81; 95% CI: 0.79-0.84).
Conclusions:
Uterine leiomyoma is associated with a spectrum of cardiometabolic comorbidities and use of associated medications, constituting an unfavorable cardiometabolic profile in women with the tumor. If definitively correlated, prevention and early management of cardiometabolic risk factors may decrease uterine leiomyoma incidence, and screening women with uterine leiomyoma for cardiometabolic comorbidities may aid in cardiovascular disease prevention.
