Endocrine Abstracts

POF is a disease of unclear origin affecting women under age 40. They are at high risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD).

The objective of this study was to compare the lipid status and atherogenic indexes - total cholesterol/high density lipoprotein (TC/HDL) and low density lipoprotein/HDL (LDL/HDL) - of women with POF with healthy women of the same age and the same BMI.

We evaluated 54 women in two groups. 1st group: 31 women with POF, mean age 29.55±4.3 years, mean BMI 22.4±2.78 kg/m², with laboratory proven menopausal levels of FSH and LH and on hormone replacement therapy (HRT). 2nd group: 23 healthy women, mean age 26.73±6.08 years, mean BMI 20.95±2.66 kg/m². Statistical analysis was performed with t-Test.

There was no difference in age and BMI between the groups, P>0.05. Mean TC in the 1st group was 5.33±0.71 mmol/l and in the 2nd 4.34±0.58 mmol/l. Mean HDL in the 1st group was 1.34±0.35 mmol/l and 1.42±0.29 mmol/l in the 2nd. Mean LDL in the 1st group was 3.53±0.47 mmol/l and 2.6±0.55 mmol/l in the 2nd. In the 1st group mean triglycerides were 1.21±0.53 mmol/l and in the 2nd 0.83±0.27 mmol/l. Mean TC/HDL in the 1st group was 4.21±1.09 and in the 2nd 3.16±0.57 and mean LDL/HDL in the 1st group was 2.83±0.87 and 1.89±0.51 in the 2nd. The difference between the 1st and the 2nd group was highly significant for TC, LDL and triglycerides as well as for atherogenic indexes TC/HDL and LDL/HDL, P<0.01. There was no difference between the groups for HDL.

Our results show that women with POF are at higher risk of CVD than healthy women of the same age and the same BMI. HRT is of essential importance for these women and according to our study it is necessary to check their lipid status on regular basis.