Follicle‐stimulating hormone in postmenopausal women living with HIV: a prevalence study. Issue 4 (17th November 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tariq, Shema; Okhai, Hajra; Severn, Abigail; Sabin, Caroline A.; Burns, Fiona; Gilson, Richard; Fox, Julie; Gilleece, Yvonne; Mackie, Nicola E.; Post, Frank A.; Reeves, Iain; Rosenvinge, Melanie; Sullivan, Ann; Ustianowski, Andrew; Miller, Robert F.
• Other Names: Gilleece Yvonne guestEditor.
• Is Part Of: HIV medicine. Volume 23:Issue 4(2022)
• Page Start: 434
• Page End: 440
• Publication Date: 2021-11-17
• Subjects: ageing -- follicle‐stimulating hormone -- HIV -- menopause -- women; HIV infections -- Treatment -- Periodicals; HIV-positive persons -- Periodicals; HIV infections -- Treatment -- Decision making -- Periodicals; 616.9792
• DOI: 10.1111/hiv.13205
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1464-2662

Abstract

Abstract: Objectives: We examined follicle‐stimulating hormone (FSH) levels in women living with HIV aged > 45 reporting ≥ 12 months' amenorrhoea, and investigated correlation with menopausal symptoms. Methods: A cross‐sectional substudy of 85 women from the Positive Transitions through the Menopause (PRIME) Study who reported irregular periods at entry into the PRIME Study and ≥ 12 months' amenorrhoea at recruitment into this substudy. Serum FSH was supplemented with clinical data and menopausal symptom assessment. Serum FSH > 30 mIU/mL was defined as consistent with postmenopausal status. Associations between FSH and menopausal symptom severity were assessed using Pearson's correlation and the Kruskal–Wallis test. Results: Median age was 53 years [interquartile range (IQR): 51–55]; all were on antiretroviral therapy, three‐quarters ( n = 65) had a CD4 T‐cell count > 500 cells/μL and 91.8% ( n = 78) had an HIV viral load (VL) < 50 copies/mL. Median FSH was 65.9 mIU/mL (IQR: 49.1–78.6). Only four women (4.7%) had FSH ≤ 30 mIU/mL; none reported smoking or drug use, all had CD4 T‐cell count ≥ 200 cells/μL, and one had viral load (VL) ≥ 50 copies/mL. Median body mass index (BMI) was elevated compared with women with FSH > 30 mIU/mL (40.8 vs. 30.5 kg/m 2 ). Over a quarter (28.2%) reported severe menopausal symptoms, with no correlation between FSH and severity of menopausal symptoms ( p = 0.21), or hot flushes ( p = 0.37). Conclusions: Four women in this small substudy had low FSH despite being amenorrhoeic; all had BMI ≥ 35 kg/m 2 . We found that 95% of women with HIV aged > 45 years reporting ≥ 12 months' amenorrhoea had elevated FSH, suggesting that menopausal status can be ascertained from menstrual history alone in this group.