Relationship between serum homocysteine and different menopausal stage

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the serum level of homocysteine in menopausal women and to explore the association between menopausal status, blood lipids, and homocysteine concentrations.

Methods: The study recruited females aged 40–60 years who were not receiving menopausal hormone therapy. The demographic characteristics and menopausal status of the women were collected in the form of questionnaires. The study analyzed the association between hyperhomocysteinemia and variables using binary logistic stepwise regression.

Results: Among 366 enrolled subjects, menopausal status was divided into four stages: premenopause stage (n = 135), menopausal transition stage (n = 91), early postmenopause stage (n = 87), and late postmenopause stage (n = 53). The proportion of hyperhomocysteinemia in the premenopausal stage, menopausal transition stage, and postmenopausal stage was 43%, 26.4%, and 45%, respectively (χ² = 8.999, p = 0.011). The mean concentration of homocysteine was 9.75 µmol/l. The level of homocysteine was higher in the postmenopause stage than in the other stages (p = 0.043), and the difference between postmenopause and menopausal transition was statistically significant (p < 0.01). In the binary logic analysis, menopausal transition compared with postmenopause (odds ratio = 2.027, 95% confidence interval = 1.117–3.679, p = 0.005).

Conclusions: Serum homocysteine levels are associated with menopausal status. Homocysteine concentrations were progressively higher across menopausal stages. The transformation in the female body across the menopause transition stages may cause elevations in the homocysteine level in postmenopausal women.

摘要

目的：本研究旨在探究更年期女性血清同型半胱氨酸水平及更年期分期、血脂与同型半胱氨酸浓度之间的关系。

方法：研究纳入未接受过绝经激素治疗的40-60岁女性。通过问卷的方式获取研究对象的人口学特征及更年期分期。本研究采用Binary logistic多元逐步回归对高同型半胱氨酸血症与变量之间的关系进行分析。

结果：纳入366名受试者, 更年期分为四期：绝经前期（n=135）, 绝经过渡期（n=91）,绝经后早期（n=87）和绝经后晚期（n=53）。绝经前期、绝经过渡期、绝经后高同型半胱氨酸血症的比例分别是43%, 26.4%, 45% (χ2＝8.999, p＝0.011)。平均同型半胱氨酸浓度为9.75 mmol/l。绝经后同型半胱氨酸水平高于其他阶段(p＝0.043), 绝经后和绝经过渡期之间的差异具有显著统计学意义(p<0.01).。二元逻辑分析中, 绝经过渡期与绝经后相比（比值比＝2.027, 95%可信区间＝1.117—3.679, p＝0.005）。

结论：血清同型半胱氨酸水平与更年期分期相关。同型半胱氨酸浓度在绝经期逐渐升高。绝经过渡期女性身体的转变可能导致绝经后女性同型半胱氨酸水平的升高。

Keywords:

• Homocysteine
• menopause
• blood lipids
• cardiovascular and cerebrovascular risk factors

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the subjects enrolled in the study and also thank the Health Examination Center of Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People’s Hospital.

Contributions

M. Tao conceived and designed the study. Z. Zhu carried out the study and wrote the first draft. S. Jiang collected data and revised the manuscripts. J. Liu took part in the investigation. C. Li managed the data. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Potential conflict of interest

All authors expressed that they did not have competing interests.

Source of funding

This research was supported by grants from Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality [154119050202]; pre-research fund project of Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People’s Hospital [LY27.04.1642].