To study correlation of body fat and blood lipids with autonomic nervous system activity in postmenopausal Indian women

Background: Obesity, physical inactivity, and altered estrogen metabolism play integrated role contributing to the disease risk profiles of postmenopausal women (PMW). Aim: To study the correlation of body fat and blood lipids with autonomic nervous system activity in PM Indian women. Subjects and Methods: A total of 60 PM sedentary women without any gross systemic disease were selected as a control group and 23 PMW, who were regularly doing morning walk for 1-year was selected as a study group. Body mass index (BMI), waist/hip (W/H) ratio were recorded; lipid profile analyzed, and conventional autonomic function tests were carried. Results were analyzed using SPSS version 16. Results: There was a significant difference in BMI, W/H ratio, lipid profile, autonomic function tests between the two groups. Aging and menopausal duration (MD) were positively correlated with pulse rate, systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, orthostatic tolerance test (OTT), and negatively correlated with Valsalva ratio (VR), deep breath test (DBT), 30:15 relative risk (RR) intervals ratio, isometric hand-grip test (HGT), cold pressor test (CPT). BMI and W/H ratio were positively correlated with TC, triglyceride, LDL cholesterol, OTT, and negatively correlated with isometric HGT, CPT. TC and LDL were negatively correlated with VR, deep breath difference test, 30:15 RR interval ratios, isometric HGT, CPT, and positively correlated with OTT. Multiple regression analysis revealed LDL cholesterol as the only significant independent explanatory variable of DBT. LDL cholesterol and age were the significant independent explanatory variables of 30:15 RR interval ratios, CPT. TC, LDL cholesterol, and age were the significant independent explanatory variables of isometric HGT. Conclusions: Aging, MD, BMI, and W/H ratio all contribute significantly to worsening of autonomic functions and lipid profile. Multiple regression analysis revealed LDL cholesterol as the most significant contributor of worsening of autonomic functions in PM females and regular exercise can improve these parameters significantly.