The relationship between the female menopause and serum sialic acid, a known cardiovascular risk factor

Serum total sialic acid (SA) has recently been reported as a cardiovascular risk factor. The risk of cardiovascular disease increases after the menopause in females. However, there are little data looking at the relationship between serum SA and the menopause. Overall 92 females were studied. The women were divided into five groups: the first three groups were age-matched pre-menopausal (n=20), peri-menopausal (n=10) and post-menopausal women (n=20). In order to study serum SA changes with adult female age we also studied 14 young pre-menopausal women and 28 elderly women. There was no significance difference between the serum SA concentration in the age-matched pre-, peri-or post-menopausal women (62.7+/-10.4 mg/dl, 61.7+/-4.5 mg/dl, 62.9+/-7.0 mg/dl respectively). Furthermore, there was no significant difference between the serum SA in the "young" women (64.7+/-9.8 mg/dl) and that of the peri-, pre-or post-menopausal women. However, in the elderly women the serum SA was elevated (75.6+/-16.6 mg/dl) with; P<0.05 for each comparison group. In conclusion, serum SA does not seem to change at the time of the female menopause although in elderly women (average age 75.6+/-16.6 years) it increases. The reason for this increase is not known and may merit further research. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.