Associations of endogenous sex hormones with the vasculature in menopausal women (original) (raw)
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Hypertension, 2015
The decline in carotid distensibility with age is steeper in women than in men, however, the correlates of this sex difference are not known. We examined the association of bioavailable testosterone, estradiol, dehydroepiandrosterone, and sex hormone-binding globulin, in 2783 postmenopausal women and 2987 men aged 45 to 84 years at the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis baseline examination. Carotid artery lumen diameters by ultrasound and brachial artery blood pressures were measured at systole and diastole. Regression models to determine the association of carotid distensibility coefficient and lumen diameter with sex-specific quartiles of sex hormones were adjusted for age, race, height, weight, diabetes mellitus, current smoking, antihypertensive medication use, total and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, and hormone replacement therapy in women. A higher DC indicates a more distensible vessel. In women, higher dehydroepiandrosterone (P=0.008) and lower sex hormone...
Carotid artery distensibility and hormone therapy and menopause
Menopause, 2016
Objective-Observational studies suggest that arterial distensibility decreases during menopause; however, the relation to hormone therapy use is controversial. We prospectively studied distensibility and hormone therapy use during different menopause stages. Methods-161 women between 42-61 years of age without cardiovascular disease had carotid artery measurements by ultrasound to calculate the distensibility index at baseline and 3 years
Frontiers in Endocrinology, 2021
ObjectiveLoss of sex hormones has been suggested to underlie menopause-associated increment in cardiovascular risk. We investigated associations of sex hormones with arterial stiffness in 19–58-years-old women. We also studied associations of specific hormonal stages, including natural menstrual cycle, cycle with combined oral contraceptives (COC) and menopausal status with or without hormone therapy (HT), with arterial stiffness.MethodsThis study includes repeated measurements of 65 healthy women representing reproductive (n=16 natural, n=10 COC-users) and menopause (n=5 perimenopausal, n=26 postmenopausal, n=8 HT-users) stages. Arterial stiffness outcomes were aortic pulse wave velocity (PWVao) and augmentation index (AIx%) assessed using Arteriograph-device. Generalized estimating equation models were constructed to investigate associations of each hormone (wide age-range models) or hormonal stage (age-group focused models) with arterial stiffness. PWVao models with cross-section...
Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 2000
The study objective was to clarify in a randomized, controlled, observer-blind trial whether hormone replacement therapy (HRT) improves elastic properties of the common carotid artery in women with signs of subclinical atherosclerosis, especially in subgroups with increased risk, and whether less progestin enhances the effect. BACKGROUND Previous observational studies have yielded conflicting results on the influence of HRT on central arteries. Some studies reported improvement of distensibility by estrogen alone or in the subgroup of smokers. METHODS A total of 321 postmenopausal women were randomized to 1 mg 17-estradiol plus 0.025 mg gestodene for 12 days every month (HRT 1), or 1 mg 17-estradiol plus 0.025 mg gestodene for 12 days every third month (HRT 2), or no-HRT, during 48 weeks. In 173 women, distensibility of the common carotid artery was determined before and after therapy by M-mode ultrasound and brachial blood pressure measurement. RESULTS Change of distensibility was small and similar in the three treatment groups. In the subgroup of current smokers, HRT 2 (low progestin) increased distensibility by 32% (HRT 2: 8.2 Ϯ 11.7; HRT 1: 0.6 Ϯ 6.0; no HRT: Ϫ1.8 Ϯ 6.8 ϫ 10 Ϫ3 /kPa, p ϭ 0.025 for no-HRT vs. HRT 2). In the subgroups with elevated blood pressure, high low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, or high age, no effect of HRT was detected. CONCLUSIONS This randomized intervention study demonstrates that long-term HRT with estrogen and progestin does not substantially influence distensibility of central arteries. Yet, in currently smoking postmenopausal women, HRT with low progestin seems to improve distensibility; this merits further study in a specifically designed trial.
Female sex Hormones do not Influence Arterial wall Properties during the Normal Menstrual Cycle
Clinical Science, 1997
1. In previous studies, the elastic properties of the common carotid artery were found to differ between men and women. In these studies, however, the phase of the menstrual cycle was not taken into consideration. It was the aim of the present study to investigate the effect of changing ovarian hormone levels during the normal menstrual cycle on the arterial wall properties of female large arteries. 2. We investigated the elastic right common carotid artery and the muscular right common femoral artery of normotensive young (18–35 years) female subjects (n = 12). The arterial distensibility and cross-sectional compliance coefficients were determined by the use of a specially designed ultrasonic wall-tracking device and measurements of automatic brachial artery cuff blood pressure. The phase of the menstrual cycle was assessed by ultrasonographic evaluation and measurement of 17β-oestradiol and progesterone blood plasma levels. 3. The distensibility coefficient and the cross-sectional...
Carotid artery wall thickness in women treated with hormone replacement therapy
Maturitas, 1997
Objective: To measure the thickness of the individual layers (externa, media, intima) of the carotid artery in two groups of postmenopausal women. Methods: A high resolution ultrasound (25-MHz Osteoson DIII Minhorst) was used to assess the distal end of the common carotid artery. Forty-six women were on hormone replacement therapy (Premarin 0.625 mg and Norgestrel 1 mg) for more than 1 year. The measurements of the treated group were compared to those of 51 postmenopausal women who acted as controls. Results: No significant difference between the externa and media layers of both groups of women were noted. The media showed a tendency to be thicker in the treated group. The intima of the untreated group was found to be significantly thicker than that of the treated group (P < 0.05). Significant correlations were found between the layers of the carotid artery especially between the externa and media both mainly composed of connective tissue (Collagen Type I and III and elastin). The media/intima ratio of the treated women was significantly higher than that of the untreated group (P ~0.003). Conclusion: It is postulated that the changes observed may be due to the effect of oestrogen on connective tissue. These arterial changes induced by hormone replacement therapy may partially explain the cardioprotective effect this treatment has on postmenopausal women. The increased intimal thickness in untreated women compared to treated ones on the other hand would represent the reduction in atheromatous plaque formation in women on oestrogen replacement therapy. 8 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. * Corresponding author. dioprotective effect in postmenopausal women. A reduction in atherosclerotic disease of approximately 50% has been quoted in some of these epidemiological studies [ 1,2]. Moreover myocardial infarction and cerebrovascular accidents are rare in premenopausal women [3,4].
Association of menopause and hormone replacement therapy with large artery remodeling
Fertility and Sterility, 2011
Objective: To evaluate the remodeling of large arteries according to age at menopause, duration of menopause, and use of hormone therapy (HT). Design: A cross-sectional study consisting of baseline measurements of a multicentric randomized trial were used to evaluate arterial parameters. Setting: The study was conducted in France, Belgium, and the Netherlands in academic hospitals and private clinics. Patient(s): Postmenopausal women (n ¼ 538) with mild hypercholesterolemia. Intervention(s): None. Main Outcome Measure(s): Common carotid artery intima-media thickness (CCA-IMT), central pulse pressure, and aortic stiffness (carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity) were measured and centrally controlled for quality. Multivariate regression analysis was used to assess the possible covariates associated with arterial parameters. Result(s): Women were 58 AE 6 (mean AE SD) years of age with an age of 50 AE 5 at menopause and a mean duration of menopause of 8 AE 7 years. Lower age at menopause, time since menopause, and absence of HT use were independently associated with worsening of the arterial parameters. After multivariate analysis, HT was associated with a lower CCA-IMT (À40 mm [range À64 to À1]), whereas lower age at menopause and menopause duration were respectively associated with a CCA-IMT increase (25 mm/5 y and 27 mm/5 y). Similarly, values of central pulse pressure and pulse wave velocity were lower in HT users (À3.1 mm Hg [À5.1 to À0.9] and À0.31 m/s [À0.63 to À0.02], respectively) but worsened with age at menopause and menopause duration. Conclusion(s): The age at menopause, the time since menopause, and the use of HT are independently associated with the thickening and stiffening of the large arteries.
Journal of Clinical …, 2005
Objective: Our objective was to assess vascular endothelial function and morphology in resistance vasculature from healthy pre-and postmenopausal women in vitro and to determine potential mechanisms of vascular protection by estrogenic compounds. Methods: Arteries (ϳ220 m) were dissected from sc fat biopsies obtained from healthy premenopausal and postmenopausal women. Flow-mediated dilatation, agonist-induced endothelium-dependent and-independent relaxation, and myogenic responses to changes in intraluminal pressure were evaluated before and after incubation (3 h) with 17-estradiol, propyl pyrazole triol [a selective estrogen receptor-␣ (ER␣) agonist], raloxifene (a second-generation selective ER modulator), and the phytoestrogen genistein, using pressure myography technique. In addition, endothelial morphology was assessed in arteries from pre-and postmenopausal women, and distribution of ERs within the artery wall from postmenopausal women was evaluated. Results: Functional and morphological disturbances of endothelial function were observed in small arteries from postmenopausal women. Incubation with 17-estradiol improved postmenopausal resistance artery function, an effect mimicked by propyl pyrazole triol but not raloxifene or genistein. Immunohistochemical staining revealed similar expression of ER␣ and ER in the smooth muscle of arteries from postmenopausal women; however, ER␣ was dominant in endothelium. Conclusions: The resistance arteries from postmenopausal women show functional and morphological abnormalities. ER␣ may contribute to vascular protection by estrogens in the peripheral resistance circulation in postmenopausal women. Selective ER␣ agonists warrant further investigation as therapeutic agents for prevention of cardiovascular disease in postmenopausal women.