Key result
Postmenopausal women exhibited significantly increased BMI, waist-hip ratio, and sympathetic overactivity, along with decreased parasympathetic function, compared to premenopausal women.
Cross-Sectional (n=120)
Postmenopausal women exhibit an increased tendency toward obesity and autonomic imbalance characterized by sympathetic overactivity compared to premenopausal women.
May link menopause to obesity and autonomic imbalance; hypothesis-generating and requires longitudinal confirmation before clinical relevance.
Background: Premenopause is a term that encompasses the entire reproductive period up to final menstrual period, whereas menopause is the permanent cessation of menstruation. Menopause is burning out of ovaries. After menopause, the primordial follicles become atretic; hence, the ovaries fail completely to produce estrogen. The presence of estrogen receptors in the heart, vascular smooth muscles, and autonomic brainstem centers establishes a probable participation in the regulation of cardiovascular system. Aims and Objective: To compare the autonomic function tests in premenopausal and postmenopausal women. Materials and Methods: The autonomic function tests in 60 premenopausal women (2545 years) and 60 postmenopausal women (4560 years) were compared. The following parameters were studied: (i) body mass index (BMI); (ii) waisthip ratio (WHR); (iii) Parasympathetic function tests(a) heart rate response to postural change (30:15 ratio), (b) heart rate variation during deep breathing, and (c) Valsalva maneuver test; and iv) sympathetic function tests(a) orthostatic tolerance test, (b) sustained isometric handgrip test, and (c) cold pressor test. Result: (1) BMI and WHR significantly increased in the postmenopausal women when compared with the premenopausal women. (2) The 30:15 ratio significantly decreased in the postmenopausal women when compared with the premenopausal women whereas heart rate variation during deep breathing and Valsalva maneuver test did not show any significant change. (3) All the sympathetic function test results significantly increased in the postmenopausal women when compared with premenopausal women. Conclusion: This finding showed an increased tendency of obesity and autonomic imbalance with sympathetic overactivity in the postmenopausal women when compared with the premenopausal women. [Natl J Physiol Pharm Pharmacol 2015; 5(5.000): 386-390]
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Joshi et al. (2015) conducted a cross-sectional in Normotensive premenopausal and postmenopausal women (n=120). Postmenopausal status vs. Premenopausal status was evaluated on Autonomic function tests (parasympathetic and sympathetic), BMI, and waist-hip ratio. Postmenopausal women exhibited significantly increased BMI, waist-hip ratio, and sympathetic overactivity, along with decreased parasympathetic function, compared to premenopausal women.
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