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Risk factors for coronary atherosclerotic heart disease in postmenopausal women: a meta-analysis
Xin Miao1,2, Lixing Wu3, Kuiyue Wang4
1Department of Nursing, School of Medical and Health Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou, Jiangsu, China.
Insights
A history of six or more pregnancies significantly increases the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) in postmenopausal women. This finding highlights a crucial factor for cardiovascular disease prevention in this demographic.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Epidemiology
- Women's Health
Background:
- Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a leading cause of death in women globally, with increasing incidence.
- Estrogen decline post-menopause elevates cardiovascular disease risk in women.
- Risk factors for CHD in postmenopausal women require further clarification.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically evaluate risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD) specifically in postmenopausal women.
- To identify key predictors of CHD incidence and mortality in this population.
Main Methods:
- Comprehensive literature search across multiple databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, etc.) up to February 2024.
- Independent data extraction and quality assessment by two researchers.
- Meta-analysis using STATA17.0 software to synthesize findings from included studies.
Main Results:
- Nine studies encompassing 294,103 patients were included in the meta-analysis.
- A history of six or more pregnancies was significantly associated with an increased risk of CHD (HR=1.538, 95% CI: 1.241%-1.906%, P < 0.05).
Conclusions:
- Multiple pregnancies represent a significant risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD) incidence and mortality in postmenopausal women.
- Further high-quality research is warranted to validate these findings and inform clinical practice.
Background:
Coronary atherosclerotic heart disease (coronary heart disease; CHD) is the leading cause of death in women worldwide, and the number of patients and deaths is increasing each year. Approximately 3.8 million women die from CHD every year globally. After menopause, estrogen levels decrease, and the risk of cardiovascular disease increases substantially; however, research on risk factors for CHD in postmenopausal women has been inconclusive.
Objective:
To systematically evaluate the risk factors for CHD in postmenopausal women.
Methods:
The PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL, CBM, CNKI, and VIP databases were searched up to February 9, 2024, for studies on risk factors for CHD in postmenopausal women. Two researchers independently screened the literature, extracted data, and evaluated the quality of the included literature. STATA17.0 software was used for meta-analysis.
Results:
Nine studies involving 29,4103 patients were included. The results of the meta-analysis showed that history of six or more pregnancies (hazard ratio = 1.538, 95% confidence interval: 1.241%-1.906%) was significantly associated with risk of CHD (P < 0.05).
Conclusion:
Multiple pregnancies are associated with CHD incidence and related mortality in postmenopausal women. In the future, more and higher quality studies are needed to further verify this conclusion.
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