Postmenopausal Females (postmenopausal + female)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Post-dexamethasone cortisol correlates with severity of depression before and during carbamazepine treatment in women but not men

ACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 5 2001
Elizabeth A. Osuch
Objective: ,Previous studies show a state-dependent relationship between depression and post-dexamethasone suppression test (DST) cortisol level, as well as differences in DST response with age and gender. Method: ,In this study, 74 research in-patients with affective disorders were given the DST on placebo and in a subgroup following treatment with carbamazepine. Depression was evaluated twice daily with the Bunney,Hamburg (BH) rating scale. Data were examined for the total subject population, by gender and by menopausal status in women. Results: ,A robust positive correlation was observed between depression severity and post-DST cortisol in pre- and postmenopausal females, but not in males. This relationship persisted in women when restudied on a stable dose of carbamazepine (n=42). Conclusion: ,The pathophysiological implications of this selective positive relationship between severity of depression and post-DST cortisol in women, but not men, should be explored further. [source]


Effects of Low-Dose Prednisone on Bone Metabolism,

JOURNAL OF BONE AND MINERAL RESEARCH, Issue 3 2005
Francine N Ton MD
Abstract Prednisone 5 mg/day suppresses multiple indices of bone formation in a randomized placebo-controlled trial in healthy postmenopausal females. This suggests that even low doses of prednisone may reduce bone repair or renewal and may have adverse effects on bone mass and/or bone strength. Introduction: High doses of chronic glucocorticoids are known to have adverse effects on bone, and measures to prevent bone loss are well established for doses >7.5 mg daily, because these doses can cause premature or exaggerated osteoporosis. However, it is unclear if chronic prednisone doses of 5 mg daily have the same effects on bone. There are no established recommendations for preventing glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis in people taking prednisone 5 mg daily, a dose used frequently in medical practice to treat diseases of the lungs, joints, skin, muscles, eyes, nerves, etc. Our primary objective was to test whether prednisone 5 mg daily affects serum and urine indices of bone metabolism in healthy postmenopausal women. Our secondary objectives were to determine if prednisone 5 mg affected systolic or diastolic blood pressure or causes side effects. Materials and Methods: A double-blinded randomized placebo-controlled 8-week trial in 50 healthy postmenopausal women was conducted at the Massachusetts General Hospital Outpatient General Clinical Research Center. Patients were randomly assigned to prednisone 5 mg daily or matching placebo for 6 weeks, followed by a 2-week recovery phase. Markers of bone formation and resorption were determined at weeks 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8. Indices of osteoblast activity included serum propeptide of type I N-terminal procollagen (PINP), propeptide of type I C-terminal procollagen (PICP), osteocalcin, and bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BSALP). Indices of osteoclast activity included urine and serum type I collagen N-telopeptide (NTX) and free urinary deoxypyridinoline (DPD). Results and Conclusions: Prednisone rapidly and significantly decreased serum PINP (p < 0.01), PICP (p < 0.01), and osteocalcin (p < 0.01) and free urinary deoxypyridinoline (p = 0.017). These changes were largely reversed during the recovery period. Side effects were indistinguishable in the two groups. Neither systolic nor diastolic blood pressure changed significantly throughout the study between the two groups. In conclusion, low-dose prednisone significantly decreases indices of bone formation and may decrease indices of bone resorption in postmenopausal women. Further studies are needed to assess the effects of low-dose prednisone on BMD and fracture risk. [source]


Bone mineral density among cirrhotic patients awaiting liver transplantation

LIVER TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 5 2004
Rana Paramvir Sokhi
Osteoporosis is an important and common complication in patients with chronic liver disease. The goal of this study was to determine the bone mineral density (BMD) in different subgroups among pretransplant cirrhotic patients. BMD of the lumbar vertebrae (L) and femoral neck (F) were obtained in 104 consecutive cirrhotic patients. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to compare the BMD among various groups. The mean BMD in males (n = 54) and females (n = 50) at L were 1.28 ± 0.25 g/cm2 and 1.13 ± 0.20 g/cm2, respectively (P = .001); at F they were 1.03 ± 0.14 and 0.91 ± 0.17, respectively (P < .0001). Among males, BMD at L in Child-Turcotte-Pugh class B and C were 1.40 ± 0.21 and 1.13 ± 0.20, respectively (P = .001); at F they were 1.11 ± 0.10 and 0.93 ± 0.13, respectively (P < .0001). Among females, BMD at L in Child-Turcotte-Pugh class B and C were 1.27 ± 0.18 and 1.05 ± 0.16, respectively (P = .0003); at F they were 1.02 ± 0.16 and 0.83 ± 0.12, respectively (P = .001). The BMD in premenopausal females (n = 15) and postmenopausal females (n = 35) at L were 1.20 ± 0.19 and 1.11 ± 0.20, respectively (P = .15); at F they were 0.97 ± 0.17 and 0.88 ± 0.16, respectively (P = .12). The BMD in postmenopausal females on hormone replacement therapy (n = 19) and on no hormone replacement therapy (n = 16) at L were 1.07 ± 0.17 and 1.14 ± 0.23, respectively (P = .29); at F they were 0.85 ± 0.15 and 0.91 ± 0.18, respectively (P = .33). The BMD values between etiologic groups were not significantly different. The overall prevalence of osteopenia and osteoporosis were 34.6% and 11.5%, respectively, being significantly higher in females than in males. In conclusion, significant difference in BMD values exists between males and females, as well as between Child-Turcotte-Pugh class B and C patients with cirrhosis. In addition, there is no significant influence of menopausal status, hormone replacement therapy, and etiology of cirrhosis on BMD. (Liver Transpl 2004;10:648,653.) [source]


Relationships between adiponectin, leptin, and blood lipids in physically active postmenopausal females

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN BIOLOGY, Issue 5 2010
Toivo Jürimäe
The aim of this study was to investigate the possible relationships between adiponectin and leptin with blood lipids (CHOL, HDL-C, LDL-C, and TG) in physically active postmenopausal women. One hundred and thirty-four physically active practicing gymnastics (2,3 times per week) women between the ages of 51 to 85 years participated in this cross-sectional study. Body height, body mass, waist-to-hip circumference ratio (WHR), and BMI were used as anthropometrical parameters. Body composition parameters (fat%, fat mass, fat free mass) were measured by DXA. The fasting adiponectin, leptin, CHOL, HDL-C, LDL-C, and TG were measured. From the anthropometrical and body composition parameters, only WHR correlated significantly with adiponectin (r = ,0.306). In addition, adiponectin correlated with TG (r = ,0.277) and leptin (r = ,0.381). Leptin was positively related to body mass (r = 0.261), and BMI (r = 0.274) from anthropometrical parameters and body fat% (r = 0.288) and fat mass (r = 0.298) from body composition variables. No relationships emerged between leptin and blood lipids. We found that there are some significant relationships between adiponectin, leptin and anthropometrical and body composition parameters in physically active postmenopausal females. From blood lipids, only TG correlated significantly with adiponectin. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 22:609,612, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


Reproducible microvascular dysfunction with dobutamine infusion in Takotsubo cardiomyopathy presenting with ST segment elevation

CATHETERIZATION AND CARDIOVASCULAR INTERVENTIONS, Issue 5 2006
Stacy D. Brewington MD
Abstract Takotsubo (ampulla) cardiomyopathy, or broken heart syndrome, is an underrecognized cardiac illness that usually presents as an acute coronary syndrome in postmenopausal females. The disorder is frequently associated with episodes of mental or physical stress, implicating an abnormal cardiac response to increased catecholamines. Although death has been reported during the index event, the long-term prognosis is good with full recovery of left ventricular function. We present a case of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy mimicking anterior ST segment elevation myocardial infarction precipitated by dobutamine stress testing. Reinfusion of dobutamine in the catheterization laboratory reproduced symptoms with angiography and intravascular ultrasound supporting the theory of abnormal microvascular circulation as the etiology of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. Acute and delayed magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated no infarction with complete recovery of ventricular function. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]