Abstract
The changing patterns of blood chemical constituents related to menopause were studied by inquiring both inter-and intraindividual variations in the general population sample of Hisayama residents. At the cross-sectional screenings in both 1973-74 and 1978, the distribution of blood chemical constituents for the whole population was firstly examined in order to determine the normal-mean value of the polulation. Applying Hoffmann's method of renouncement to the whole distribution of each blood chemical constituent, those with values of more or less than the range of mean±2.2 SD were excluded. After that 566 females aged 40 to 54 years old were recruited from the remaining population at 1973-74. Then, the study subjects were divided into menopausal and non-menopausal groups. The mean values of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), leucine aminopeptidase (LAP), serum total cholesterol (CHOL), serum uric acid (SUA), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), sodium (Na), and calcium (Ca) were significantly higher in the menopausal group than in the non-menopausal one at a whole range of age. Similar changes were found in each age group of 40 to 44, 45 to 49, and 50 to 54 years old, although a statistical significance could not necessarily be obtained between the menopausal and non-menopausal group. In 1978, 472 females were re-examined of which seven blood chemical constituents mentioned above were available. Of 472 subjects, menstruation continued in 166 (premenopausal group), and discontinued in 131 (menopausal group). remaining 175 females were already menopausal at 1973-74 (postmenopausal group). Within each group, the mean values for seven blood chemical constituents studied in 1973-74 were compared to those in 1978. Simultaneously, a change of difference in each value of blood chemical constituents for study-subjects during five-year interval was corrected by the difference between two values which had previously been determined as a normal mean of the whole population at 1973-74 or at 1978, respectively. All seven constituents increased in menopausal group, while only ALP increased but the other six remained unchaged in pre-menopausal groups. Increases in blood chemical constituents except BUN were significantly greater in the menopausal group than those in the other groups. These evidences strongly suggest that increases in ALP, LAP, CHOL, Ca, SUA and Na are closely related to menopause.
