Effect of Interaction between Early Menarche and Genetic Polymorphisms on Triglyceride

Altered myocardial lipid regulation in junctophilin-2-associated familial cardiomyopathies

Myocardial lipid metabolism is critical to normal heart function, whereas altered lipid regulation has been linked to cardiac diseases including cardiomyopathies. Genetic variants in the JPH2 gene can cause hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and, in some cases, dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). In this study, we tested the hypothesis that JPH2 variants identified in patients with HCM and DCM, respectively, cause distinct alterations in myocardial lipid profiles. Echocardiography revealed clinically significant cardiac dysfunction in both knock-in mouse models of cardiomyopathy. Unbiased myocardial lipidomic analysis demonstrated significantly reduced levels of total unsaturated fatty acids, ceramides, and various phospholipids in both mice with HCM and DCM, suggesting a common metabolic alteration in both models. On the contrary, significantly increased di- and triglycerides, and decreased co-enzyme were only found in mice with HCM. Moreover, mice with DCM uniquely exhibited elevated levels of cholesterol ester. Further in-depth analysis revealed significantly altered metabolites from all the lipid classes with either similar or opposing trends in JPH2 mutant mice with HCM or DCM. Together, these studies revealed, for the first time, unique alterations in the cardiac lipid composition-including distinct increases in neutral lipids and decreases in polar membrane lipids-in mice with HCM and DCM were caused by distinct JPH2 variants. These studies may aid the development of novel biomarkers or therapeutics for these inherited disorders.

Separate and combined effects of famine exposure and menarche age on metabolic syndrome among the elderly: a cross-sectional study in China

BACKGROUND

Epidemiological studies have revealed multiple risk factors for metabolic syndrome. However, there are no consistent findings on the association between famine exposure, age at menarche, and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome. This cross-sectional study aimed to reveal the individual and combined effects of famine exposure and age at menarche on the prevalence of metabolic syndrome among elderly women.

METHODS

Four thousand seven hundred seventy participants between 60 and 93 years of age were selected from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. Statistical differences between the baseline characteristics of famine exposure, age at menarche, and metabolic syndrome were evaluated using the t-test, F-test, and Chi-square test. Three multivariable-adjusted logistic regression models were used to test the association between famine exposure, age of menarche, and the odds ratio of metabolic syndrome.

RESULTS

Two thousand one hundred ninety-eight (46.08%) participants had metabolic syndrome, while 2572 (53.92%) participants did not. Furthermore, 3068 (64.32%) women reported onset of menarche under 15 years of age, while 1702 (35.68%) women reported onset of menarche above 16 years of age. Regarding the separate association of famine exposure and age of menarche with metabolic syndrome, in model three, the adolescence/adulthood famine exposure group vs. no famine exposure group odds ratio was 2.45 (95% CI 2.02, 2.97), and the older than 16 years vs. younger than 15 years group odds ratio was 1.23 (95% CI 1.09, 1.39), which was the highest odds ratio among the three models. Regarding the combined association of famine exposure and age of menarche with metabolic syndrome, in model three, among the age of menarche ≤ 15 years group, the adolescence/adulthood famine exposure vs. no famine exposure group odds ratio was 2.45 (95% CI: 1.91, 3.14); among the menarche age ≥ 16 years group, the adolescence/adulthood famine exposure stages vs. exposed group odds ratio was 3.27 (95% CI: 2.44, 4.38), which was the highest odds ratio among the three models.

CONCLUSION

These findings suggested that famine exposure and age at menarche, either separately or in combination, were positively associated with the prevalence of metabolic syndrome among older women.

Association between Age at Menarche and Metabolic Syndrome in Southwest Iran: A Population-Based Case-Control Study

BACKGROUND

Age at menarche affects women's health outcomes and could be a risk factor for some diseases, such as metabolic syndrome (MetS). We assessed the association between age at menarche and MetS components in women aged 35-70 in Hoveyzeh, southwest Iran.

STUDY DESIGN

A case-control study.

METHODS

This case-control study was conducted on 5830 women aged 35-70 years in the Hoveyzeh cohort study (HCS), a part of the PERSIAN cohort study, from 2016-2018. The case group included women with MetS, while the controls were women without MetS. The MetS is determined based on standard NCEP-ATP III criteria. Data from demographic, socioeconomic, and reproductive history were gathered face-to-face through trained interviews. Moreover, laboratory, anthropometrics, and blood pressure measurements were assayed for participants. Multiple logistic regression was used to estimate the association between age at menarche and MetS, with adjustment for potential confounding variables.

RESULTS

The mean age at menarche was 12.60 ± 1.76 years old. Urban and rural women differed in age at menarche (12.58 ± 1.71 and 12.63 ± 1.83 years, respectively). The study revealed a statistically significant relationship between MetS and menarche age. The odds of developing MetS were 14% higher in women with menstrual age ≤ 11 years than in other groups.

CONCLUSION

As evidenced by the results of this study, the odds of having MetS were higher in women whose menarche age was ≤ 11 years. Furthermore, the association between MetS components and age groups at menarche was statistically significant.

Trend of Menarcheal Age among Korean Girls

BACKGROUND

Menarcheal age has been decreasing worldwide. However, few recent studies have observed trends in menarcheal age in larger populations, and the cutoff age for early menarche remains unclear. Therefore, we aimed to analyze recent trends of menarcheal age and to determine the cutoff age of early menarche based on nationally representative data.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional study of 351,006 Korean girls aged 12-18 years who were born in 1988-2003 based on the data of the 2006-2015 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey. We identified the distribution of age at menarche using the complex sample Cox regression model. Trends in the prevalence of early menarche were determined using the complex sample linear model.

RESULTS

Ninety-five percent of all the participants reported they had experienced menarche. The mean menarcheal age was 13.0 years (95% confidence intervals [CIs], 12.92-13.04) for girls born in 1988 and decreased to 12.6 years (95% CI, 12.54-12.61) for girls born in 2003. The cutoff age (the 3rd percentile value) for early menarche was 10.5 years during the study period. The prevalence of early menarche significantly increased from 1.8% in 2006 to 3.2% in 2015 (P-for-trend < 0.001). Downward trends of menarcheal age were noted across all body mass index groups, and this trend was most prominent in the obese group.

CONCLUSION

We reported an ongoing downward trend in menarcheal age in Korean girls born in 1988-2003, decreasing by 0.4 years over the 15 years.