ASSOCIATIONS OF ALCOHOL, HEIGHT, AND REPRODUCTIVE FACTORS WITH SERUM HORMONE CONCENTRATIONS IN POSTMENOPAUSAL JAPANESE WOMEN - STEROID-HORMONES IN JAPANESE POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN

We measured serum levels of estradiol (E-2), sex hormone-binding globu lin SHBG), progesterone, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) in 61 postmenopausal women drawn from female residents in a community in Japan to evaluate the relationships between these hormone levels and potential breast cancer risk factors. The information on reproductive history, body size, alcohol use, and physical activity was obtained by means of a self-administered questionnaire. There was a significant t rend in increasing E-2 level with increasing height after taking accou nt of age and body mass index (BMI) (p for trend = 0.04). BMI was inve rsely associated with SHBG level after controlling for age (p for tren d = 0.01). Decreasing progesterone with increasing BMI was observed af ter controlling age and history of hysterectomy (P = 0.05). Alcohol co nsumption was positively associated with E-2 level and there was a str ong linear trend after controlling for age, height, and BMI (p for tre nd = 0.001). Trend for increasing DHEAS with alcohol consumption was a lso statistically significant after controlling for age and history of hysterectomy (p for trend = 0.01). Reproductive factors as well as ph ysical activity were not related to any of the hormone levels.