OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to determine the characteristics of menopause among Mayan women who did not have menopausal symptoms. STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional study of Mayan women from Chichimila, Mexico, was performed. Demographic information, history and physical examination, hormone concentrations, and radial bone density measurement were obtained. RESULTS: Fifty-two postmenopausal women were compared with 26 premenopausal women. Menopause occurred at 44.3 +/- 4.4 years. None of the women admitted to hot flushes and did not recall significant menopausal symptoms. Hormone levels included elevated follicle-stimulating hormone (66.6 +/- 29 mlU/ml), low estradiol and estrone (9.4 +/- 8.3 and 13.3 +/- 7.8 pg/ml), estrone greater than estradiol levels, normal levels of testosterone and androstenedione (0.17 +/- 0.14 and 0.31 +/- 0.17 ng/ml). Bone mineral density declined with age, but height did not. Clinical evidence of osteoporosis was not detected. CONCLUSIONS: Lack of symptoms during the menopausal transition is not attributable to a difference in endocrinology. Postmenopausal Mayan women are estrogen deprived and experience age-related bone demineralization but do not have a high incidence of osteoporotic fractures.
OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to determine the characteristics of menopause among Mayan women who did not have menopausal symptoms. STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional study of Mayan women from Chichimila, Mexico, was performed. Demographic information, history and physical examination, hormone concentrations, and radial bone density measurement were obtained. RESULTS: Fifty-two postmenopausal women were compared with 26 premenopausal women. Menopause occurred at 44.3 +/- 4.4 years. None of the women admitted to hot flushes and did not recall significant menopausal symptoms. Hormone levels included elevated follicle-stimulating hormone (66.6 +/- 29 mlU/ml), low estradiol and estrone (9.4 +/- 8.3 and 13.3 +/- 7.8 pg/ml), estrone greater than estradiol levels, normal levels of testosterone and androstenedione (0.17 +/- 0.14 and 0.31 +/- 0.17 ng/ml). Bone mineral density declined with age, but height did not. Clinical evidence of osteoporosis was not detected. CONCLUSIONS: Lack of symptoms during the menopausal transition is not attributable to a difference in endocrinology. Postmenopausal Mayan women are estrogen deprived and experience age-related bone demineralization but do not have a high incidence of osteoporotic fractures.
Authors: Sharen Madden; Natalie St Pierre-Hansen; Len Kelly; Helen Cromarty; Barbara Linkewich; Lauren Payne Journal: Can Fam Physician Date: 2010-09 Impact factor: 3.275
Authors: Lynnette Leidy Sievert; Laura Huicochea-Gómez; Diana Cahuich-Campos; Dana-Lynn Ko'omoa-Lange; Daniel E Brown Journal: Womens Midlife Health Date: 2018-06-18