RELATION OF SEX-HORMONES AND DEHYDROEPIANDROSTERONE-SULFATE (DHEA-SO4) TO CARDIOVASCULAR RISK-FACTORS IN POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN

Sex hormones play a major role in determining the risk of cardiovascul ar disease. While several studies have shown that reduced sex hormone- binding globulin is associated with an atherogenic pattern of lipoprot eins and increased glucose concentrations in premenopausal women, litt le data are available examining the association of sex hormone-binding globulin and sex hormones with cardiovascular risk factors in postmen opausal women, a group with high rates of cardiovascular disease. The investigators hypothesized that in postmenopausal women decreased sex hormone-binding globulin and increased testosterone would be associate d with an atherogenic pattern of cardiovascular risk factors. The sex hormone-binding globulin, total and free testosterone, estrone, and de hydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-SO4 in 253 postmenopausal women who were not taking hormones were measured in a population-based study, t he Beaver Dam Eye Study (Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, 1988-1990). Sex hormon e-binding globulin was significantly inversely correlated with body ma ss index (r = -0.53, p < 0.001), glycosylated hemoglobin (r = -0.34, p < 0.001), and diastolic blood pressure (r = -0.25, p < 0.01), and pos itively correlated with high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL chol esterol) (r = 0.31, p < 0.001), and HDL cholesterol/total cholesterol (r = 0.31,p < 0.001). Total (r = -0.20, p < 0.01) and free (r = -0.14, p < 0.05) testosterone were significantly inversely correlated with H DL cholesterol/total cholesterol ratio. Total testosterone concentrati ons were also significantly positively correlated with total cholester ol (r = 0.15), body mass index (r = 0.16), and systolic fr = 0.17) and diastolic (r = 0.18) blood pressures (all p < 0.01). DHEA-SO, was not associated with any of the metabolic variables, while estrone was inv ersely associated only with the HDL cholesterol/total cholesterol rati o (r = 0.13, p < 0.05). The authors conclude that increased androgeniz ation in postmenopausal women is associated with atherogenic changes i n cardiovascular risk factors.