Abstract
Although oral contraceptives (OCs) are widely used, few national epidemiological studies have evaluated the association between OC use and serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels in Korean women. This population-based cross-sectional study was conducted with data from the 2015–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. In the sample of 5332 premenopausal women aged ≥19 years, hs-CRP concentrations were 1.087 mg/L among OC users and 0.953 mg/L among OC non-users. After adjustment for confounders, OC users had an increased likelihood of having risky (>1.0 mg/L) hs-CRP levels (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.58; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.25–1.98) compared with OC non-users. In addition, the aOR for high-risk (>3.0 mg/L) hs-CRP levels in OC users compared with non-users was 1.51 (95% CI, 1.06–2.16). These findings demonstrate that OC use alters the concentration of hs-CRP, a biomarker of chronic low-grade inflammation, and suggest that long-term OC use is a risk factor in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases, including cardiovascular diseases.
Highlights
With the recent expansion of access to contraception and a decrease in unmet needs for family planning, the worldwide prevalence of contraceptive use among women of childbearing age has increased to about 60% [1]
The mechanisms underlying the association between Oral contraceptives (OCs) use and the incidence of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) have not been elucidated in detail, there is some evidence that OC use leads to chronic low-grade inflammation, as indicated by increases in high-sensitivity C-reactive protein concentrations [8,9,10]
Logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for risky and high-risk high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) statuses [vs. low risk] in OC users compared with the reference group (OC non-users)
Summary
With the recent expansion of access to contraception and a decrease in unmet needs for family planning, the worldwide prevalence of contraceptive use among women of childbearing age has increased to about 60% [1]. The mechanisms underlying the association between OC use and the incidence of CVDs have not been elucidated in detail, there is some evidence that OC use leads to chronic low-grade inflammation, as indicated by increases in high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) concentrations [8,9,10]. Few studies have been conducted to examine the association between OC use and the hs-CRP level as an indicator of CVD risk in Korean women of childbearing age. This study was performed to assess this association in premenopausal Korean women using data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES)
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