Women with lower ovarian reserve—defined as the number and quality of a woman’s eggs—are not at increased risk for obesity and diabetes, according to a study published in Menopause.
Women with lower ovarian reserve—defined as the number and quality of a woman's eggs—are not at increased risk for obesity and diabetes, according to a study published in Menopause.
Researchers set out to determine whether “trends of adiposity and glucose metabolism parameters in women with low ovarian reserve status based on their anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) levels differ from those with high ovarian reserve.” The AMH is found in the blood and helps to estimate the duration of a woman's reproductive lifespan, according to a statement.
This population-based cohort study included 1015 participants between the ages or 20 and 50. Women were divided into first and fourth quartiles of age-specific AMH and the mean follow-up period was 16 years. Investigators used generalized estimating equation (GEE) models to compared changes in adiposity and metabolic parameters between participants. In addition, researchers used pooled logistic regression “to compare progression of prediabetes mellitus (pre-DM) and DM between the women of these two age-specific AMH quartiles.”
In the past, studies have found associations between premature ovarian insufficiency, defined as menopause before the age of 40, and cardiometabolic risk factors like obesity and diabetes. Menopause transition has also been shown to be associated with cardiometabolic risk factors, regardless of age. These findings indicate “a changing endocrine profile resulting from decreased ovarian function can influence cardiometabolic risk and increase cardiovascular mortality," reserachers said.
Participants were divided between the first (n = 268), second (n = 233), third (n = 256), and fourth (n = 258) age-specific quartiles of AMH.
The study yielded the following results:
“Although previous research has clearly established a link between early menopause and cardiovascular disease risk, the present study showed that lower ovarian reserve, as measured by a single AMH level, was not associated with greater over time trends in adiposity and markers of glucose metabolism,” said Stephanie Faubion, MD, medical director of the North American Menopause Society. She continued, “Additional study is needed to determine how best to predict cardiometabolic risk in women with and without primary ovarian insufficiency in order to initiate appropriate risk reduction strategies.”
Despite women in both the lowest and highest quartiles of AMH exhibiting a significant positive trend in adiposity indices, researchers found this trend did not significantly differ between the two groups.
Researchers conclude AMH should not be used as a biomarker to predict cardiometabolic risk factors in healthy, reproductive-age females.
Reference
Amiri M, Tehrani FR, Rahmati M, et al. Do trends of adiposity and metabolic parameters vary in women with different ovarian reserve status? A population-based cohort study. Menopause. 2020;27(6). doi: 10.1097/GME.0000000000001513.
Beyond Insulin: The Impact of Next-Generation Diabetes Technology
April 17th 2024Experts explain how new diabetes technologies like continuous glucose monitors are transforming care beyond intensive insulin therapy, offering personalized insights and improving outcomes for patients of all treatment levels.
Read More
How Can Employers Leverage the DPP to Improve Diabetes Rates?
February 15th 2022On this episode of Managed Care Cast, Jill Hutt, vice president of member services at the Greater Philadelphia Business Coalition on Health, explains the Coalition’s efforts to reduce diabetes rates through the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP).
Listen
Balancing Care Access and Fragmentation for Better Outcomes in Veterans With Diabetes
April 22nd 2021The authors of a study in the April 2021 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® discuss the possible reasons behind the link between care fragmentation and hospitalizations in veterans with diabetes, as well as potential opportunities to address disjointed care in the context of the widespread telehealth uptake seen during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Listen