Vasomotor hot flushes and 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure in recently post-menopausal women

Figures & data

Table I. Base-line characteristics (mean ± SD or median and range) of recently post-menopausal women. The free estradiol index was calculated as the ratio: estradiol (nmol/L) × 100 / sex hormone-binding globulin (nmol/L).

	Patients (n = 147)
	No hot flushes(n = 23)	Mild(n = 33)	Moderate(n = 30)	Severe(n = 61)
Hot flush weekly weighted score	0.0 (0.0–0.0)^a	4.0 (0.5–9.5)^a	21.5 (10.0–99.5)^a	156.6 (104.5–452.5)^a
Age (years)	53.0 ± 2.0	52.6 ± 1.7	52.4 ± 2.4	52.0 ± 2.2
Weight (kg)	63.5 ± 9.4	63.8 ± 5.8	63.0 ± 8.3	62.7 ± 8.6
Height (cm)	165.6 ± 5.3	165.1 ± 5.4	165.4 ± 5.7	165.7 ± 6.7
Body mass index (kg/m^2)	23.0 ± 2.6	23.3 ± 1.9	22.9 ± 2.3	22.8 ± 2.4
Serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (mU/L)	2.0 ± 0.8	2.1 ± 1.0	2.2 ± 1.3	2.1 ± 1.0
Time since last menstruation (months)	22.0 (8.0–40.0)	22.0 (7.0–36.0)	19.5 (6.0–36.0)	13.0 (6.0–36.0)
Serum follicle-stimulating hormone (IU/L)	71.6 (36.6–188.0)	76.2 (35.4–177.0)	71.3 (30.0–156.0)	68.2 (30.7–113.0)
Estrone (pmol/L)	101.0 (61.0–483.0)	102.0 (65.0–474.0)	105.5 (58.0–568.0)	113.0 (49.0–255.0)
Estradiol (pmol/L)	40.0 (20.0–300.0)	40.0 (20.0–340.0)	40.0 (20.0–490.0)	40.0 (20.0–360.0)
Free estradiol index (%)	0.10 (0.02–0.50)	0.10 (0.02–0.30)	0.10 (0.02–0.40)	0.10 (0.02–0.50)

^aThe groups differed only in the hot flush weekly weighted score (P < 0.001).

Figure 1. Mean contours of ambulatory systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate over 24 hours in women with no (n = 23), mild (n = 33), moderate (n = 30), or severe (n = 61) hot flushes. There were no differences between groups (P > 0.05).

Table II. Average ambulatory blood pressure, heart rate and nocturnal dipping. Data presented as mean ± SD, number of subjects, or percentages of group totals. There were no differences between groups (P > 0.05).

	Patients (n = 147)
	No hot flushes(n = 23)	Mild(n = 33)	Moderate(n = 30)	Severe(n = 61)
Systolic blood pressure (mmHg)
Awake	122.9 ± 7.2	117.8 ± 9.6	120.1 ± 11.1	120.7 ± 10.1
Sleep	102.8 ± 9.0	99.1 ± 8.1	101.1 ± 10.3	102.6 ± 9.7
Diastolic blood pressure (mmHg)
Awake	80.1 ± 5.0	77.5 ± 6.9	79.6 ± 6.6	79.1 ± 6.7
Sleep	64.6 ± 6.5	63.0 ± 6.7	64.3 ± 6.6	64.2 ± 6.6
Pulse pressure (mmHg)
Awake	42.7 ± 5.5	40.1 ± 5.3	40.4 ± 7.2	41.6 ± 6.7
Sleep	38.2 ± 5.5	36.2 ± 5.1	36.8 ± 6.1	38.4 ± 5.8
Heart rate (beats/minute)
Awake	73.7 ± 6.9	71.9 ± 7.4	72.6 ± 7.1	73.0 ± 9.0
Sleep	59.2 ± 7.8	58.5 ± 7.9	57.6 ± 5.1	58.9 ± 7.5
Dipping status
Absolute (mmHg)	−20.1 ± 6.2	−18.7 ± 6.6	−18.9 ± 7.5	−18.1 ± 7.7
Relative (%)	−16.4 ± 4.9	−15.7 ± 4.9	−15.6 ± 5.7	−14.9 ± 5.9
Relative ≥10%	21 (91.3%)	29 (87.9%)	27 (90.0%)	50 (82.0%)

Figure 2. The impact of severe night-time hot flushes on ambulatory blood pressure and heart rate during 44 hot flush episodes in 26 women. Data are presented as mean ± SD. A P-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.