Early-onset climacterium is not associated with impaired vitamin D status : a population-based study

Abstract

<div lang="en" class="abs"><p class="abs_header">Abstract</p><p><em>Objective:</em> To investigate vitamin D status in women with the onset of the climacteric phase by age 46 as both early menopause and inadequate vitamin D status may increase the risk of adverse health outcomes.</p><p><em>Methods:</em> A cross-sectional study included 2,544, 46-year-old women from a birth cohort. Women were divided into the following two groups according to their menstrual history and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) concentration: 1) climacteric (FSH ≥25 IU/L and amenorrhea ≥4 mo,<em>n</em> = 351) and 2) preclimacteric women (FSH <25 IU/L and having regular/irregular menstrual cycles, <em>n</em> = 2,193). Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations were compared between the groups. A linear regression model was performed to investigate which factors are associated with 25(OH)D status.</p><p><em>Results:</em> Mean serum 25(OH)D concentrations were higher in climacteric compared with preclimacteric women (68.1 ± 19.8 nmol/L vs 65.2 ± 19.3 nmol/L, <em>P</em> = 0.01). However, in the linear regression model, climacteric status was not associated with 25(OH)D status (multivariable adjusted mean difference 4.5 nmol/L, 95% confidence interval −1.4 to 10.4, <em>P</em> = 0.137). A total of 76 of the climacteric women were using systemic estrogen hormone therapy (HT). In a subanalysis, including only climacteric women, the use of HT was associated with higher 25(OH)D status (multivariable adjusted mean difference 5.9 nmol/L, 95% confidence interval 1.3–10.5, <em>P</em> = 0.013).</p><p><em>Conclusions:</em> The onset of the climacteric phase by age 46 was not associated with inadequate 25(OH)D concentrations, whereas HT use was associated with higher 25(OH)D status in women with early-onset climacterium.</p></div>