Loci at chromosomes 13, 19 and 20 influence age at natural menopause.

We conducted a genome-wide association study for age at natural menopause in 2,979 European women and identified six SNPs in three loci associated with age at natural menopause: chromosome 19q13.4 (rs1172822; -0.4 year per T allele (39%); P = 6.

Fat mass rather than muscle strength is the major determinant of physical function and disability in postmenopausal women younger than 75 years of age.

Objective: Few studies have investigated the relationships between body composition, functional ability, and age-related disability in postmenopausal women. We investigated the relative role of fat mass, lean mass, and muscle strength in the development of disability in a group of healthy postmenopausal women younger than 75 years.

Design: We performed a cross-sectional study among 396 independently living women aged 56-73 years, randomly selected between 8 and 30 years after menopause.

Relations between body composition, functional and hormonal parameters and quality of life in healthy postmenopausal women.

Objective: To investigate whether body composition, functional status and serum hormone levels are associated with quality of life in healthy postmenopausal women.

Design: A cross-sectional study among 402 women aged 56-73 years, 8-30 years postmenopausal. Quality of life (QoL) was assessed using the questionnaire on life satisfaction (QLS), with two modules directed at general factors (QLS-general) and health factors (QLS-health).

Endogenous oestrogens are related to cognition in healthy elderly women.

Objective: To investigate whether levels of endogenous hormones, in particular circulating oestrogens and SHBG, are associated with cognition in healthy postmenopausal women.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Patients: Four hundred and two healthy postmenopausal women aged 50-74 years between 8 and 30 years after menopause, none taking oestrogen.

Higher dietary intake of lignans is associated with better cognitive performance in postmenopausal women.

Data on the relation between phytoestrogens and cognitive function are still sparse. The purpose of this study was to examine the relation between the dietary intake of phytoestrogens and cognitive function in healthy postmenopausal women consuming a Western diet. We conducted a community-based survey among 394 postmenopausal women.

Alcohol consumption in relation to aortic stiffness and aortic wave reflections: a cross-sectional study in healthy postmenopausal women.

Objective: Moderate alcohol consumption has been postulated to be cardioprotective. Such an effect might be reflected in large-artery properties, such as arterial stiffness and wave reflections.

Methods And Results: Three hundred seventy-one healthy postmenopausal women aged 50 to 74 years were sampled from a population-based study.

Arterial stiffness in postmenopausal women: determinants of pulse wave velocity.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the degree and potential cardiovascular determinants of arterial stiffness, assessed by aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) measurements, and to relate arterial stiffness to absolute 10-12-year risks of stroke, coronary heart disease and death, as estimated by available risk functions, in postmenopausal women. METHOD We performed a cross-sectional study among 385 postmenopausal women, aged 50-74 years, sampled from the general population. Arterial stiffness was assessed non-invasively by measurement of aortic PWV using applanation tonometry.

Higher usual dietary intake of phytoestrogens is associated with lower aortic stiffness in postmenopausal women.

Objective: Phytoestrogens have been postulated to protect against cardiovascular diseases, but few studies have focused on the effect of Western dietary phytoestrogen intake.

Methods And Results: Four hundred three women with natural menopause either between 1987 and 1989 or between 1969 and 1979 were selected from the baseline data of the PROSPECT study (n=17 395). Isoflavone and lignan intake was calculated from a food-frequency questionnaire.