The relationship of menopausal status and rapid menopausal transition with carotid intima-media thickness progression in women: a report from the Los Angeles Atherosclerosis Study.

Description

The aim of this paper was to investigate the relationship between the menopausal transition and progression of carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) as a measure of preclinical cardiovascular disease (CVD). The study population included 203 community-based women aged 45-60 years without CVD who underwent three repeated assessments over a 3-year observational period. Results showed a progression in cIMT among all subgroups of women, the age-adjusted progression rates being similar in premenopausal, transitioning, and postmenopausal women. However, women undergoing a more rapid menopausal transition had higher levels and progression of cIMT than those who transitioned more slowly, this relationship being independent of traditional cardiovascular risk factors and hormone therapy use. These results suggest that the rapidity of the menopausal transition, not menopause alone, appears to be the critical factor related to CVD risk.