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Abstract
Background: The menopausal transition may have significant consequences for respiratory health, risk of chronic respiratory disease and management strategies.
Objective: To systematically summarize the literature regarding the impact of menopause status on respiratory health outcomes.
Methods: PubMed was searched systematically to identify population-based studies investigating the associations between menopause status and respiratory outcomes including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), respiratory symptoms and lung function.
Results: Ten publications were identified for full review. Evidence on menopause and asthma was conflicting, while studies on COPD were scarce. The findings generally support an association between menopause and clinically significant reductions in lung function in a non-obstructive pattern. However, the effects of menopause are clouded by aging, menopausal hormone therapy use, and increased risk of metabolic syndrome during this period.
Conclusions: As the global burden associated with respiratory conditions continues to rise, the need to understand the associations between menopause and respiratory health is essential to identify potentially modifiable risk factors for respiratory disease in adult women. More studies are needed to clarify the impact of menopause on obstructive lung disease.
Conflict of interest
Susan Davis has received honoraria from Pfizer, Besins Healthcare and Abbott for unrelated work. Michael Abramson holds investigator initiated grants from Pfizer and Boehringer-Ingelheim for unrelated research. He has also received assistance from Sanofi with conference attendance. David Handelsman has held investigator-initiated institutional grants from Besins and Lawley for studies of clinical testosterone pharmacology. All other authors have no competing interests to declare.