Endocrine Abstracts

Menopause is a special period in women’s life when various physiological changes occur, for example, dyslipidemia, atherosclerosis, and decrease of BMD. During menopause, atherosclerosis and osteoporosis develop simultaneously. This period is typically characterized by increasing frequency of ischemic heart disease and myocardial infarction. The risk factors including atherogenic dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, smoking, low physical activity are common for the development of atherosclerosis and osteoporosis.

In Department of Clinical Physiology and Pathology of Locomotor Apparatus, Institute of Gerontology AMS Ukraine, 52 women aged 41–82 (average age is 63.96±9.5) were subdivided into groups based on the duration of posmenopausal period: I group (n=17) – up to 10 years; II group (n=17) – 10–19 years; III group (n=18) – 20 and more years. Bone mineral density (BMD) was determined by means of Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometer ‘Prodigy’ (GE Medical systems). Serum total cholesterol (Chol), triglyceride levels (Tr), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDC), low serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDC), very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDC) were measured.

The results showed a scarce positive correlation between the data of BMD and lipid profile data in patients of I group; strong negative correlation between Chol and Z-score of Femur neck (r=−0.7; P=0.002), BMD Femur neck and Chol (r=−0.49, P=0.04); LDC and BMD Femur neck in II group (r=−0.5; P=0.03); LDC and Z-score of Femur neck (r=−0.7; P=0.003) and strong positive correlation between whole data of BMD and atherogenic lipid profile data in III group: BMD Femur neck and LDC (r=0.73; P=0.001); BMD Total body and LDC (r=0.58, P=0.01); BMD Femur neck and Tr (r=0.73; P=0.001); BMD radius UD and Tr (r=0.85; P=0.0001). The results point to the necessity of prescribing hypolipidemic treatment to women of II group.