Prevalence of dyslipidemia among climacteric women

Background: The climacteric phase implies metabolic and hormonal changes that might lead to adverse effects, such as dyslipidemia and cardiovascular risks. Objective: Determine factors associated with the prevalence of dyslipidemia among climacteric women treated in a reference clinic in southern Brazil. Method: Cross-sectional study with 550 women aged 40–65 years treated in a clinic specialized in climacteric therapies and gynecologic surgeries. A precoded and pretested standardized survey with questions about socioeconomic, demographic, behavioral and reproductive features was applied. Laboratory tests needed to define lipid profiles were the analysis of HDL cholesterol, total cholesterol, and triglycerides. Multivariate analysis (p<0.05) was used in the evaluation of data. Results: 550 climacteric women were evaluated. Elevated prevalence of dyslipidemia (83.8%) was found. The group presenting the largest number of dyslipidemic women was the group aged 56–65 years (92.5%). There was no significant association between the occurrence of dyslipidemia and menopausal state. Multivariate analysis revealed that dyslipidemias were 11% more prevalent in women aged 56–65 years (RP 1.11; CI95% 1.01 to 1.21 p=0.03) and 16% more frequent among women with three or more gestational periods (p=0.04). The prevalence of dyslipidemia was also higher among obese women than among the eutrophic ones, however, the significance level remained in a boundary zone (PR 1.12; CI95% 1.00 to 1.26 p=0.06). Conclusion: A higher prevalence of dyslipidemia was found among women with multiple pregnancies, something that may be linked to hormonal and metabolic issues, as well as dietary issues during pregnancy. The menopausal state was not associated with the occurrence of dyslipidemia in this study. Possibly, the aging process and its metabolic changes —more than the menopausal state itself— is the main factor associated with dyslipidemia during the climacteric years