Menopause Is Associated With Lower Lung Function in Women With and Without HIV.
Rebecca A Abelman1, Fan Xia1, M Bradley Drummond2
1Departments of Medicine, and Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA.
Chest
|April 25, 2026
Summary
Menopause significantly impacts lung function in women aged 41-50, particularly those with HIV. Estrogen depletion
Area of Science:
- Pulmonology
- Women's Health
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Menopause accelerates lung function decline in women without HIV.
- The effect of menopause on lung function in women with HIV (WWH) is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between menopausal phase and lung function in women with and at-risk for HIV.
- To determine if menopause modifies lung function decline in WWH.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional analysis of 1,206 participants from the Women's Interagency HIV Study.
- Pulmonary function tests (spirometry, DLco) analyzed by age group (41-50, 51-60) and menopausal phase (pre/early peri-, late peri-, postmenopausal).
- Linear regression models adjusted for demographic, clinical, and behavioral factors.
Main Results:
- HIV was associated with lower diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLco) but not FEV1 or FVC.
- In women aged 41-50, late perimenopause and postmenopause were associated with significantly lower FEV1 and FVC compared to pre/early perimenopause.
- Late perimenopause was linked to lower DLco in women aged 41-50; no clear difference was observed in postmenopause.
Conclusions:
- Menopausal phase is significantly associated with lung function in women, including WWH, independent of age.
- Estrogen depletion's role in altering lung function warrants further investigation.
- Findings highlight the importance of considering menopausal status in assessing lung health in WWH.
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