Postmenopausal Taiwanese Women Research Articles

Predictors of Memory Performance Among Taiwanese Postmenopausal Women With Heart Failure

BackgroundThere are no studies describing the nature of memory deficits among women with heart failure (HF). ObjectivesThe aims of this study were to examine memory performance among Taiwanese women with HF compared with age- and education-matched healthy women, and to evaluate factors that explain memory performance in women with HF. Methods and ResultsSeventy-six women with HF and 64 healthy women were recruited in Taiwan. Women completed working, verbal, and visual memory tests; HF severity was collected from the medical records. Women with HF performed significantly worse than healthy women on tests of working memory and verbal memory. Among women with HF, older age explained poorer working memory, and older age, higher HF severity, more comorbidities, and systolic HF explained poorer verbal memory. Menopausal symptoms were not associated with memory performance. ConclusionsResults of the study validate findings of memory loss in HF patients from the United States and Europe in a culturally different sample of women. Working memory and verbal memory were worse in Taiwanese women with HF compared with healthy participants. Studies are needed to determine mechanisms of memory deficits in these women and develop interventions to improve memory.

Depressive symptoms in Taiwanese women during the peri- and post-menopause years: Associations with demographic, health, and psychosocial characteristics

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of depressive symptoms in peri- and post-menopausal Taiwanese women, and to investigate the relation between depressive symptoms and demographic variables, chronic disease status, health habits, stress management, menopausal symptoms, and attitudes toward menopause and aging. Study designCross-sectional study, using a purposive sample of 566 women between 45 and 60 years of age from a medical center and residential community in Southern Taiwan. Main outcome measuresDemographic and health habits questionnaire, Women's Health Initiative Symptom Scale, Attitudes Toward Menopause and Aging Scale, and Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D). ResultsThe prevalence of depressive symptoms (CES-D score≧16) was 38.7% in peri- and post-menopausal Taiwanese women. Bivariate correlations and analyses of variance indicated that higher CES-D scores were related to lower family income, younger age, smoking for a greater number of years, consuming more alcohol, having multiple chronic diseases, not exercising regularly, consulting with a specialist for stress management, having more severe menopausal symptoms, and more negative attitudes toward menopause and aging. A stepwise multiple regression analysis indicated that the key predictors, accounting for 33.7% of the variance, were menopausal symptoms, attitudes toward menopause and aging, family income, and chronic disease status. ConclusionsResults highlight the importance of considering psychosocial factors, life style, and chronic disease management in providing health guidance for peri- and post-menopausal women to enhance their quality of life and reduce the risk of depressive symptoms.

Insufficient Deep-Colored Vegetable Intake Is Associated With Higher Fragility Fracture Rate in Postmenopausal Taiwanese Women

Osteoporosis-related fragility fracture is a major health issue in older adults. This study has been developed to investigate the relationship of lifestyle factors with fragility fracture prevalence in postmenopausal Taiwanese women. A total of 1050 postmenopausal women with a mean age of 66.7 ± 8.6 years who lived in the community in western Chiayi County in Taiwan was interviewed with a structured questionnaire collected personal data, lifestyle information and fracture history. Laboratory examinations provided biochemistry data. Fragility fractures were defined as those resulting from low energy impact. The relationship between fragility fracture prevalence and other variables was analyzed. The overall prevalence of fractures of all etiologies and fragility fracture were 18.7% and 9.7%, respectively. Wrist was the most common site of fragility fracture (48 cases). Fragility fracture prevalence in participants who rarely or did not consume deep-colored vegetables was significantly higher than that of those who often consumed deep-colored vegetables: 17.6% versus 9.0%, with an odds ratio of 1.96 (95% confidence interval: 1.05–3.68) by multivariate logistic regression analysis. Insufficient intake of deep-colored vegetables is associated with increased risk of fragility fracture.

Abstract A112: Time trend and spatial pattern in the use of hormone replacement therapy in Taiwan before and after WHI trial report

Abstract Background: In 2002, trial by Women's Health Initiative that reported the long-term risks of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) of postmenopausal women. Combined estrogen and progestin hormone use outweighed the benefit for women health. This study aimed to examine the time trend and spatial patterns of HRT use and determine whether the declines occurred in Taiwan. Methods: The present study analyzed HRT utilization and influencing factors by the postmenopausal or osteopenic Taiwanese women. We investigated a case-control cohort analysis of a national health insurance (NHI) claimed dataset. NHI outpatient services claimed data of 82,478 beneficiaries aged above 40 had a principal diagnosis of postmenopause (ICD-9-CM Diagnosis Code 627) and osteopenia (ICD-9-CM Diagnosis Code 7330) were included in this study. HRT utilization trend was examined by different diagnostic codes, specialists, hospital level, hospital ownership, physicians' gender and age, also patients' resident area. The geographic variations of HRT use were obtained from 6 national insurance branches to compare the utilization rates before and after 2002. The highest use of HRT of region (eastern branch) was selected with 2,447 cases to compare the risk of usage and duration of HRT. Spatial patterns of rate change of breast cancer incidences between 1998-2002 and 2003-2008 were obtained from Taiwan Cancer Registry to examine changes in spatial trends in relations to HRT use and high mammography screening hospitals. Results: A reduced frequency of use of HRT was reflected in the decrease in hormone prescriptions after 2002. The largest drop was occurred between 2002 and 2003(from 51.5% to 37.9% in 2003). Similar reducing trend of use HRT was also showed in different specialists (8.1% drop in Obstetrics & Gynecology, 4% drop in Orthopedics and 12.8% drop in other department between 2002 and 2003). The HRT use rate for women visited clinic in 2002 and 2003 dropped from 56.2% to 42.8%, but slow decrease between 2004 to 2007 (37.3% in 2004, 34.8% in 2005, 35.0% in 2006 and 34.7% in 2007). There are slight increase use rate between 2005 and 2006. In 2008, there was another larger drop of 3.4%. The eastern branch compared with other branches between two period of time (2000-2002 and 2003-2008). Relative risk of 1.47 (95% CI: 0.72-3.00) before 2002 and 1.57 (95% CI: 0.81-3.11) after 2002. Spatial patterns showed the increasing breast risks in central and southern region (rural area) compare with northern region (metropolitan area). The increase of age-adjusted incidence rate in central and southern region outweighed the increase rate of HRT use. In the contrast to these regions, an increasing rate of HRT use did not observe the similar effect in northern metropolitan regions. Discussion: To our knowledge, this is the first Taiwan study to examine the link between population-level declines in use of hormone replacement therapy among postmenopausal women with different levels of utilization. Spatial observation was also indicated the different between breast incidence and HRT use in Taiwan. Spatial observation found the different pattern change between HRT use and breast incidence rate in term of geographic prospect and urbanization level. Further long-term investigation to determine whether the geographic accessibility and availability of breast screening programs do affect the ascending breast cancer risk. Citation Format: Po-Huang Chiang, Eng-Mei Tsai, Yen-Chen Chang. Time trend and spatial pattern in the use of hormone replacement therapy in Taiwan before and after WHI trial report. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Eleventh Annual AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research; 2012 Oct 16-19; Anaheim, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Prev Res 2012;5(11 Suppl):Abstract nr A112.

Opposite associations of osteoprotegerin and ZBTB40 polymorphisms with bone mineral density of the hip in postmenopausal Taiwanese women

BackgroundAn elevated annual incidence rate of hip fracture has been reported among elderly Taiwanese. Moreover, bone mineral density (BMD) is the single most reliable predictor of fragility fractures. We aimed to identify the association between gene sequence variants and hip BMD in postmenopausal Taiwanese women. MethodsWe prospectively analyzed data from 163 postmenopausal Taiwanese women to test an association between rs7524102, rs6696981, or rs6993813 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and hip BMD. ResultsOur study showed that rs6993813 (osteoprotegerin gene) and rs6696981 (ZBTB40 gene) SNPs have an opposite association with hip BMD. For rs6993813 genotypic frequencies, the adjusted odds ratio for hip osteoporosis was 9.53 for individuals with T/T minor allele homozygotes, compared with that of participants with C/C wild-type homozygotes. Hip BMD also had an association with rs6993813 SNPs, especially in T/T minor allele homozygotes. For rs6696981 SNPs, hip BMD in G/T heterozygotes and at least one mutated T allele was higher than that in wild-type G/G homozygotes. ConclusionThe gene sequence variant rs6993813 reduced hip BMD and increased the risk of hip osteoporosis, whereas rs6696981 increased hip BMD in postmenopausal Taiwanese women. This indicated that the two SNPs may provide some explanation for the high risk of hip fracture in this population.

Effects of standardized phytoestrogen on Taiwanese menopausal women

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of standardized soy extract on climacteric symptoms, lipid profiles, bone markers, and serum isoflavone concentration in healthy Taiwanese postmenopausal women. Materials and MethodsA multicenter, open-labeled, randomized, prospective, comparative study design was used. A total of 130 outpatients who had undergone natural menopause were randomly administered either 70 mg or 35 mg soy extract daily for 24 weeks. ResultsThe evidence suggests that the soy extract treatment that was administered to both groups for 1 month could help reduce climacteric scores (reductions of 19.66% [p<0.01] and 18.85% [p<0.01] in the 35 mg and 70 mg groups compared with baseline, respectively), and the efficacy was more potent after 6 months of treatment. Soy isoflavone significantly reduced the total cholesterol (reductions of 4.50% [p<0.01] and 3.06% [p<0.05] in the 35 mg and 70 mg groups, respectively) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (reductions of 4.67% [p<0.05] and 5.09% [p<0.05] in the 35 mg and 70 mg groups, respectively) in patients with total cholesterol > 200 mg/dL after 6 months of treatment. In patients with high bone turnover (urinary deoxypyridinoline/creatinine > 7.4nM/mM), soy extract treatment reduced the deoxypyridinoline /creatinine level by 10.53% (p<0.05) and 11.58% (p<0.05) in the 35 mg and 70 mg groups, respectively. Serum levels of isoflavone increased in both groups after 6 months of treatment. ConclusionSoy extract is highly efficacious at relieving menopausal symptoms and demonstrates a positive effect on the cardiovascular system and skeleton.

The Optimal Scaling Combination of Age and Body Mass Index as an Index of Metabolic Syndrome for Postmenopausal Taiwanese Women

The aim of this study was to combine as a new index age with an anthropometric indicator of obesity that is more closely associated with metabolic syndrome (MS) risk than other anthropometric indicators for postmenopausal Taiwanese women. In this cross-sectional study, data were collected from 1128 postmenopausal women volunteers during the period from September 2008 to December 2009. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves for assessing the risk of MS for postmenopausal Taiwanese women were computed for the optimal scaling combination (OSC) and anthropometric indicator of obesity. The area under the ROC curves of the OSC was significantly larger than those of the anthropometric indicator. OSC ≥ 4.98 was found to be the most prevalent cutoff point. The present investigation suggests that the OSC could be used in clinical practice as a simple parameter for the identification of postmenopausal Taiwanese women at risk of MS.

Effects of parity and mode of delivery on urinary incontinence among postmenopausal women in Taiwan

ObjectiveTo investigate the association between the prevalence of urinary incontinence and parity or mode of delivery among Taiwanese women aged 60years or older. MethodsBetween July 1999 and December 2000, a nationwide epidemiologic study was conducted in Taiwan among 2410 women selected by a multistage random sampling method. Face-to-face interviews with 1517 women were conducted. The relationship between the prevalence of urinary incontinence and the number of vaginal deliveries or number of cesarean deliveries was assessed by frequency and Pearson χ2 test using a significance level of less than 0.05. Logistic regression was used to investigate the significance of dichotomous dependent variables. ResultsDecades ago, most Taiwanese women (1435 of 1511 respondents, 94.97%,) gave birth via vaginal delivery and the rate of cesarean delivery was low (20 of 1513 respondents, 1.32%). Parity (odds ratio [OR], 2.42; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.87–6.71; P=0.091), vaginal delivery (OR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.39–1.47; P=0.408), and cesarean delivery (OR, 1.47; 95% CI, 0.59–3.70; P=0.409) did not increase the risk of urinary incontinence. ConclusionThere was no association between urinary incontinence and parity or mode of delivery among Taiwanese postmenopausal women decades after their first delivery.

P31.06: Endometrial thickness measurement for detection of endometrial cancer in premenopausal and postmenopausal Taiwanese women

P31.06: Endometrial thickness measurement for detection of endometrial cancer in premenopausal and postmenopausal Taiwanese women

The effect of soy isoflavone on bone mineral density in postmenopausal Taiwanese women with bone loss: a 2-year randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study

SummaryThe treatment of 300-mg/day isoflavones (aglycone equivalents) (172.5 mg genistein + 127.5 mg daidzein) for 2 years failed to prevent lumbar spine and total proximal femur bone mineral density (BMD) from declining as compared with the placebo group in a randomized, double-blind, two-arm designed study enrolling 431 postmenopausal women 45–65 years old.IntroductionThis study evaluated the effects of soy isoflavones on bone metabolism in postmenopausal women.MethodsFour hundred and thirty-one women, aged 45–65 years, orally consumed 300-mg/day isoflavones (aglycone equivalents) or a placebo for 2 years in a parallel group, randomized, double-blind, two-arm study. Each participant also ingested 600 mg of calcium and 125 IU of vitamin D3 per day. The BMD of the lumbar spine and total proximal femur were measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry at baseline and every half-year thereafter. Serum bone-specific alkaline phosphatase, urinary N-telopeptide of type 1 collagen/creatinine, and other safety assessments were examined regularly.ResultsTwo hundred out of 217 subjects in the isoflavone group and 199 out of 214 cases in placebo group completed the treatment. Serum concentrations of isoflavone metabolites, genistein and daidzein, of the intervention group were remarkably elevated following intake of isoflavones (p < 0.001). However, differences in the mean percentage changes of BMD throughout the treatment period were not statistically significant (lumbar spine, p = 0.42; total femur, p = 0.39) between the isoflavone and placebo groups, according to the generalized estimating equation (GEE) method. A significant time trend of bone loss was observed at both sites as assessed by the GEE method following repeated measurement of BMD (p < 0.001). Differences in bone marker levels were not significant between the two treatment groups.ConclusionTreatment with 300-mg/day isoflavones (aglycone equivalents) failed to prevent a decline in BMD in the lumbar spine or total femur compared with the placebo group.

Association of interleukin-1 beta (-511C/T) polymorphisms with osteoporosis in postmenopausal women

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:Osteoporosis is a common disease of the elderly, in which genetic and clinical factors contribute to the disease phenotype. Since the production of interleukin-1 (IL-1) has been implicated in the bone mass and skeletal disorders, we investigated whether IL-1 system gene polymorphisms are associated with the pathogenesis of osteoporosis in postmenopausal Taiwanese women.METHODS:Osteoporosis is diagnosed by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, which measures bone mineral density (BMD) at multiple skeletal sites. We studied the IL-1α (-889C/T), IL-1β (-511C/T) and the 86 base pair variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) in intron 2 of the IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) gene in 117 postmenopausal women with osteoporosis and 135 control subjects without a history of symptomatic osteoporosis. These gene polymorphisms were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymerase. Blood sugar and other risk factors were also determined.RESULTS:The frequencies of IL-1β (-511C/T) genotypes (P=.022, odds ratio=1.972) and alleles (P=.02, odds ratio=2.909) showed a statistically significant difference between the two groups. However, we did not find any statistically significant difference in IL-1α and IL-1ra polymorphisms (P>.05). We also observed a positive relationship between osteoporosis and cholesterol and a weak inverse relationship between blood sugar and osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.CONCLUSIONS:These experimental results suggest that the pathogenesis of osteoporosis is associated with IL-1β (-511C/T) polymorphism in postmenopausal women. This polymorphism is an independent risk factor for osteoporosis.

Estimation of the 10-year Probability of Osteoporotic Fracture in Postmenopausal Taiwanese Women With FRAX

Objective As the proportion of the aging population rises dramatically, osteoporotic fractures among the elderly have become a global health concern. We assessed the prevalence of osteoporosis and estimated the 10-year probability of osteoporotic fractures among postmenopausal women. Materials and Methods Patients who were undergoing a checkup at a teaching hospital in eastern Taiwan were invited to participate in this study. A self-administered questionnaire was used to ascertain their demographics, diet, lifestyle, and reproductive and medical histories. The bone mineral density (BMD) of the posterior-anterior lumbar spine (L1–L4) was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. A diagnosis of osteoporosis was made according to World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. The 10-year probability of osteoporotic fracture was computed online without BMD data with the WHO Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (FRAX). Results: In total, 475 postmenopausal women were involved in this study. The prevalence of osteoporosis was 37.2% [95% confidence interval (CI) = 33.2%, 41.5%]. The mean 10-year probabilities of a major osteoporotic or hip fracture were 13.8% (95% CI = 10.7%, 16.9%) and 2.2% (95% CI = 0.8%, 3.5%), respectively. For women aged ≥ 70 years, the mean 10-year probability of an osteoporotic fracture was 24.3% (95% CI = 13.6%, 35.0%). In total, approximately 17.1% (95% CI = 14.0%, 20.5%) of women were at high risk of a major osteoporotic fracture (risk > 20%) and 20.3% (95% CI = 16.1%, 23.9%) were at high risk of a hip fracture (> 3%). Furthermore, one in four osteoporotic women was at high risk of a major osteoporotic fracture. Conclusion Osteoporosis is common among postmenopausal women, and the risk of osteoporotic fracture is of great concern particularly among older women and vegetarians. Ongoing studies of fracture rates should be followed up, and strategies and research directed at fracture prevention should be prioritized as the proportion of the aged population increases.

Concordance of a Self Assessment Tool and Measurement of Bone Mineral Density in Identifying the Risk of Osteoporosis in Elderly Taiwanese Women

Objective Osteoporosis is the most common generalized bone disease related to aging. The Osteoporosis Self-Assessment Tool for Asians (OSTA) risk index was developed to screen postmenopausal Asian women to identify women who should be evaluated with bone densitometry. In Taiwan, there is no report of the validity of the OSTA with dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) as a reference. In this study, we assessed the validity of the OSTA risk index and discuss its applications, using DXA of the lumbar spine as the gold standard. Patients and Methods Healthy subjects, aged 30–85 years, who were receiving a health check-up at a teaching hospital in eastern Taiwan were invited to participate in this study. All subjects gave their consent to analyze their data. A self-administered questionnaire was used to assess their demographic characteristics, and reproductive and medical histories. Bone mineral density of the posterior-anterior lumbar spine was measured by DXA, and a diagnosis of osteoporosis was made according to World Health Organization criteria. The sensitivity and specificity and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for the dichotomized OSTA risk index. Results This cohort consisted of 498 postmenopausal Taiwanese women, with a mean age of 60.3 ± 7.6 years and a mean weight of 57.9 ± 8.9 kg. Spinal DXA revealed that 35.9% were osteoporotic (with a T-score of £ −2.5). The OSTA risk index at the standard cut-off point of £ −1 had a sensitivity of 57.0% (95% CI: 52.7, 61.3) and a specificity of 69.3% (95% CI: 65.3, 73.4). Among women aged 60–70 years, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the OSTA risk index were 77.1% (95% CI: 63.7, 76.9), 49.2% (95% CI: 42.0, 56.4), and 64.9% (95% CI: 60.7, 69.8), respectively. Conclusion The OSTA risk index is a convenient but not a very sensitive tool to help target high-risk women aged 60–70 years for DXA testing. Clinical risk factors and the OSTA risk index should be combined to assess women aged £ 60 years. Further study of the validity of the OSTA risk index among elderly women with a larger sample size in different populations should be conducted with spinal and femur neck DXA testing as references.

The effects of soygerm extracts on blood lipoproteins, antioxidative capacity and urinary estrogen metabolites in postmenopausal women on hormone therapy

Objective To evaluate the effects of soygerm isoflavones extracts on blood lipoproteins, antioxidative capacity and urinary estrogen metabolites in postmenopausal women who receive hormone therapy (HT). Method Thirty-nine volunteers receiving HT were recruited, and 33 completed the study. All subjects received 6 g of soygerm extracts per day for 4 weeks. Blood and urine samples were collected for study at the beginning and at the end of study. Result Plasma HDL-C levels increased markedly with significant decreases of plasma LDL-C/HDL-C ratio and LDL–TG levels. The lag time of conjugated dienes formation prolonged for 9.9% and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances production in copper-catalyzed oxidation of LDL decreased. The differences were statistically significant. Urinary ratio of 2-OHE 1 to 16α-OHE 1 increased without statistical significance. Conclusion Soygerm extracts may improve serum lipid profile in postmenopausal Taiwanese women who receive HT, and probably provide a favorable effect on estrogen metabolism.

One-year soy isoflavone supplementation prevents early postmenopausal bone loss but without a dose-dependent effect

It is believed that soy isoflavone has much potential effectiveness on the postmenopausal status; however, the optimal dose for preventing postmenopausal bone loss still remains unclear. This open-labeled, self-controlled pilot study was undertaken to determine the effect of 1-year supplementation of different high dosages of soy isoflavone in postmenopausal Taiwanese women. Forty-three women aged 45–67 years were enrolled and randomly assigned into a control (C), 100 mg/day isoflavone (IF100) and 200 mg/day isoflavone (IF200) groups for 1 year. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and other related biochemical markers of bone metabolism were measured. Results indicated that the decrease in bone mineral density (BMD) was significant for lumbar vertebrae L1–3, L1–4 and the femur neck in the C group; surprisingly, the BMD of L1–3 was significantly elevated in the IF100 group; however, there were no consistent responses in the IF200 group. No significant change except loss of the bone mineral content of Ward's triangle ( P=.003) was found in the IF200 group after treatment. The percentage change at L1–3 was less ( P=.04) in the IF200 group when compared to the IF100 group. A relatively uniform direction of bone formation in expanding the weight and area with different rates of change resulted in different BMD changes. Both indicated a change of bone formation patterns with the higher-dose supplement. A protective effect of IF100 on estrogen-related bone loss was observed. A lack of a benefit such as high safety in the IF200 group for 1-year administration was ensured and lacked undesirable side effects.

The Hypoglycemic Effects of Soy Isoflavones on Postmenopausal Women

Soy isoflavones have many effects similar to those of estrogen and have become popular among postmenopausal women as an alternative for hormone replacement therapy (HRT). The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of soy isoflavones on glucose, insulin, and lipid profiles in postmenopausal Taiwanese women. We conducted a randomized, double-blind, active placebo-controlled clinical trial to compare the effects of isoflavones with estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) on blood glucose, insulin, and lipid profiles in postmenopausal Taiwanese women. Thirty postmenopausal Taiwanese women were randomly assigned to two groups, and each received treatment for 6 months. The isoflavone group received 100 mg isoflavone soft capsules, 300 mg calcium, and a blank vitamin capsule per day. The estrogen active control group received 0.625 mg conjugated estrogen, 300 mg calcium, and blank isoflavone soft capsules per day. We measured baseline levels of fasting blood sugar, insulin, lipid profiles, and isoflavone concentrations prior to the study and repeated the same measurements every 3 months for a total duration of 6 months. Two-way ANOVA revealed that fasting glucose (p < 0.001) and insulin (p < 0.005) levels were significantly affected by estrogen and isoflavone treatments after 6 months. For the isoflavone group, the average blood genistein concentration was 6-10 times higher than those of the estrogen group. Within the same periods, the fasting blood glucose was reduced to 83% and 85% of the baseline levels, and insulin was reduced to 56% and 67% of the baseline levels, respectively, in the estrogen and isoflavone groups. Soy isoflavones (100 mg) and 0.625 mg conjugated estrogen equally lower fasting blood glucose and insulin levels in postmenopausal women.

The Effects of Sequentially Combined Hormone Replacement Therapy on Climacteric Symptoms and Lipid Profiles

Objectives: To compare the climacteric symptoms, bleeding patterns, and lipid metabolism in Taiwanese postmenopausal women using 2 different cyclic sequential hormone replacement regimens, containing either 1 to 2 mg 17βestradiol plus 1 mg norethisterone acetate (Sevina®) or 0.625 mg conjugated estrogen plus 5 mg medroxyprogesterone acetate (Premarin®/Provera®; PP). Material(s) and Method(s): Fifty-seven generally healthy, female, postmenopausal patients from 45 to 60 years of age were randomized into groups receiving either 1 tablet Sevina® daily or I tablet of 0.625 mg Premarin® daily with 1 tablet of 5 mg Provera® daily for the first 12 days (days 1 to 12) (PP group) for 6 months. Climacteric symptoms and bleeding patterns were assessed at the baseline and at 1, 3, and 6 months. The effects on lipid variables, hormone profiles, and liver function tests were measured at the baseline and at 6 months. Result(s): Both drugs produced a statistically significant reduction in most climacteric symptoms during the 6 months of treatment (p ＜ 0.05). After 6 months of treatment, total cholesterol showed no significant change in the PP group, whereas there was a significant decrease in the Sevina® group. Meanwhile, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol also revealed a significant reduction in both treatment groups, while high-density lipoprotein cholesterol remained unchanged in both groups. The triglyceride level decreased in the Sevina® group, but showed a significant increase in the PP group (p ＜ 0.05). There was also a significant difference between the 2 groups in changes in triglycerides. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that Sevina® is effective in decreasing low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and the total cholesterol level, without increasing the level of triglycerides, and can effectively alleviate climacteric symptoms during treatment. Sevina® is a highly effective and acceptable sequential hormone replacement regimen for the treatment of climacteric symptoms and lipid effects in postmenopausal women.

Quality of life and sexuality changes in postmenopausal women receiving tibolone therapy

Objective The goal of this study was to investigate the effects of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and tibolone on the sexuality and quality of life of Taiwanese postmenopausal women. Methods Forty-eight postmenopausal women were enrolled and prospectively randomized to receive either HRT or tibolone for 3 months. At the end of the 3-month period, quality of life measures were assessed using the Greene Climacteric Scale and attitudes of sexuality were evaluated using the McCoy Sex Scale. Results Based on subjective qualitative scores, tibolone treatment was at least as effective as continuous combined HRT in improving quality of life. It also effectively prevented withdrawal bleeding, which may occur during HRT use. Compared with continuous combined HRT, tibolone treatment was also associated with perceived improvement of sexual performance, including general sexual satisfaction, sexual interest, sexual fantasies, sexual arousal and orgasm, with decreased frequencies of vaginal dryness and painful intercourse. Conclusions The findings of this study indicate that both tibolone and continuous combined HRT have positive effects on the quality of life of Taiwanese postmenopausal women. Sexuality is affected more by tibolone than by HRT.

Long-term vegetarian diet and bone mineral density in postmenopausal Taiwanese women.

This study examined bone density among postmenopausal Buddhist nuns and female religious followers of Buddhism in southern Taiwan and related the measurements to subjects characteristics including age, body mass, physical activity, nutrient intake, and vegetarian practice. A total of 258 postmenopausal Taiwanese vegetarian women participated in the study. Lumbar spine and femoral neck bone mineral density (BMD) were measured using dual-photon absorptimetry. BMD measurements were analyzed first as quantitative outcomes in multiple regression analyses and next as indicators of osteopenia status in logistic regression analyses. Among the independent variables examined, age inversely and body mass index positively correlated with both the spine and femoral neck BMD measurements. They were also significant predictors of the osteopenia status. Energy intake from protein was a significant correlate of lumbar spine BMD only. Other nutrients, including calcium and energy intake from nonprotein sources, did not correlate significantly with the two bone density parameters. Long-term practitioners of vegan vegetarian were found to be at a higher risk of exceeding lumbar spine fracture threshold (adjusted odds ratio = 2.48, 95% confidence interval = 1.03-5.96) and of being classified as having osteopenia of the femoral neck (3.94, 1.21-12.82). Identification of effective nutrition supplements may be necessary to improve BMD levels and to reduce the risk of osteoporosis among long-term female vegetarians.

Vitamin D metabolism and its clinical application.

The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. British volumeVol. 64-B, No. 5 ArticlesFree AccessVitamin D metabolism and its clinical applicationJA KanisJA KanisSearch for more papers by this authorPublished Online:1 Dec 1982https://doi.org/10.1302/0301-620X.64B5.6754741AboutSectionsPDF/EPUB ToolsAdd to FavouritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmail FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsCited ByDetection of Vitamin D Metabolites in Breast Milk: Perspectives and challenges for measurement by Liquid Chromatography Tandem-Mass SpectrometryClinical Biochemistry, Vol. 175Determination of vitamin D in oily drops using a column-switching system with an on-line clean-up by supercritical fluid chromatographyTalanta, Vol. 190Recent trends in the analysis of vitamin D and its metabolites in milk – A reviewFood Chemistry, Vol. 171Osteochondrosis or Epiphysitis and Other Miscellaneous AffectionsCharacterizing Antibody Cross-reactivity for Immunoaffinity Purification of Analytes prior to 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in epileptic patients on carbamazepine29 January 2009 | Acta Neurologica Scandinavica, Vol. 71, No. 5The effects of different vitamin D-states on intestinal absorption of vitamin D 3 and its metabolites in ratsActa Physiologica Scandinavica, Vol. 123, No. 4Discrepancy between serum 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol measured by radioimmunoassay and cytosol radioreceptor assay8 July 2009 | Scandinavian Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Investigation, Vol. 45, No. 8A SENSITIVE AND SELECTIVE RADIOIMMUNOASSAY FOR SERUM 24, 25-DIHYDROXYCHOLECALCIFEROL IN MANClinical Endocrinology, Vol. 21, No. 1LiteraturMeasurement of 25-hydroxyvitamin D 3 and 25-hydroxyvitamin D 2 in clinical settings28 August 2009 | Scandinavian Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Investigation, Vol. 44, No. 7A selective and simplified radioimmunoassay of 25-hydroxyvitamin D 35 August 2009 | Scandinavian Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Investigation, Vol. 44, No. 2 Vol. 64-B, No. 5 Metrics Downloaded 617 times History Published online 1 December 1982 Published in print 1 December 1982 InformationCopyright © 1982, The British Editorial Society of Bone and Joint Surgery: All rights reservedPDF download