This Article Full Text (PDF) Submit a related Letter to the Editor Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Copyright Permission Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by CAMPOS, H. Articles by SCHAEFER, E. J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by CAMPOS, H. Articles by SCHAEFER, E. J.

Differences in Low Density Lipoprotein Subfractions and Apolipoproteins in Premenopausal and Postmenopausal Women^*

Lipid Metabolism Laboratory, U.S. Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University Boston, Massachusetts 02111
The Framingham Heart Study, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Framingham, Massachusetts 01701

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Dr. E. J. Schaefer, Lipid Metabolism Laboratory, U.S. Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, 711 Washington Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02111.

Postmenopausal or oophorectomized women are at higher risk for the development of coronary artery disease than are premenopausal women. These differences in risk may be due to alterations in plasma lipoproteins modulated by hormonal changes. Plasma cholesterol, triglyceride, lipoprotein cholesterol, and apolipoprotein A-I and B (apoB) concentrations, as well as low density lipoprotein (LDL) particle size (LDL 1–7), as assessed by 2–16% polyacrylamide-agarose gradient gel electrophoresis, were determined in 87 premenopausal and 43 postmenopausal women. All were participants in the Framingham Offspring Study, were gynecologically normal, and were not taking any hormones. The postmenopausal women had significantly (P < 0.05) higher plasma LDL cholesterol concentrations than did the premenopausal women. Plasma triglyceride, total cholesterol, very low density lipoprotein cholesterol, and apoB levels were higher, and apoA-I and high density lipoprotein cholesterol were lower in the postmenopausal group, but these differences were not significant at P < 0.05. The postmenopausal women were likely to have small LDL particles compared to premenopausal women. Controlling for age and body mass index effects significantly reduced the differences in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, apoB, and LDL particle size and broadened the differences in apoA-I and high density lipoprotein cholesterol. These data indicate that menopause is positively correlated with LDL cholesterol (P < 0.05) and decreased LDL particle size (P < 0.05) after adjusting for significant covariates.

^* This work was supported by Grant HL-35243 and Subcontract RFP NHLBIHV 83-03 from the NIH and Contract 53-3K06-5-10 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Research Service.

Received June 1, 1987.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				C. A. Derby, S. L. Crawford, R. C. Pasternak, M. Sowers, B. Sternfeld, and K. A. Matthews Lipid Changes During the Menopause Transition in Relation to Age and Weight: The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation Am. J. Epidemiol., June 1, 2009; 169(11): 1352 - 1361. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. R. Matthan, S. M. Jalbert, P. H. R. Barrett, G. G. Dolnikowski, E. J. Schaefer, and A. H. Lichtenstein Gender-Specific Differences in the Kinetics of Nonfasting TRL, IDL, and LDL Apolipoprotein B-100 in Men and Premenopausal Women Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, October 1, 2008; 28(10): 1838 - 1843. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				V. Bittner Perspectives on Dyslipidemia and Coronary Heart Disease in Women J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., November 1, 2005; 46(9): 1628 - 1635. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. C. Carr The Emergence of the Metabolic Syndrome with Menopause J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., June 1, 2003; 88(6): 2404 - 2411. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Sanada, Y. Higashi, K. Nakagawa, M. Tsuda, I. Kodama, M. Kimura, K. Chayama, and K. Ohama Hormone Replacement Effects on Endothelial Function Measured in the Forearm Resistance Artery in Normocholesterolemic and Hypercholesterolemic Postmenopausal Women J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., October 1, 2002; 87(10): 4634 - 4641. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Wakatsuki, Y. Okatani, N. Ikenoue, and T. Fukaya Different Effects of Oral Conjugated Equine Estrogen and Transdermal Estrogen Replacement Therapy on Size and Oxidative Susceptibility of Low-Density Lipoprotein Particles in Postmenopausal Women Circulation, October 1, 2002; 106(14): 1771 - 1776. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				I. Bureau, F. Laporte, M. Favier, H. Faure, M. Fields, A. E. Favier, and A.-M. Roussel No Antioxidant Effect of Combined HRT on LDL Oxidizability and Oxidative Stress Biomarkers in Treated Post-Menopausal Women J. Am. Coll. Nutr., August 1, 2002; 21(4): 333 - 338. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				I. R. Pirwany, N. Sattar, I. A. Greer, C. J. Packard, and R. Fleming Supraphysiological concentrations of estradiol in menopausal women given repeated implant therapy do not adversely affect lipid profiles Hum. Reprod., March 1, 2002; 17(3): 825 - 829. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. C. Carr, J. E. Hokanson, A. Zambon, S. S. Deeb, P. H. R. Barrett, J. Q. Purnell, and J. D. Brunzell The Contribution of Intraabdominal Fat to Gender Differences in Hepatic Lipase Activity and Low/High Density Lipoprotein Heterogeneity J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., June 1, 2001; 86(6): 2831 - 2837. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. K. Welty Cardiovascular Disease and Dyslipidemia in Women Arch Intern Med, February 26, 2001; 161(4): 514 - 522. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				V. Bittner Estrogens, lipids and cardiovascular disease: no easy answers J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., February 1, 2001; 37(2): 431 - 433. [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. W. Tobin and G. D. Miller Introduction J. Nutr., February 1, 2001; 131(2): 333S - 335. [Full Text]

				N. J. Lewis-Barned, W. H. F. Sutherland, R. J. Walker, H. L. Walker, S. A. de Jong, E. A. Edwards, and V. H. Markham Plasma Cholesterol Esterification And Transfer, the Menopause, And Hormone Replacement Therapy in Women J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., October 1, 1999; 84(10): 3534 - 3538. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. Guerci, H. Antebi, L. Meyer, V. Durlach, O. Ziegler, J.-P. Nicolas, L.-G. Alcindor, and P. Drouin Increased Ability of LDL from Normolipidemic Type 2 Diabetic Women to Generate Peroxides Clin. Chem., September 1, 1999; 45(9): 1439 - 1448. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. M. Perry III The Endocrinology of Aging Clin. Chem., August 1, 1999; 45(8): 1369 - 1376. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. L. Crawford and C. B. Johannes The Epidemiology of Cardiovascular Disease in Postmenopausal Women J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., June 1, 1999; 84(6): 1803 - 1806. [Full Text]

				P. T. Williams and R. M. Krauss Associations of Age, Adiposity, Menopause, and Alcohol Intake With Low-Density Lipoprotein Subclasses Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, June 1, 1997; 17(6): 1082 - 1090. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				J. D. Wagner, D. C. Schwenke, L. Zhang, D. Applebaum-Bowden, J. D. Bagdade, and M. R. Adams Effects of Short-term Hormone Replacement Therapies on Low-Density Lipoprotein Metabolism in Cynomolgus Monkeys Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, June 1, 1997; 17(6): 1128 - 1134. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				J. D. Wagner, L. Zhang, J. K. Williams, T. C. Register, D. M. Ackerman, B. Wiita, T. B. Clarkson, and M. R. Adams Esterified Estrogens With and Without Methyltestosterone Decrease Arterial LDL Metabolism in Cynomolgus Monkeys Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, December 1, 1996; 16(12): 1473 - 1480. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				V. Guetta and R. O. Cannon III Cardiovascular Effects of Estrogen and Lipid-Lowering Therapies in Postmenopausal Women Circulation, May 15, 1996; 93(10): 1928 - 1937. [Full Text]

				A. T.K. Singh, D. L. Rainwater, S. M. Haffner, J. L. VandeBerg, W. R. Shelledy, P. H. Moore Jr, and T. D. Dyer Effect of Diabetes on Lipoprotein Size Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, November 1, 1995; 15(11): 1805 - 1811. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				C. E. Tan, L. Forster, M. J. Caslake, D. Bedford, T. D. G. Watson, M. McConnell, C. J. Packard, and J. Shepherd Relations Between Plasma Lipids and Postheparin Plasma Lipases and VLDL and LDL Subfraction Patterns in Normolipemic Men and Women Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, November 1, 1995; 15(11): 1839 - 1848. [Abstract] [Full Text]