Exploring the causal association between body composition and primary ovarian insufficiency: A retrospective cohort...

Primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) is a significant gynecologic condition characterized by menstrual irregularities, sex hormone imbalances, and reduced fertility. Understanding the nature of body composition changes in POI patients is crucial for elucidating its pathologic mechanisms and guiding treatment and management strategies.

This study employed a retrospective research approach to comprehensively analyze body composition measurements of 1157 POI patients. The Mendelian randomization method served as an inferential tool to assess the causal relationship between body composition indices and POI risk. The heterogeneity and pleiotropy of the results were appraised to ensure the robustness of the causal relationship.

POI patients exhibited significant deviations in various body composition indices from the normal range. Specifically, 76.9% of POI patients displayed an abnormal "Fat" indicator, and 94.6% had a "waist-to-hip ratio (WHR)" exceeding the normal range, particularly among those under 30 years of age. Mendelian randomization analysis further corroborated a significant causal association between "body mass index (BMI, calculated as weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters)" and "age at menopause (last menstrual period)" (OR = 1.014, 95% CI: 1.00-1.03, p = 0.021), indicating that abnormal menstrual status resulting from alterations in body composition may contribute to the development of POI.

Several lipid metabolism indices in POI patients were outside the normal range observed in the general population. Among these, increased BMI may be an independent factor in the increased risk of POI, suggesting that a genetic predisposition to POI may play a role by influencing body composition. Clinically, monitoring and managing lipid metabolism and BMI levels should be integral components of POI prevention and management strategies.