Soy, isoflavones, and prevalence of allergic rhinitis in Japanese women: the Osaka Maternal and Child Health Study

BACKGROUND: It has been hypothesized that isoflavones reduce the risk of many chronic diseases, but there are no data on the effects of dietary soy and isoflavone consumption on allergic disorders. OBJECTIVE: This cross-sectional study examined the relationship between dietary soy products and isoflavone intake and the prevalence of allergic rhinitis. METHODS: Study subjects were 1002 Japanese pregnant women. Allergic rhinitis (including cedar pollinosis) was defined as present if subjects had received drug treatment at some point during the previous 12 months. Adjustment was made for age; gestation; parity; cigarette smoking; passive smoking at home and at work; indoor domestic pets; family history of asthma, atopic eczema, and allergic rhinitis; family income; education; mite allergen level in house dust; changes in diet in the previous month; season when data were collected; and body mass index. RESULTS: Compared with dietary intake of total soy product, soy protein, daidzein, and genistein in the first quartile, consumption of these substances in the fourth quartile was independently associated with a reduced prevalence of allergic rhinitis, although no significant dose-response relationships were observed. A clear inverse linear trend for miso intake across quartiles was found, whereas the adjusted odds ratio for comparison of the highest with the lowest quartile was not statistically significant. Consumption of tofu, tofu products, fermented soybeans, boiled soybeans, and miso soup was not related to the prevalence of allergic rhinitis. CONCLUSION: A high intake of soy and isoflavones may be associated with a reduced prevalence of allergic rhinitis.     

The relationship between QTc changes and nutrition during weight loss after gastroplasty

Electrocardiograms, serum electrolytes, plasma concentrations of pre-albumin and retinol-binding globulin, and dietary intakes were analyzed in 22 women during weight loss after gastroplasty surgery for morbid obesity. QT interval corrected for heart rate (QTc) was prolonged (greater than 0.44 sec) in 32% (95% confidence limits 14-55%) on one or more occasions. No clinical or electrocardiographic complications were seen. Occurrence of QTc prolongation was significantly (p less than 0.05) associated with protein intake below recommendation and with low plasma pre-albumin concentrations. QTc prolongation was not associated with mineral intake and occurred in spite of normal serum levels of calcium (uncorrected and albumin-corrected), magnesium, potassium and sodium. Because QTc prolongation may precede fatal arrhythmias, adequate protein intake is mandatory during weight reduction.     

The role of magnesium in the aetiology and prevention of caries: some new findings and implications

While some epidemiological studies seem to indicate that a high intake of magnesium should be associated with a low prevalence of dental caries, the results of experimental studies are mainly equivocal. Magnesium is probably not bound to the apatite lattice of dental enamel or dentine, or it is bound to a small degree only. It is mainly located in the hydration layer of the apatite crystallites. In the dental caries process it is preferentially dissolved together with the carbonate of the mineral phase. It is not known to what extent feasible dietary changes can modify tooth magnesium content during pre-eruptive tooth development. Animal experiments indicate that the elevation of dietary magnesium alone after tooth eruption has no definite capacity to modify the occurrence of dental caries. When fed in combination with small fluoride supplements in the diet magnesium and fluoride may support each other in preventing various calcium salt imbalances such as dental caries, arteriosclerosis and nephrocalcinosis. Although some recent in vitro findings indicate that extra magnesium in the fluid environment of cariogenic streptococci may protect them against the inhibitory action of fluoride, such magnesium changes do not seem possible in the human mouth under present or envisaged dietary conditions.     

Magnesium intake and bone mineral density in young adult women

The purpose of this study was to determine a possible association between magnesium intake and bone mass in young adult women. Subjects consisted of 106 female university students aged 19-25 years. Calcium and magnesium intakes were evaluated using the duplicate sampling method on three weekdays. Spinal and femoral bone mineral density (BMD) was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Mean magnesium intake was 139 mg/day (median 127, SD 54). The correlation between magnesium intake and BMD was of borderline significance (r = 0.175, p = 0.073) for the femoral neck, and was insignificant (r = 0.084, p = 0.391) for the lumbar spine. However, the partial correlation between magnesium intake and BMD of the femoral neck (r = -0.027, p = 0.788), adjusted for calcium intake, was not significant. In conclusion, we did not find an association between magnesium intake and bone mass in young women, and calcium intake needs to be included as an important, potential confounding factor when exploring such an association.     

Comparison of Lipid-Related Ratios for Prediction of Chronic Kidney Disease Stage 3 or More in Korean Adults

Dyslipidemia is implicated in increased cardiovascular risk associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and in the progression of renal damage. This study compared 4 different lipid-related ratios (total cholesterol [TC]/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-C], triglyceride [TG]/HDL-C, calculated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol [c-LDL-C]/HDL-C, and non-HDL-C/HDL-C ratio) for prediction of CKD stage 3 or more to investigate the association between them. This cross-sectional study included 8,650 adults who participated in the 2007-2008 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The overall prevalence of CKD stage 3 or more was 6.4%. For TG/HDL-C, the prevalence with CKD stage 3 or more increased with increasing quartile group in both sexes (P value for trend = 0.046 in men, 0.002 in women) while other lipid-related ratios showed increasing prevalence only in women. In comparison with the lowest quartile of the lipid-related ratios, only the fourth quartile of TG/HDL-C was associated with the prevalence of CKD stage 3 or more in both sexes after adjustment for multiple covariates (odds ratio [OR] for TG/HDL-C-Q₄, 1.82; 95% CI [confidence interval], 1.09-3.03 in men, OR 2.45; 95% CI, 1.52-3.95 in women). In conclusion, TG/HDL-C is the only lipid-related ratio that is independently associated with CKD stage 3 or more in both sexes of Koreans.     

Dietary glycemic index and load and the risk of postpartum depression in Japan: the Osaka Maternal and Child Health Study

BACKGROUND: Given suggestions that postpartum depression may be due to the sudden fall in insulin levels occurring after delivery via a decrease in serotonergic function, this condition might be alleviated by a high-glycemic index (GI) diet, which would stimulate the secretion of insulin and thereby facilitate the transport of tryptophan, the precursor of serotonin, in the brain. We examined the association between dietary GI and glycemic load (GL) and postpartum depression. METHODS: Subjects were 865 Japanese women. Dietary GI and GL were assessed during pregnancy using a validated, self-administered, comprehensive diet history questionnaire. Postpartum depression was defined as present when the subject had an Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale score of > or =9 at 2-9 months postpartum. RESULTS: A total of 121 women (14.0%) were classified as having postpartum depression. After adjustment for potential confounding factors, no evident dose-response association between dietary GI and postpartum depression was observed (P for trend=0.18). However, compared with dietary GI in the first quartile, dietary GI in the third quartile, but not the fourth quartile, was significantly associated with a decreased risk of postpartum depression (multivariate odds ratio: 0.56, 95% confidence interval: 0.32-0.995). There was no evident independent association for dietary GL (P for trend=0.13). LIMITATIONS: Dietary data collected during pregnancy rather than postpartum were used. CONCLUSIONS: This preliminary study failed to substantiate a clear inverse relationship between dietary GI and GL and postpartum depression. Considering the plausibility of the proposed mechanism, however, further investigation using postpartum dietary data is warranted.     

Effect of Socio-Economic Status on the Prevalence of Diabetes

Purpose

As Korean society has become industrialized and westernized, the prevalence of diabetes has increased rapidly. Environmental factors, especially socio-economic status (SES), may account for the increased prevalence of diabetes. We evaluated the associations between the prevalence of diabetes and SES as reflected by household income and education level.

Materials and Methods

This study was based on data obtained from the fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, conducted in 2010-2012. Diabetes referred to a fasting plasma glucose ≥126 mg/dL in the absence of known diabetes, previous diagnosis of diabetes made by a physician, and/or current use of oral hypoglycemic agents or insulin.

Results

Household income and education level were inversely associated with the prevalence of diabetes among individuals aged 30 years or older. These associations were more prominent in females aged 30-64 years. According to household income, the odds ratio (OR) [95% confidence interval (CI)] for the lowest quartile group versus the highest quartile group was 4.96 (2.87-8.58). According to education level, the OR (95% CI) for the lowest quartile group versus the highest quartile group was 8.02 (4.47-14.4).

Conclusion

Public policies for the prevention and management of diabetes should be targeted toward people of lower SES, especially middle-aged females.     

Dietary folate and vitamins B12, B6, and B2 intake and the risk of postpartum depression in Japan: the Osaka Maternal and Child Health Study

BACKGROUND: Previous studies showed an inverse association between folate intake and depression. However, epidemiological evidence for folate intake and postpartum depression is unavailable. This prospective study examined the relationship of dietary consumption of folate and B vitamins during pregnancy with the risk of postpartum depression. METHODS: Study subjects were 865 Japanese women. Dietary data were obtained during pregnancy from a validated self-administered diet history questionnaire. Postpartum depression was defined as present when subjects had an Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale score of 9 or higher between 2 and 9 months postpartum. Adjustment was made for age, gestation, parity, cigarette smoking, alcohol intake, family structure, family income, education, changes in diet in the previous 1 month, season when data at baseline were collected, body mass index, time of delivery before the second survey, medical problems in pregnancy, baby's sex, and baby's birth weight. RESULTS: Postpartum depression developed in 121 subjects (14.0%) 2 to 9 months postpartum. There was no measurable association between intake of folate, cobalamin, or pyridoxine and the risk of postpartum depression. Compared with riboflavin intake in the first quartile, only riboflavin consumption in the third quartile was independently related to a decreased risk of postpartum depression (multivariate odds ratio: 0.53, 95% CI: 0.29-0.95, P for trend=0.55). LIMITATIONS: Personal and family psychiatric history, sociocultural factors, and personal and family relations were not controlled for. The possibility of misclassification of dietary information during pregnancy should be considered. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that moderate consumption of riboflavin may be protective against postpartum depression.     

Urinary cortisol excretion as a predictor of incident cognitive impairment

Elevated glucocorticoid levels have been associated with cognitive impairment, including dementia. However, few longitudinal studies have examined the association between resting cortisol levels and the incidence of cognitive impairment. We measured overnight urinary excretion of cortisol in 538 high-functioning men and women, 70-79 years of age, in 1988, and assessed their cognitive functioning in 1988, 1991, and 1995 using the short portable mental status questionnaire (SPMSQ). Compared to participants in the bottom quartile of urinary cortisol at baseline, those in the top three quartiles had higher risk of incident cognitive impairment over the 7-year follow up (i.e., decline in SPMSQ score to below six out of nine). This association was not affected by adjustment for age, gender, education level, ethnicity, smoking, prevalent cardiovascular disease, and blood pressure (adjusted odds ratio for the highest quartile 2.34, 95% confidence interval, 1.07-5.14). There was no effect modification by gender; the association was equally strong in men and women. We conclude that urinary excretion of cortisol predicts incident cognitive impairment in older men and women.     

Risk of congenital anomalies associated with antithyroid treatment during pregnancy: a meta-analysis

To evaluate the association of either propylthiouracil or methimazole treatment for hyperthyroidism during pregnancy with congenital malformations, relevant studies were identified by searching Medline, PubMed, the Cochrane Library and EMBASE.We intended to include randomized controlled trials, but no such trials were identified. Thus, we included cohort studies and case-control studies in this meta-analysis.A total of 7 studies were included in the meta-analyses. The results revealed an increased risk of birth defects among the group of pregnant women with hyperthyroidism treated with methimazole compared with the control group (odds ratio 1.76, 95% confidence interval 1.47–2.10) or the non-exposed group (odds ratio 1.71, 95% confidence interval 1.39–2.10). A maternal shift between methimazole and propylthiouracil was associated with an increased odds ratio of birth defects (odds ratio 1.88, 95% confidence interval 1.27–2.77). An equal risk of birth defects was observed between the group of pregnant women with hyperthyroidism treated with propylthiouracil and the non-exposed group (odds ratio 1.18, 95% confidence interval 0.97–1.42). There was only a slight trend towards an increased risk of congenital malformations in infants whose mothers were treated with propylthiouracil compared with in infants whose mothers were healthy controls (odds ratio 1.29, 95% confidence interval 1.07–1.55). The children of women receiving methimazole treatment showed an increased risk of adverse fetal outcomes relative to those of mothers receiving propylthiouracil treatment.We found that propylthiouracil was a safer choice for treating pregnant women with hyperthyroidism according to the risk of birth defects but that a shift between methimazole and propylthiouracil failed to provide protection against birth defects.     

Tooth count in elderly women in relation to their skeletal status

OBJECTIVES: Generalized bone loss may contribute to the development of tooth loss in elderly individuals. The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship of tooth count with hip and spine densitometry and phalangeal quantitative ultrasound (QUS) measurements and to compare skeletal status between women completely and partially edentulous and between women with caries or periodontal disease. METHODS: In the study, 67 postmenopausal women (37 edentulous and 30 with partial tooth loss) in the mean age of 62.8+/-7.2 years were evaluated. No reasons with potential influence on bone metabolism (chronic diseases or medications) were noted. In order to reveal the role of the factor underlying tooth loss, all patients were also divided into subjects with caries (n=27) and periodontal disease (n=40). Skeletal status was assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) at the hip and spine (bone mineral density-BMD [g/cm(2)]) and by QUS at the hand proximal phalanges (amplitude-dependent speed of sound-Ad-SoS [m/s]). RESULTS: Women completely and partially edentulous did not differ significantly but a tendency to have lower values in women completely edentulous was noted. Comparisons between women with caries and periodontitis also did not show any significant differences (except for significantly lower Z-score of Ad-SoS in women with caries). Tooth count correlated only with hip BMD: in the whole group (r=0.25-0.30, p=0.04-0.01) and in women with caries (r=0.45-0.51, p=0.02-0.006). In women with periodontitis tooth count correlated only with Ad-SoS (r=0.36, p=0.002). CONCLUSION: Associations between dental and skeletal status indicate that systemic bone loss in skeletal sites being mostly cortical may contribute to the tooth loss.     

Lupus anticoagulants, anticardiolipin antibodies, and fetal loss. A case-control study

BACKGROUND. Lupus anticoagulants and anticardiolipin antibodies are antiphospholipid antibodies that have been associated with fetal loss, but they have not been shown unequivocally to be a risk factor for this event. METHODS. To estimate the risk of fetal loss in association with these antibodies, we conducted a hospital-based case-control study of 331 women with spontaneous abortion or fetal death (case patients) and 993 controls. The subjects were included in the study only if they reported that they had had no previous spontaneous fetal loss. Each control was a pregnant woman who, in the same period of pregnancy as a case patient, had not had a fetal loss. Lupus anticoagulants were identified in blood samples through a series of coagulation tests, and IgG anticardiolipins by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Each subject was interviewed in person to obtain information on potential confounding variables, such as sociodemographic characteristics and medical conditions. RESULTS. Lupus anticoagulants were found in blood from 17 case patients (5.1 percent) and 38 controls (3.8 percent). The crude odds ratio for the association between lupus anticoagulants and fetal loss was 1.36 (95 percent confidence interval, 0.75 to 2.43); the odds ratio adjusted for confounders was 1.42 (95 percent confidence interval, 0.72 to 2.80). An IgG anticardiolipin level of 5 units or more was found in 4 case patients (1.2 percent) and 15 controls (1.5 percent). The crude and adjusted odds ratios for fetal loss were 0.80 (95 percent confidence interval, 0.26 to 2.41) and 1.28 (95 percent confidence interval, 0.38 to 4.21), respectively. CONCLUSIONS. There is not apparent justification for considering lupus anticoagulants or IgG anticardiolipins to be risk factors for fetal loss among women who present with spontaneous abortion or fetal death and have had no previous spontaneous fetal loss.     

老年女性骨密度与左心室肥厚的相关性

背景：老年女性心血管事件发生率增加与骨量减少相关,左心室肥厚是明确的心血管事件独立危险因素,这两者在发病机制上可能相关。 目的：探讨老年女性骨量与左心室质量指数的相关关系。 方法：选取老年女性受试者157例,按照骨密度分组,分为骨量正常组、骨量减少和骨质疏松组。进行病史询问及临床检查,测定生化指标,完成股骨骨密度和腰椎骨密度测定,进行超声心动图检查,计算得出左室质量指数。进行单因素方差分析和多因素多元线性回归分析。 结果与结论：随着骨量减少,左室质量指数逐渐增大,左心室肥厚发生率上升,差异有显著性意义(P < 0.05)。以左室质量指数为因变量,多元线性回归分析显示,年龄、收缩压、高血压病程、腰椎骨密度或股骨骨密度与左室质量指数独立相关。结果提示在老年女性人群中,骨密度可能是影响左室质量指数的独立危险因素。     

Caffeine intake, CYP1A2 polymorphism and the risk of recurrent pregnancy loss

Some case-control studies have demonstrated that caffeine intake and high CYP1A2 activity increase risks of recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) but the multifactorial effect is obscure. To investigate whether susceptible women who have more caffeine intake are at high risk of RPL, a case-control study of 58 cases with two or more RPL and fertile 147 controls was performed. The association between daily caffeine intake together with CYP1A21F (AA versus CA and CC) genotype and RPL was assessed. Without consideration of the genotype, there were no significant differences of the RPL risk in proportion to daily caffeine intake [less than 100 mg (reference); 100-299 mg: odds ratio (OR), 1.29; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.66-2.50; 300 mg or more: OR, 1.82; 95% CI, 0.72-4.58; P for trend, 0.20]. However, the RPL risk significantly increased only among women who had homozygous CYP1A21F alleles with a dosage effect of daily caffeine intake [less than 100 mg (reference); 100-299 mg: OR, 1.94; 95% CI, 0.57-6.66; 300 mg or more: OR, 5.23; 95% CI, 1.05-25.9; P for trend, 0.03]. It was demonstrated for the first time that an increase in caffeine intake deteriorates the fecundity among susceptible women.     

Fatty acids in serum cholesteryl esters in relation to asthma and lung function in children

BACKGROUND: Dietary fatty acid intake has been proposed to contribute to asthma development with n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) having a detrimental and n-3 PUFA a protective effect. OBJECTIVE: The aim of our analysis was to explore the relationship between fatty acid composition of serum cholesteryl esters as marker of dietary intake and prevalence of asthma, impaired lung function and bronchial hyper-responsiveness in children. METHODS: The study population consisted of 242 girls and 284 boys aged 8-11 years, living in Munich, Germany. Data were collected by parental questionnaire, lung function measurement and skin prick test according to the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood phase II protocol. Confounder-adjusted odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated for the association between quartiles of fatty acid concentration and health outcomes with the first quartile as reference. RESULTS: n-3 PUFA: levels of eicosapentaenoic acid were not related to asthma and impaired lung function. Linolenic acid levels were positively associated with current asthma (OR for fourth quartile 3.35, 95% CI 1.29-8.66). Forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV(1)) values decreased with increasing levels of linolenic acid (p for trend=0.057). n-6 PUFA: there was a strong positive association between arachidonic acid levels and current asthma (OR(4th quartile) 4.54, 1.77-11.62) and a negative association with FEV(1) (P=0.036). In contrast, linoleic acid was negatively related to current asthma (OR(4th quartile) 0.34, 0.14-0.87) and FEV(1) values increased with increasing levels of linoleic acid (P=0.022). The ratio of measured n-6 to n-3 PUFA as well as levels of palmitic and oleic acid were not consistently related to asthma or lung function. CONCLUSION: Our data do not support the hypothesis of a protective role of n-3 PUFA. Elevated arachidonic acid levels in children with asthma may be because of a disturbed balance in the metabolism of n-6 PUFA or may be secondary to inflammation in these patients.     

Association of the CT gene (CA) polymorphism with BMD in osteoporotic Mexican women

Calcitonin (CT) plays a role in the pathogenesis of osteoporosis and genetic variations in or adjacent to the CT gene may be associated with loss of bone mineral density (BMD). The correlation between a dinucleotide (cytosine-adenine) repeat polymorphism at the CT locus and BMD was examined in 70 osteoporotic women, 70 non-osteoporotic women and 500 subjects from the Mexican population. The allele A and genotype AA frequencies were significantly higher in osteoporotic women than in non-osteoporotic women (60% vs 32%; p < 0.0001 and 41% vs 14%; p = 0.0007, respectively). Genotype AA was associated with the presence of osteoporosis [odds ratio 2.58; 95% confidence interval (CI); 1.62-4.12]. Likewise, the loss of lumbar BMD and T scores were related to the presence of allele A: subjects with a single A allele displayed lower values for lumbar BMD and T score (84.02% and -1.51, respectively) than those who do not present any A allele (89.61% and -0.88, respectively). Individuals with two alleles A showed the lowest lumbar BMD and T-score values (73.77% and -2.51, respectively). Analysis of potential confounder demonstrated that aging has a significant effect on osteoporosis development (odds ratio 1.1; 95% CI; 1.1052-1.152).     

Low-grade inflammation, metabolic syndrome and the risk of chronic kidney disease: the 2005 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Either chronic inflammation or metabolic syndrome (MetS) is associated with renal impairment. This cross-sectional study was designed to investigate the relationship between elevated white blood cell (WBC) counts and chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage 3 or more according to the presence of MetS in adult Koreans. In total, 5,291 subjects (≥ 20 yr-old) participating in the 2005 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination were included. CKD stage 3 or more was defined as having an estimated glomerular filtration rate below 60 mL/min/1.73 m(2), as calculated using the formula from the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease study. The odds ratio (95% confidence interval) for CKD stage 3 or more in the highest WBC quartile (≥ 7,200 cells/μL) was 1.70 (1.17-2.39) after adjusting for MetS and other covariates, compared with the lowest WBC quartile (< 5,100 cells/μL). In subjects with MetS, the prevalence risk for CKD stage 3 or more in the highest WBC quartile was 2.25 (1.28-3.95) even after fully adjusting for confounding variables. In contrast, this positive association between WBC quartile and CKD stage 3 or more disappeared in subjects without MetS. Low-grade inflammation is significantly associated with CKD stage 3 or more in subjects with MetS but not in those without MetS.     

Serum CA125 concentration has inverse correlation with metabolic syndrome

Serum carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA-125) is a marker of ovarian cancer and obesity that is related with an increased risk of ovarian cancer. Obesity is a key factor of metabolic syndrome. We evaluated the relationship between CA-125 concentration and metabolic syndrome. The data from subjects who had any cancer and chronic infection were excluded. The data of 12,196 healthy Korean women were analyzed. After CA-125 concentration was divided by quartiles, the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its components were compared. The lowest quartile of CA-125 compared with the highest quartile showed elevated values of most of metabolic parameters. In addition, as the quartile of CA-125 increased, metabolic derangement decreased. Increased numbers of metabolic syndrome components showed an inverse association with CA-125 levels (P < 0.001). The odds ratio (OR) for the lowest CA-125 quartile vs the highest CA-125 quartile significantly increased in the presence of metabolic syndrome (OR = 1.202, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] 1.013-1.423), elevated triglyceride (OR = 1.381, 95% CI 1.167-1.633), and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (OR = 1.168, 95% CI 1.039-1.312). The presence of metabolic syndrome, elevated triglyceride, or low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol negatively correlates with CA-125 concentration.     

Bone loss during menopausal transition among southern Chinese women

Objectives

Estrogen deficiency during menopausal transition is associated with rapid bone loss. The purpose of this study was to examine the time of onset, the rate, and predictors of menopausal bone loss.

Study design

Prospective data were analyzed from 160 Chinese women between the ages of 45 to 55 years who participated in the Hong Kong Osteoporotic Study.

Main outcome measures

All participants were studied yearly for 4 years. Demographic information, menstrual status according to the Stages of Reproductive Aging Workshop (STRAW), and lifestyle habits were recorded as well as bone mineral density (BMD) measured every visit. Baseline follicular stimulating hormone, sex hormone binding globulin, parathyroid hormones, C-terminal telopeptides of type 1 collagen, estradiol and testosterone were also measured.

Results

There was no significant bone loss at the spine, femoral neck and total hip in premenopausal women. Maximal bone loss occurred within the STRAW stage −2 and −1. Age at menopause, baseline age, body weight and FSH were independent predictors of bone loss. Subjects in the lowest quartile of baseline body weight (<50 kg) lost bone 2 times faster at spine compared with those in the highest quartile (>61 kg). Subjects in the highest quartile of baseline FSH (>40 IU/l) lost bone 1.3–2.3 times faster at all 3 sites compared with those in the lowest quartile (<5.8 IU/l).

Conclusion

Strategies to retard bone loss should be stressed to middle aged women, especially those with lean body built or with early menopause, to prevent osteoporosis later on in life.     

Thyroid stimulating hormone is associated with metabolic syndrome in euthyroid postmenopausal women

Objectives

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in euthyroid postmenopausal women.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study of 2205 Korean postmenopausal women. Subjects who were not euthyroid were excluded. Fasting TSH, free thyroxine (FT4), insulin, glucose, and the level of insulin resistance, estimated by the homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were measured. MetS was defined according to the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria.

Results

TSH levels were associated with total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides and diastolic blood pressure. Using a multiple linear regression analysis, LDL-cholesterol, and triglycerides levels were identified as independently associated with TSH. Multivariate logistic regression analysis determined that TSH levels strongly contributed to MetS. Compared with the lower most quartile (TSH, 0.3–1.44 mIU/L), the adjusted odds ratio for MetS was 1.95 in the upper most quartile (TSH, 2.48–4.00 mIU/L). The prevalence of MetS increased as the TSH quartile showed a gradual increase.

Conclusion

We found a close relationship between TSH and MetS in euthyroid postmenopausal women. Therefore, more attention should be focused on postmenopausal women with high normal TSH levels for the management of cardiovascular disease.