Chinese Postmenopausal Women Research Articles

Associations of Bone Mineral Density with Lean Mass, Fat Mass, and Dietary Patterns in Postmenopausal Chinese Women: A 2-Year Prospective Study.

ObjectiveTo assess factors associated with bone mineral density (BMD) in postmenopausal women in a longitudinal study, and to examine the relative contribution of lean mass, fat mass, dietary patterns, and years since menopause to BMD.MethodsTwo hundred and eighty-two postmenopausal women were randomly selected from Hongqi Community Health Center, in Harbin City, China. All participants were followed up from 2009 to 2011. Dietary data were collected using a Food Frequency Questionnaire. BMD of the left hip, the lumbar spine, and the total body, and the body composition were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry at baseline and follow-up.ResultsLean mass and fat mass were positively associated with BMD of the spine, hip, and the total body at both baseline and follow-up. The association between fat mass and BMD at the spine at baseline (P = 0.210) and at the spine (P = 0.116) and hip (P = 0.073) in the second year was not statistically significant when height was adjusted. Six dietary patterns were identified but only cereal grains-fruits pattern (P = 0.001 in the spine, P = 0.037 in hip) and milk-root vegetables pattern (P = 0.010 in hip) were associated with BMD of the spine and hip. The linear mixed model of follow-up data showed that lean mass, years since menopause, and age of menophania were the significant determinants of BMD of all sites. Moreover, lean mass was the best determinant of BMD (VIP = 1.936).ConclusionLean mass, years since menopause, age of menophania and dietary patterns are the important determinants of BMD of the spine, hip, and the total body. Lean mass is the best determinant of BMD.

An Epidemiological Study of Risk Factors of Thyroid Nodule and Goiter in Chinese Women.

Thyroid nodule (TN) and goiter are two common disorders of the thyroid. Despite their benign nature, both conditions can be associated with multiple pathologic conditions including thyroid cancer. In this study, we conducted a large-scale epidemiological study in Chinese women to identify the risk factors implicated in the occurrence of TN and goiter. We analyzed demographic data, lifestyle, medical history, body height, weight, waist circumference, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, serum glucose and lipids. In addition, thyroid ultrasonography was performed for all subjects. Our results showed that age, menopause, waist circumference, BMI, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and hyperglycemia were associated with both TN and goiter. Furthermore, we found that the prevalence of TN was significantly affected by the medical management of hypertension. Our study suggests that postmenopausal Chinese women with advanced age, obesity, diabetes, and hypertension have an increased awareness of thyroid examination in the annual physical check. Conversely, patients with TN and goiter of the same population may have a higher incidence of age- and obesity-related metabolic disorders.

Physical performance and life quality in postmenopausal women supplemented with vitamin D: a two-year prospective study.

To investigate the effects of calcium and vitamin D supplementation on bone turnover marker levels, muscle strength and quality of life in postmenopausal Chinese women. A total of 485 healthy postmenopausal Chinese women (63.44±5.04 years) were enrolled in this open-label, 2-year, prospective, community-based trial. The participants were divided into group A, B, C, which were treated with calcium (600 mg/d) alone, calcium (600 mg/d) and cholecalciferol (800 IU/d) or calcium (600 mg/d) and calcitriol (0.25 μg/d), respectively, for 2 years. Serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, parathyroid hormone, β-CTX and P1NP were measured, and the muscle strength and quality of life were assessed at baseline and at 12- and 24-month follow-ups. Four hundred and sixty one participants completed this study. Serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D were significantly increased in group C, but not changed in groups A and B at 24-month follow-up. Serum levels of parathyroid hormone, bone turnover marker β-CTX and bone formation marker P1NP were significantly decreased in group C, while serum levels of β-CTX were increased in group A at 24-month follow-up. The participants in group C maintained the grip strength, while those in groups A and B exhibited decreased grip strength at 24-month follow-up. The quality of life for the participants in groups B and C remained consistent, but that in group A was deteriorated at 24-month follow-up. Supplementation with calcitriol and calcium modifies the bone turnover marker levels, and maintains muscle strength and quality of life in postmenopausal Chinese women, whereas supplementation with cholecalciferol and calcium prevents aging-mediated deterioration in quality of life.

Serum ferritin levels are associated with carotid atherosclerosis in Chinese postmenopausal women: the Shanghai Changfeng Study.

Postmenopausal women are at increased risk of CVD: the increased serum ferritin level may be involved in the pathogenesis. The aim of the present study is to investigate the relationship of ferritin and carotid atherosclerosis in postmenopausal women. A total of 1178 postmenopausal women (mean age, 60·8 years) were enrolled from the Changfeng Study. A standard interview, anthropometric measurements and laboratory analyses were performed for each participant. Bilateral CIMT (carotid intima-media thickness) were measured using ultrasonography, and the presence of carotid plaques was assessed. Serum ferritin was measured using electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. The results showed that serum ferritin was 181·9 (sd 65·8)ng/ml in the postmenopausal women. Multivariate, linear, stepwise regression analysis demonstrated that age (standardised β=0·233, P<0·001), alanine transaminase (standardised β=0·194, P<0·001), log homeostasis model assessment index for insulin resistance (standardised β=0·181, P<0·001), TAG (standardised β=0·083, P=0·003), Hb (standardised β=0·080, P=0·004) and PPG (2-h glucose levels following a 75-g oral glucose challenge) (standardised β=0·079, P=0·004) were independently associated with serum ferritin. Compared with the ferritin level of subjects in the first quartile, that in the fourth quartile had greater CIMT, and higher prevalence of carotid plaque. After adjusting for conventional CVD risk factors, Hb, leucocytes, log urine albumin:creatinine ratio and liver function, the ferritin level of postmenopausal women in the fourth quartile had a 1·587-fold increased risk of carotid plaques relative to those in the lowest quartile. In conclusion, these results suggest that serum ferritin is independently and positively associated with carotid atherosclerosis in postmenopausal women and that ferritin may be implicated in atherosclerosis.

Abstract LB-090: Estrogen metabolism within the human lung: impact of tumorigenesis, tobacco smoke, gender and race

Abstract Previous data from this group demonstrate that the murine lung can metabolize estrogen. Production of 4-hydroxyestrogens (4-OHEs), putative carcinogens, is elevated within the lungs of females vs. males and accelerated by tobacco smoke exposure. The goal of this study was to assess the ability of the human lung to metabolize estrogen and determine if metabolism is altered either during lung tumorigenesis or by tobacco smoke, gender or race. Urine and lung tissue, tumor (T) and adjacent normal (N), were obtained from surgical non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients (men and women). Urine was also collected from healthy postmenopausal Caucasian and Chinese American women. Estrogen synthesis (CYP17A1, CYP21, HSD17B3 and HSD17B7) and metabolism (CYP1B1, GSTA4, GSTT1, NQO1 and COMT) genes were expressed in 50-100% of the lung specimens (T and N), as determined by qRT-PCR. Transcripts for CYP19 and HSD3B1 were detected only in tumors, while levels of HSD17B3 (produces testosterone) were lower in tumor vs. normal tissue (P = 0.02). To determine the functional significance of the detected expression, the level of estrogen and its metabolites (EMs) were measured in human lung tissue by LC-MS2. Analyses of paired specimens (T and N) from NSCLC patients (18 women, 15 men) revealed 3 estrogens (E1, E2, E3) and 6 estrogen metabolites (2-OHE1, 2-OHE2, 4-OHE1, 4-OHE2, 2-OMeE1, 2-OMeE2). Levels of each EM were higher in tumors than in adjacent normal tissue and in tissue (T and N) from women as compared to men (P&amp;lt;0.05). 4-OHEs were a larger proportion of the total EMs in lung tumors (from men and women) than in matching normal lung tissue (P = 0.03), suggesting a shift towards the carcinogenic 4-hydroxylation pathway during tumorigenesis. In addition, 4-hydroxylation was increased in normal lung tissue from female current (n = 10) vs. never (n = 9) smokers (P = 0.004), with similar trends observed in urine (P = 0.04). P values were based on Wilcoxon tests. Based on the elevated risk of lung cancer among nonsmoking Chinese American women, the urinary EM profile of healthy, never-smoking Chinese vs. Caucasian American women (age 55 - 65) matched for age and body mass index (20/group) was compared. The level of 4-OHEs (4-OHEs/total EMs) in the urine of postmenopausal Chinese women was 1.8-fold higher than that of Caucasian women (P = 0.015), suggesting estrogen metabolism may contribute to racial differences in lung cancer susceptibility. In summary, these data demonstrate that the human lung can metabolize estrogen, in particular to produce 4-OHEs. A shift towards 4-hydroxylation during lung tumorigenesis may contribute to the risk conferred by smoking, gender or race. Future studies will confirm these results in a larger population and evaluate the utility of urinary EM profiles as noninvasive biomarkers for the early detection of lung cancer. (Supported by the Estate of Jane Villon, the Kitty Jackson Fund, and Aurora and Timothy Hughes.) Citation Format: Jing Peng, Xia Xu, William E. Smith, Sibele I. Meireles, Stacy L. Mosier, Guo Zhang, Shumenghui Zhai, Xiang Ma, Michael J. Slifker, Karthik Devarajan, Mindy S. Kurzer, Grace X. Ma, Margie L. Clapper. Estrogen metabolism within the human lung: impact of tumorigenesis, tobacco smoke, gender and race. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-090. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-LB-090

SOST polymorphisms and response to alendronate treatment in postmenopausal Chinese women with osteoporosis.

To investigate the association between SOST gene polymorphisms and response to alendronate treatment. 639 Chinese postmenopausal women with osteoporosis or osteopenia received alendronate treatment. Polymorphisms of SOST were analyzed. Bone mineral density (BMD), serum ALP and β-CTX levels were measured. The correlation of SOST polymorphisms with changes of BMD and bone biomarkers after treatment was analyzed. rs1234612 and rs851054 polymorphisms were correlated to baseline lumbar spine BMD (p < 0.05). After 12 months of treatment rs1234612 and rs865429 polymorphisms were correlated to BMD changes at the lumbar spine (p < 0.05) or femoral neck (p < 0.05), respectively. The polymorphisms of SOST are genetic factors affecting bone health and response to alendronate in Chinese postmenopausal women.

Evaluation of common variants in CNR2 gene for bone mineral density and osteoporosis susceptibility in postmenopausal women of Han Chinese.

Postmenopausal osteoporosis is a major health problem with important genetic factors in postmenopausal women. We thoroughly evaluated the relationship of CNR2 polymorphisms with osteoporosis in a cohort of 1032 osteoporosis patients and 2089 healthy controls from Han Chinese postmenopausal women. Statistically significant differences, depending on different genotypes, were presented. Osteoporosis is a major health problem in postmenopausal women, which is a multifactorial disease in which genetic determinants are modulated by hormonal, environmental, and nutritional factors. An important clinical risk factor in the pathogenesis of osteoporosis is the presence of genetic polymorphism in susceptibility genes. The aim of our study was to investigate whether CNR2 gene, which attributes to osteoporosis susceptibility in some populations, is associated with bone mineral density (BMD) or osteoporosis in Han Chinese postmenopausal women. We examine 39 SNPs covering the region of CNR2 gene in 3121 Han Chinese postmenopausal women, consisting of 1032 osteoporosis patients and 2089 healthy controls, to evaluate the association with BMD and osteoporosis. We found that rs4237 and rs2501431 were significantly associated with BMD and osteoporosis (corrected p = 0.020085 and 0.017199) in our sample, and the TT genotype of rs2501431 and the AA genotype of rs4237 had lower lumbar spine BMD and femoral neck BMD compared with the other genotypes. Additionally, analyses by haplotypes indicated that two haplotype blocks, containing rs4237 and rs2501431 respectively, in the CNR2 gene significantly associated with BMD and osteoporosis (both global permutation p < 0.001), and a risk haplotype (ATTT) in the block of rs3003336-rs2501431-rs2502992-rs2501432 had almost 4-fold increase in the cases. Our results provide further supportive evidence for an important role of CNR2 gene in the etiology of osteoporosis and suggest that it may be a genetic risk factor for BMD and osteoporosis in Han Chinese postmenopausal women.

Identification of miR-194-5p as a potential biomarker for postmenopausal osteoporosis

The incidence of osteoporosis is high in postmenopausal women due to altered estrogen levels and continuous calcium loss that occurs with aging. Recent studies have shown that microRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in the development of osteoporosis. These miRNAs may be used as potential biomarkers to identify women at a high risk for developing the disease. In this study, whole blood samples were collected from 48 postmenopausal Chinese women with osteopenia or osteoporosis and pooled into six groups according to individual T-scores. A miRNA microarray analysis was performed on pooled blood samples to identify potential miRNA biomarkers for postmenopausal osteoporosis. Five miRNAs (miR-130b-3p, -151a-3p, -151b, -194-5p, and -590-5p) were identified in the microarray analysis. These dysregulated miRNAs were subjected to a pathway analysis investigating whether they were involved in regulating osteoporosis-related pathways. Among them, only miR-194-5p was enriched in multiple osteoporosis-related pathways. Enhanced miR-194-5p expression in women with osteoporosis was confirmed by quantitative reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction analysis. For external validation, a significant correlation between the expression of miR-194-5p and T-scores was found in an independent patient collection comprised of 24 postmenopausal women with normal bone mineral density, 30 postmenopausal women with osteopenia, and 32 postmenopausal women with osteoporosis (p < 0.05). Taken together, the present findings suggest that miR-194-5p may be a viable miRNA biomarker for postmenopausal osteoporosis.

Association between serum osteocalcin level and visceral obesity in Chinese postmenopausal women.

A low serum osteocalcin level, visceral obesity and postmenopausal status are recognized risk factors for cardiovascular disease. We investigated the relationship between the serum osteocalcin level and visceral fat content in a population of Chinese postmenopausal women. In total, 1481 postmenopausal women (mean age ± standard deviation, 57·1 ± 4·8 years) were selected from the Shanghai Obesity Study. Abdominal fat accumulation was quantified using magnetic resonance imaging. Subjects with a visceral fat area (VFA) of ≥80 cm(2) were classified as abdominally obese. The total serum osteocalcin level was measured by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. The median serum osteocalcin level was 20·66 μg/l (interquartile range, 16·88-25·42 μg/l). The overall prevalence of abdominal obesity was 49·1% (n = 727). Abdominally obese subjects had lower serum osteocalcin levels than did nonabdominally obese subjects [19·14 (16·02-23·82) vs 21·97 (18·14-26·77) μg/l, respectively; P < 0·001]. Partial correlation analysis showed that the serum osteocalcin level was still negatively correlated with VFA after adjusting for age, years since menopause and body mass index (P < 0·01). Moreover, VFA was independently associated with the serum osteocalcin level after adjustment for confounding factors (P < 0·05). A low serum osteocalcin level was an independent risk factor for abdominal obesity (odds ratio, 0·972; 95% confidence interval, 0·953-0·991; P = 0·004). The serum osteocalcin level was inversely correlated with the visceral fat content in these Chinese postmenopausal women.

Whole plant foods intake is associated with fewer menopausal symptoms in Chinese postmenopausal women with prehypertension or untreated hypertension.

Nutritional factors have been suggested to be associated with menopausal symptoms (MS). However, the role of overall diet in MS has seldom been examined in Asian populations. This study aims to examine the association of dietary patterns with MS in Chinese postmenopausal women. This was a cross-sectional study of 726 women with prehypertension or untreated hypertension who attended the screening visit for a soy trial. Dietary data were collected using a validated food frequency questionnaire containing 85 food items. Principal components factor analysis was used to derive dietary patterns based on 11 food groups. Factors were rotated by orthogonal transformation. Menopause-related symptoms were assessed by a 20-item validated and structured checklist. Three dietary patterns were identified: processed foods, whole plant foods, and animal foods. Higher tertile of whole plant foods (P for trend <0.05) or lower tertile of processed foods (P for trend <0.05) was associated with fewer MS in a dose-dependent manner. Multivariate linear regression analyses showed that whole plant foods scores were negatively associated with MS scores, even after adjustments for a range of potential confounders (P < 0.01). Logistic regression analyses showed that whole plant foods intake was associated with a significant reduction in risk for nonvasomotor symptoms only. Our study demonstrates that high intake of whole plant foods is independently associated with fewer nonspecific MS. Further evidence from well-designed prospective studies is required to confirm this finding.

Abstract P1-13-07: A phase III study of fulvestrant 500 mg versus 250 mg in postmenopausal Chinese women with advanced breast cancer and disease progression following failure on prior antiestrogen or aromatase inhibitor therapy: Supporting superior clinical benefit for the

Abstract Background: In the international Phase III COmparisoN of Faslodex In Recurrent or Metastatic breast cancer (CONFIRM) study, fulvestrant 500 mg was associated with significantly longer progression-free survival (PFS) over the 250 mg dose (hazard ratio [HR] 0.80; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.68, 0.94; p=0.006) in postmenopausal women with advanced breast cancer (ABC) following failure on prior endocrine therapy. There were no clinically meaningful differences between the treatment groups in terms of the incidence or severity of adverse events. The present study was designed to compare the efficacy and safety of fulvestrant 500 mg versus 250 mg in a Chinese population for registration purposes. Methods: This was a Phase III randomized, double-blind study in a Chinese population (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01300351). Postmenopausal women with estrogen receptor positive (ER+) ABC following failure on prior endocrine (antiestrogen [AO] or aromatase inhibitor [AI]) therapy were randomized 1:1 to fulvestrant 500 mg or 250 mg. Patients (pts) were stratified by post-AO/post-AI status and enrollment of post-AI pts was capped at 45%. Primary study endpoint was PFS. Consistency with the global CONFIRM study was to be concluded if the HR for the treatment comparison of PFS was &amp;lt;1 (full analysis set; stratified log-rank test); the study was not powered to detect significant differences between treatment groups. Secondary endpoints included pharmacokinetics, ORR, CBR, DoR, DoCB, safety and tolerability. Results: 221 pts were randomized to fulvestrant 500 mg (n=111) or fulvestrant 250 mg (n=110). 121 pts were in the post-AO subgroup and 100 pts were in the post-AI subgroup. Demographic and baseline characteristics were balanced between fulvestrant 500 mg and fulvestrant 250 mg and comparable with those in the global CONFIRM study. 98% (119/121) in the post-AO subgroup and 92% (92/100) in the post-AI subgroup had adjuvant endocrine therapy, while only 12% (14/121) in the post-AO subgroup and 51% (51/100) in the post-AI subgroup used salvage endocrine therapy. At the time of the primary analysis, 152 progression events (69%) had occurred (post-AO 59% [71/121]; post-AI 81% [81/100]). Median PFS was 8.0 months (m) in the fulvestrant 500 mg group vs 4.0 m in the 250 mg group (HR 0.75; 95% CI 0.54, 1.03; p=0.078); the predefined criterion for consistency with the global CONFIRM study was met. In a predefined subgroup analysis of PFS, the HR for fulvestrant 500 mg vs 250 mg was &amp;lt;1 in both post-AO (median PFS 8.1 m vs 5.6 m; HR 0.86; 95% CI 0.54, 1.37) and post-AI (median PFS 5.8 m vs 2.9 m; HR 0.65; 95% CI 0.42, 1.03) subgroups. Secondary endpoints favored fulvestrant 500 mg over 250 mg, with the exception of median DoR. Safety and tolerability profiles were consistent with the known safety profile of fulvestrant. Conclusions: Data from the present study support the superior clinical benefit of fulvestrant 500 mg vs 250 mg demonstrated in the global CONFIRM study, in postmenopausal Chinese women with ER+ ABC. Hazard ratios favoring fulvestrant 500 mg were observed in both the post-AO and post-AI settings. Citation Format: Zefei Jiang, Qingyuan Zhang, Zhimin Shao, Kunwei Shen, Li Li, Jifeng Feng, Zhongseng Tong, Kangsheng Gu, Xiaojia Wang, Binghe Xu, Guofang Sun, Huifang Chen, Yuri Rukazenkov. A phase III study of fulvestrant 500 mg versus 250 mg in postmenopausal Chinese women with advanced breast cancer and disease progression following failure on prior antiestrogen or aromatase inhibitor therapy: Supporting superior clinical benefit for the [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Seventh Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2014 Dec 9-13; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(9 Suppl):Abstract nr P1-13-07.

Inverse association of serum vitamin D in relation to carotid intima-media thickness in Chinese postmenopausal women.

ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the relationship between serum vitamin D level and carotid intima-media thickness (C-IMT) in Chinese postmenopausal women.MethodsNine hundred and twenty six Chinese postmenopausal women without carotid artery plaque or history of cardiovascular disease were selected for analysis. Measurements of serum 25 hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH)D3) concentration and C-IMT were made by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay and B-mode ultrasound, respectively. Trend analysis was conducted according to tertiles of C-IMT.ResultsThe median serum 25(OH)D3 level was 11.03 ng/mL, with an interquartile range of 8.22–14.70. A decreasing trend of serum 25(OH)D3 level was accompanied by increased C-IMT tertiles (P for trend = 0.001). Correlation analysis found an inverse relationship between serum 25(OH)D3 level and C-IMT (r = –0.113, P = 0.001). After adjustment for confounding factors, multiple regression analysis showed that serum 25(OH)D3 level independently and negatively associated with C-IMT (Standard β = –0.112, P < 0.001). Moreover, the inverse correlation of serum 25(OH)D3 with C-IMT was also found in a subgroup of women with normal glucose tolerance, blood pressure and body mass index, and without undergoing lipid-lowering therapy (standard β = –0.140, P = 0.018).ConclusionsSerum 25(OH)D3 level was inversely correlated with C-IMT in Chinese postmenopausal women.

Association of gene polymorphisms in RANKL/RANK/OPG system with hypertension and blood pressure in Chinese women

Recent studies have revealed that the receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappa B ligand/RANK/osteoprotegerin (RANKL/RANK/OPG) system has an important role in vascular calcification, which is contributory to various cardiovascular diseases and intimately linked to the regulation of blood pressure. Therefore, we performed a case-control study to investigate the associations of 21 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the TNFSF11, TNFRSF11A and TNFRSF11B genes in the RANKL/RANK/OPG system with hypertension and blood pressure in post-menopausal Chinese women. In this study, 503 hypertensive patients and 509 normal controls were recruited. Genotyping was performed using the high-throughput Sequenom genotyping platform. The results showed that two SNPs (rs6567270 and rs4603673) in the TNFRSF11A were associated with hypertension (P=0.010 and P=0.013, respectively) and systolic blood pressure (P=0.024 and P=0.023, respectively). One SNP (rs9646629) in the TNFRSF11A showed significant association with diastolic blood pressure (P=0.031). The results of this study suggest that TNFRSF11A but not TNFSF11 and TNFRSF11B genetic variation is associated with hypertension and blood pressure in Chinese women. The findings provide additional support for the genetic role of RANKL/RANK/OPG system in hypertension and blood pressure regulation.

Effect of whole soy and purified daidzein on ambulatory blood pressure and endothelial function--a 6-month double-blind, randomized controlled trial among Chinese postmenopausal women with prehypertension.

Although observational studies suggest that soy foods or isoflavones are cardio-protective, clinical trials on whole soy or isoflavone daidzein (one major isoflavone and the precursor of equol) on blood pressure (BP) and endothelial function (EF) are few and have not been specifically conducted among equol producers, a population most likely to benefit from soy treatment. We performed a 6-month double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial to examine the effect of whole soy (soy flour) or purified daidzein on BP and EF in prehypertensive or untreated hypertensive postmenopausal women verified to be equol producers. A total of 270 eligible women were recruited and randomized to either one of the three treatment groups, 40 g soy flour (whole soy group), 40 g low-fat milk powder+63 mg daidzein (daidzein group) or 40 g low-fat milk powder (active control group) daily, each given as a solid beverage powder for 6 months. The primary outcome measures were 24 h ambulatory BP (ABP) and EF assessed by flow-mediated dilation using brachial artery ultrasound. A total of 253 subjects completed the study according to protocol. Urinary isoflavones indicated good compliance with the interventions. Intention to treat and per-protocol analysis indicated that there was no significant difference in the 6-month changes or % changes in parameters of ABP and brachial flow-mediated dilation among the three treatment groups. A further subgroup analysis among hypertensive women (n=138) did not alter the conclusions. Whole soy and purified daidzein had no significant effect on BP and vascular function among equol-producing postmenopausal women with prehypertension or untreated hypertension.

Serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D and functional outcome among postmenopausal women with hip fracture.

ObjectiveThe main objective of the current study was to assess the distribution and its prognostic value of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH] D) levels assessed at admission in Chinese postmenopausal women with hip fracture.MethodsFrom January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2013, all postmenopausal women with first-ever hip fracture were recruited to participate in the study. Serum 25[OH] D levels were measured at admission. The functional evaluation at the time of discharge was performed by the Barthel Index (BI). The prognostic value of 25[OH] D to predict the functional outcome within discharge was analyzed by logistic regression analysis, after adjusting for the possible confounders.ResultsIn our study, 261 patients were included and assessed. In the 76 patients with an unfavorable functional outcome, serum 25(OH) D levels were lower compared with those in patients with a favorable outcome [11.8(IQR, 9.9–16.1)ng/ml; 16.8(IQR, 13.6–21.4)ng/ml, respectively; P<0.0001]. In multivariate analysis, there was an increased risk of unfavorable outcome associated with serum 25(OH) D levels ≤ 20ng/ml (OR 5.24, 95%CI: 3.11–8.15; P<0.0001) after adjusting for possible confounders.ConclusionsOur data support an association between serum 25[OH] D levels and prognosis in Chinese postmenopausal women with hip fracture.

Serum vitamin D levels are inversely related with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease independent of visceral obesity in Chinese postmenopausal women.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between serum vitamin D levels and both visceral adipose and with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in Chinese postmenopausal women. Four hundred and fifty-one postmenopausal women between 45 and 74 years of age (mean (± SD) age 57.3 ± 4.6 years) were enrolled in the study. All subjects participated in the Shanghai Obesity Study between June and August 2011 and underwent abdominal magnetic resonance imaging and an abdominal ultrasonography. Patients with a visceral fat area (VFA) ≥ 80 cm(2) were classified as abdominally obese. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH)D3 ) levels were measured with an electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. The prevalence of NAFLD in the study population was 34.8% (n = 157). Women with abdominal obesity had significantly lower serum 25(OH)D3 levels than those without abdominal obesity (median (interquartile range) 11.23 (8.64-14.12) vs 12.56 (9.41-15.98) ng/mL, respectively; P < 0.01). Regardless of abdominal obesity status, serum 25(OH)D3 levels in patients with NAFLD were lower than those without non-NAFLD (11.14 (8.63-13.81) vs 12.92 (9.48-16.37) ng/mL (P < 0.05) for those without abdominal obesity; 10.86 (8.61-13.56) vs 11.55 (8.82-16.38) ng/mL (P < 0.05) for those with abdominal obesity). Partial correlation analyses demonstrated a negative correlation between serum 25(OH)D3 levels and VFA (P < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis revealed that high serum 25(OH)D3 levels were a protective factor against NAFLD after adjusting for risk factors such as VFA. In conclusion, independent of visceral obesity, vitamin D is inversely correlated with NAFLD in Chinese postmenopausal women.

Screening for and treatment of osteoporosis: construction and validation of a state-transition microsimulation cost-effectiveness model

This study aimed to document and validate a new cost-effectiveness model of osteoporosis screening and treatment strategies. The state-transition microsimulation model demonstrates strong internal and external validity. It is an important tool for researchers and policy makers to test the cost-effectiveness of osteoporosis screening and treatment strategies. The objective of this study was to document and validate a new cost-effectiveness model of screening for and treatment of osteoporosis. A state-transition microsimulation model using a lifetime horizon was constructed with seven Markov states (no history of fractures, hip fracture, vertebral fracture, wrist fracture, other fracture, postfracture state, and death) describing the most important clinical outcomes of osteoporotic fractures. Tracker variables were used to record patients' history, such as fracture events, duration of treatment, and time since last screening. The model was validated for Chinese postmenopausal women receiving screening and treatment versus no screening. Goodness-of-fit analyses were performed for internal and external validation. External validity was tested by comparing life expectancy, osteoporosis prevalence rate, and lifetime and 10-year fracture risks with published data not used in the model. The model represents major clinical facets of osteoporosis-related conditions. Age-specific hip, vertebral, and wrist fracture incidence rates were accurately reproduced (the regression line slope was 0.996, R(2) = 0.99). The changes in costs, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness were consistent with changes in both one-way and probabilistic sensitivity analysis. The model predicted life expectancy and 10-year any major osteoporotic fracture risk at the age of 65 of 19.01 years and 13.7%, respectively. The lifetime hip, clinical vertebral, and wrist fracture risks at age 50 were 7.9, 29.8, and 18.7% respectively, all consistent with reported data. Our model demonstrated good internal and external validity, ensuring it can be confidently applied in economic evaluations of osteoporosis screening and treatment strategies.

Effects of estradiol–drospirenone on menopausal symptoms, lipids and bone turnover in Chinese women

Objective To investigate the effects of a hormone replacement preparation containing 1 mg estradiol plus 2 mg drospirenone on menopausal symptoms, blood lipids, and bone turnover markers in postmenopausal women.Methods A prospective, self-controlled trial was conducted in 64 Chinese postmenopausal women aged 45–60 (mean 52.5 ± 3.37) years who were treated with estradiol–drospirenone for at least 6 months. The Kupperman index, blood lipid concentrations, bone mineral density, and bone turnover markers were measured before (baseline) and at 1, 3, and 6 months after treatment.Results In comparison with baseline, the Kupperman index score was significantly improved at 1, 3, and 6 months after estradiol–drospirenone treatment (20.57 ± 6.52 vs. 16.37 ± 5.19, 13.34 ± 4.52, and 12.70 ± 4.42, respectively; all p < 0.01). After 6 months of treatment, concentrations of low density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, and total cholesterol were significantly decreased, high density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations were significantly increased (all p < 0.05), and bone mineral densities of the lumbar spine and hip were significantly improved (both p < 0.001 compared with baseline). At both 3 and 6 months after treatment, bone alkaline phosphatase concentrations were significantly decreased compared with baseline (61.14 ± 12.38 IU/l and 58.77 ± 11.35 IU/l, respectively, vs. 65.81 ± 14.75 IU/l; p < 0.05), as were tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase concentrations (5.99 ± 2.98 IU/l and 4.90 ± 2.90 IU/l, respectively, vs. 6.15 ± 3.02 IU/l; p < 0.05).Conclusion Estradiol–drospirenone effectively alleviates menopausal symptoms and also has beneficial effects on blood lipids and bone metabolism.

The influence of vitamin D receptor genetic variants on bone mineral density and osteoporosis in Chinese postmenopausal women.

Growing evidence indicates that the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene is an important candidate gene for influencing the development of osteoporosis. The aim of the study was to evaluate the potential association between genetic variants of VDR gene and bone mineral density (BMD) and osteoporosis in Chinese postmenopausal women. The study included 970 Chinese postmenopausal women at the postmenopausal osteoporosis (482) and healthy controls (488). The BMD of lumbar spine (L2–4 anterior-posterior view), femoral neck hip, and total hip was evaluated using the Norland XR-46 dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). The genotypes of VDR genetic variants were determined by the created restriction site-PCR (CRS-PCR) and confirmed by DNA sequencing methods. Our data indicated that the VDR p.Glicine (Gly)14 alanine (Ala) and p.histidine (His) 305 glutanine (Gln) genetic variants were statistically associated with adjusted femoral neck hip BMD, adjusted lumbar spine BMD, and adjusted total hip BMD (P values < 0.05). Results from this study suggest that the VDR p.Gly14Ala and p.His305Gln genetic variants are significantly associated with BMD decrease in Chinese postmenopausal women and might be used as molecular markers for assessing the risk of BMD and osteoporosis.

HLA-A gene polymorphisms contribute to osteoporosis susceptibility in postmenopausal Han Chinese women.

Osteoporosis is a common disease characterized by low bone mineral density, deterioration in bone microarchitecture, and increased fracture risk and is more prevalent in postmenopausal women. HLA is a complex gene family; previous studies have shown that it plays an important role in the pathogenesis of osteoporosis among Japanese and Greek populations. Prompted by these findings, this study was designed to explore the associations between HLA-A gene polymorphisms and postmenopausal osteoporosis in the Han Chinese population. The polymerase chain reaction-sequence-based typing method was used for DNA genotyping at the HLA-A locus in 70 patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis and 73 healthy controls. We identified 17 HLA-A alleles in patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis and 20 HLA-A alleles in control subjects. Furthermore, we found that the frequency of the HLA-A* 02:07 allele was significantly higher in patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis than in control subjects (P = 0.023), and the relative risk was 4.065 (95% confidence interval = 1.109-14.893). Our study provides supportive evidence for the contribution of HLA-A gene polymorphisms to the susceptibility to postmenopausal osteoporosis and suggests that HLA-A* 02:07 is likely an important genetic risk factor for postmenopausal osteoporosis in the Han Chinese population.