Screening mammography performance according to breast density: a comparison between radiologists versus standalone intelligence detection.

BACKGROUND: Artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms for the independent assessment of screening mammograms have not been well established in a large screening cohort of Asian women. We compared the performance of screening digital mammography considering breast density, between radiologists and AI standalone detection among Korean women. METHODS: We retrospectively included 89,855 Korean women who underwent their initial screening digital mammography from 2009 to 2020. Breast cancer within 12 months of the screening mammography was the reference standard, according to the National Cancer Registry. Lunit software was used to determine the probability of malignancy scores, with a cutoff of 10% for breast cancer detection. The AI's performance was compared with that of the final Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System category, as recorded by breast radiologists. Breast density was classified into four categories (A-D) based on the radiologist and AI-based assessments. The performance metrics (cancer detection rate [CDR], sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value [PPV], recall rate, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC]) were compared across breast density categories. RESULTS: Mean participant age was 43.5 ± 8.7 years; 143 breast cancer cases were identified within 12 months. The CDRs (1.1/1000 examination) and sensitivity values showed no significant differences between radiologist and AI-based results (69.9% [95% confidence interval [CI], 61.7-77.3] vs. 67.1% [95% CI, 58.8-74.8]). However, the AI algorithm showed better specificity (93.0% [95% CI, 92.9-93.2] vs. 77.6% [95% CI, 61.7-77.9]), PPV (1.5% [95% CI, 1.2-1.9] vs. 0.5% [95% CI, 0.4-0.6]), recall rate (7.1% [95% CI, 6.9-7.2] vs. 22.5% [95% CI, 22.2-22.7]), and AUC values (0.8 [95% CI, 0.76-0.84] vs. 0.74 [95% CI, 0.7-0.78]) (all P < 0.05). Radiologist and AI-based results showed the best performance in the non-dense category; the CDR and sensitivity were higher for radiologists in the heterogeneously dense category (P = 0.059). However, the specificity, PPV, and recall rate consistently favored AI-based results across all categories, including the extremely dense category. CONCLUSIONS: AI-based software showed slightly lower sensitivity, although the difference was not statistically significant. However, it outperformed radiologists in recall rate, specificity, PPV, and AUC, with disparities most prominent in extremely dense breast tissue.

Height and breast cancer risk in premenopausal Korean women aged under 40 years of age.

BACKGROUND: Taller women are at an increased risk of breast cancer; however, evidence regarding this in younger women is limited. This study investigated the association between body height and breast cancer risk in premenopausal Korean women aged <40 years. METHODS: Premenopausal women aged <40 years enroled in the Kangbuk Samsung Health Study (KSHS) and National Health Insurance Service-National Health Information Database (NHIS-NHID) were included in the analysis. Trained staff members performed anthropometry, including height measurements. Breast cancer incidence was followed up until December 2019. Cox regression model and restricted cubic- spline regression were applied. RESULTS: The mean (standard deviation [SD]) age was 33.3 (3.6) years and 32.9 (4.2) in KSHS and NHIS-NHID cohorts, respectively. After adjusting for age at baseline and other confounders, every 10 cm of height was associated with a 1.44-fold increased risk of developing breast cancer (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.44; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.17-1.78) in the KSHS. The restricted cubic spline regression showed an almost linear association between height and breast cancer risk. Compared to women with height <155 cm, aHRs (95% CI) among those with height 160-165 cm, 165-170 cm, and ≥170 cm were 1.67 (1.07-2.60), 1.75 (1.09-2.81), and 2.31 (1.18-3.86), respectively (P = 0.009). Results were similar in the NHIS-NHID cohort (aHR, 1.20 [95% CI, 1.10-1.31] per 10-cm increase in height). CONCLUSION: In young Korean women, greater body height was associated with increased breast cancer risk.

Menopausal stages and overactive bladder symptoms in middle-aged women: A cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the prevalence of overactive bladder (OAB) according to menopausal stages in middle-aged women. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Total Healthcare Center in South Korea. POPULATION: Middle-aged Korean women (n=3469, mean age, 49.5 ± 2.9 years). METHODS: Menopausal stages were defined according to the Stages of Reproductive Aging Workshop +10 criteria, and menopausal symptoms were assessed using the Korean version of Menopause-Specific Quality of Life (MENQOL). Logistic regression models were used to estimate prevalence ratios with 95% confidence intervals for OAB according to menopausal stage and to assess the associations with menopausal symptoms. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: OAB symptoms were evaluated using the Overactive Bladder Symptom Score (OABSS). RESULTS: The prevalence of OAB increased with menopausal stage; however, the multivariable-adjusted prevalence ratios for women in menopausal transition and postmenopausal stage were insignificant (ptrend = 0.160) compared to those for premenopausal women. Among individual OAB symptoms, the multivariable-adjusted prevalence ratios for nocturia increased with menopausal stage in a dose-response manner (ptrend = 0.005 for 1 time/day; ptrend < 0.001 for ≥2 times/day). The association between menopausal stages and nocturia occurring ≥2 times/day was evident in women without OAB and with relatively high MENQOL scores, vasomotor symptoms and difficulty sleeping. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of OAB, particularly nocturia, increased with menopausal stage, and the association was obvious in women with other menopausal symptoms. This finding underscores the importance of addressing nocturia as a potential menopausal symptom in middle-aged women. Further studies are required to understand the mechanisms linking OAB with menopausal symptoms in middle-aged women.

Metabolically healthy and unhealthy obesity and risk of vasomotor symptoms in premenopausal women: cross-sectional and cohort studies.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between metabolically healthy and unhealthy obesity phenotypes and risk of vasomotor symptoms (VMS) in premenopausal women. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Middle-aged women in a cohort based on regular health screening examinations. POPULATION: Premenopausal Korean women aged 42-52 years were recruited and were followed up for a median of 4.2 years. The cross-sectional and cohort studies comprised 4672 women and 2590 women without VMS at baseline, respectively. METHODS: Adiposity measures included body mass index (BMI), waist circumference and percentage body fat. Being metabolically healthy was defined as not having any metabolic syndrome components or a homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance of 2.5 or more. MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURES: VMS (hot flushes and night sweats) assessed using the questionnaire. RESULTS: All adiposity measures were positively associated with an increased risk of VMS in both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies. The multivariable-adjusted prevalence ratio (95% confidence interval [CI]) for VMS comparing percentage body fat of 35% or more with the reference was 1.47 (95% CI 1.14-1.90) in metabolically healthy women, and the corresponding prevalence ratio was 2.32 (95% CI 1.42-3.78) in metabolically unhealthy women (Pinteraction  = 0.334). The multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio for incident VMS comparing percentage body fat of 35% or more with the reference was 1.34 (95% CI 1.00-1.79) in metabolically healthy women, whereas the corresponding hazard ratio was 3.61 (95% CI 1.81-7.20) in metabolically unhealthy women (Pinteraction  = 0.036). The association between BMI, waist circumference and VMS did not significantly differ by metabolic health status. CONCLUSIONS: Maintaining normal weight and being metabolically healthy may help to prevent VMS in premenopausal women. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: Avoiding obesity and a metabolically unhealthy status may help reduce vasomotor symptoms in premenopausal women.

Association between estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) concentrations among the elderly in a rural community: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Reduced glomerular filtration rate and increased asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) are prevalent in elderly people. However, most of the studies that have examined the association between the two conditions were performed in patients with renal dysfunction, but not in the general elderly population. Thus, we investigated an association between estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and ADMA concentration among community-dwelling older Koreans. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 269 men and 382 women (mean age, 71.6 years) enrolled in the Korean Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (KSHAP), a population-based cohort study of health determinants in elderly Koreans. We calculated eGFR using chronic kidney disease- Epidemiology Collaboration Group (CKD-EPI) equation. ADMA concentration was measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The association between eGFR and ADMA concentrations was analyzed by multiple linear regression models. RESULTS: The mean ADMA was significantly higher in people with eGFR< 60 mL/min/1.73m2 (0.691 µmol/L) than in those with eGFR≥60 mL/min/1.73m2 (0.667 µmol/L, p = 0.013). The negative correlations between eGFR level and ADMA concentrations were significant in men and women after adjusted age. After adjusting for potential confounders which were sex, age, body surface, blood pressure, total and HDL cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, and drinking, eGFR levels were inversely associated with ADMA concentrations both in men (ß = - 0.0015, p = 0.005) and women (ß = - 0.001, p = 0.039). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that an inverse association exists between eGFR and ADMA concentrations among the Korean elderly in a rural community.

Adiposity, Body Composition Measures, and Breast Cancer Risk in Korean Premenopausal Women.

Objective: To investigate the association between body composition parameters and breast cancer (BC) risk in premenopausal women. Design, Setting, and Participants: Prospective cohort study using data from the Kangbuk Samsung Cohort Study. Participants were women aged 20 to 54 years who were enrolled from 2011 to 2019 and followed up for BC development until December 31, 2020. Data were analyzed from June to August 2023. Exposures: Trained nurses conducted anthropometric measurements and assessed body composition using segmental bioelectric impedance analysis. The analysis encompassed adiposity measures such as body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and body composition parameters, including muscle mass, fat mass, ratio of muscle mass to weight, ratio of fat mass to weight, and fat mass index. Main outcomes and measures: Adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) for BC during the follow-up period. Results: Among 125 188 premenopausal women, the mean (SD) age was 34.9 (6.3) years. During a mean (range) follow-up of 6.7 (0.5-9.9) years, 1110 incident BC cases were identified. The mean (SD) BMI and waist circumference were 21.6 (3.1) and 75.3 (8.2) cm, respectively. Higher BMI and waist circumference were associated with decreased risk, with an aHR of 0.89 (95% CI, 0.84-0.95) per SD increase in BMI and 0.92 (95% CI, 0.86-0.98) per SD increase in waist circumference. A higher ratio of fat mass to weight was associated with decreased BC risk (aHR, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.86-0.99 per SD increase), whereas the opposite trend was observed for the ratio of muscle mass to weight, with an aHR of 1.08 (95% CI, 1.02-1.15) per SD increase. The results remained consistent even after additional adjustments for height in the model. The fat mass index was also inversely associated with BC risk, with an HR of 0.90 (95% CI, 0.85-0.97) per SD increase. Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study of premenopausal women, a higher level of adiposity, represented by increased BMI, waist circumference, and fat mass, was consistently associated with decreased breast cancer risk. Conversely, muscle mass and its ratio to weight displayed opposite or inconsistent patterns. These findings suggest an inverse association between excess adiposity and the risk of BC in premenopausal women, confirming earlier findings that BMI is an indirect measure of adiposity.

Early-onset vasomotor symptoms and development of depressive symptoms among premenopausal women.

BACKGROUND: We investigated the association between vasomotor symptoms (VMSs) and the onset of depressive symptoms among premenopausal women. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 4376 premenopausal women aged 42-52 years, and the cohort study included 2832 women without clinically relevant depressive symptoms at baseline. VMSs included the symptoms of hot flashes and night sweats. Depressive symptoms were evaluated using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale; a score of ≥16 was considered to define clinically relevant depressive symptoms. RESULTS: Premenopausal Women with VMSs at baseline exhibited a higher prevalence of depressive symptoms compared with women without VMSs at baseline (multivariable-adjusted prevalence ratio 1.76, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 1.47-2.11). Among the 2832 women followed up (median, 6.1 years), 406 developed clinically relevant depressive symptoms. Women with versus without VMSs had a significantly higher risk of developing clinically relevant depressive symptoms (multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio, 1.72; 95 % CI 1.39-2.14). VMS severity exhibited a dose-response relationship with depressive symptoms (P for trend <0.05). LIMITATIONS: Self-reported questionnaires were only used to obtain VMSs and depressive symptoms, which could have led to misclassification. We also could not directly measure sex hormone levels. CONCLUSIONS: Even in the premenopausal stage, women who experience hot flashes or night sweats have an increased risk of present and developed clinically relevant depressive symptoms. It is important to conduct mental health screenings and provide appropriate support to middle-aged women who experience early-onset VMSs.

Overactive bladder and cognitive impairment in middle-aged women: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Overactive bladder (OAB) is a common condition in middle-aged and older women. It has been reported to be potentially linked to cognitive decline, particularly in older adults. This study investigated the association between OAB symptoms and cognitive impairment in middle-aged women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study had a sample of 1652 women (mean age 49.3 ± 2.8 years) who were not taking medication for either urinary tract infection or OAB. OAB symptoms and cognitive function were evaluated by self-administered questionnaires: the Overactive Bladder Symptom Score and the Alzheimer's disease 8. Logistic regression models estimated prevalence ratios (PRs) with 95 % confidence intervals (CI) for cognitive impairment according to the presence/absence of OAB. Mediation analyses assessed the impact of poor sleep quality on this association. RESULTS: Cognitive impairment was more prevalent in women with OAB than in those without OAB (multivariable-adjusted PR: 1.88 [95 % CI: 1.52-2.24]). Women experiencing nocturia (≥twice a night), urinary urgency at least once a week, and urgency urinary incontinence at least once a week had multivariable-adjusted PRs (95 % CI) for cognitive impairment of 2.08 (1.50-2.65), 2.12 (1.66-2.58), and 1.75 (1.17-2.34), respectively. Poor sleep quality mediated 10.81 % [95 % CI: 4.55-19.44 %] of the relationship between OAB and cognitive impairment. CONCLUSIONS: Among middle-aged women not taking OAB medications, OAB symptoms were associated with cognitive impairment, partly because of poor sleep quality. Further research is needed to determine whether early screening of patients with OAB can help identify those susceptible to cognitive impairment associated with OAB medication and if preventive measures should be targeted at this group.

Age at first childbirth and the risk of hypertriglyceridemia among Korean women.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to investigate the association of age at first childbirth with the risk of hypertriglyceridemia among Korean women. METHODS: This study used data from the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study-Cardiovascular Disease Association Study. In total, 16,747 women were included in the cross-sectional analysis, and 6,250 women were included in the longitudinal analysis. The participants were divided based on their age at first childbirth (<20, 20-24, 25-29, and ≥30 years). Hypertriglyceridemia was defined as triglyceride levels of ≥150 mg/dL. RESULTS: The multivariable-adjusted odds ratio for prevalent hypertriglyceridemia was 1.19 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01 to 1.40) in women whose first childbirth was before 20 years of age, compared to those whose first childbirth was at 25-29 years of age, after adjustment for age, study site, body mass index, blood pressure, diabetes, alcohol consumption, carbohydrate intake, income, marital status, education, parity, usage of oral contraceptives, and hormone replacement status. During a median follow-up of 5.2 years, 1,770 women developed hypertriglyceridemia. Compared with women who gave birth to their first child between 25 years and 29 years of age, those giving birth to their first child before 20 years of age had a higher risk for incident hypertriglyceridemia in later life (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.25; 95% CI, 0.99 to 1.57). CONCLUSIONS: Giving birth to one's first child before the age of 20 years was associated with an increased risk of hypertriglyceridemia among Korean women.

Vasomotor and other menopause symptoms and the prevalence of ideal cardiovascular health metrics among premenopausal stage women.

OBJECTIVE: We examined the association between menopause symptoms and the prevalence of ideal cardiovascular health (CVH) metrics among premenopausal women. METHODS: This cross-sectional study comprised 4,611 premenopausal women aged 42 to 52 years. Data for CVH metrics were collected during health screening examinations. Menopause symptoms were measured using the Korean version of the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life questionnaire. For vasomotor, psychosocial, physical, and sexual symptoms, participants were divided into absent or symptomatic groups, further divided into tertiles (range, 0-7; 7 being the most bothersome). Ideal CVH metrics were defined according to the American Heart Association Life Simple 7 metrics, except dietary component. Cardiovascular health metrics were scored from 0 (unhealthy) to 6 (healthy) and classified as poor (0-2), intermediate (3-4), and ideal (5-6). Multinomial logistic regression models were used to estimate the prevalence ratios for intermediate and poor CVH metrics using ideal CVH as the reference. RESULTS: The overall and 4 menopause-specific quality of life domain scores were significantly associated with poorer CVH metrics scores in a dose-response manner ( P < 0.05). After adjusting for age, parity, education level, anti-Mullerian hormone levels, and alcohol intake, women with the most bothersome degree for vasomotor, psychosocial, physical, and sexual symptoms had significantly higher prevalence of poor CVH metrics, with corresponding prevalence ratios (95% confidence interval) of 2.90 (1.95-4.31), 2.07 (1.36-3.15), 3.01 (1.19-7.65), and 1.66 (1.15-2.39), respectively, compared with those without each vasomotor, psychosocial, physical, and sexual symptom. CONCLUSIONS: Premenopausal stage women with either vasomotor or nonvasomotor menopausal symptoms have significantly higher prevalence of poor CVH metrics, compared with those without any menopausal symptoms.

Depressive symptoms and suicidality by menopausal stages among middle-aged Korean women.

AIMS: There has been increasing evidence of hormonal changes during reproductive events that lead to mood changes. However, studies on the severity of psychological problems according to the menopausal stage are limited. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the association between menopausal stages, depression and suicidality. METHODS: A total of 45 177 women who underwent regular health check-ups between 2015 and 2018 at Kangbuk Samsung Hospital were included. Participants were stratified into four groups (pre-menopause, early transition, late transition and post-menopause) based on the Stages of Reproductive Aging Workshop Criteria. The Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression scale (CESD) was used to evaluate depressive symptoms, and the degree of depressive symptoms was classified as moderate (CESD score 16-24) or severe (CESD score ⩾ 25). To measure suicide risk, we administered questionnaires related to suicidal ideation. RESULTS: Overall, the prevalence of CESD scores of 16-24 and ⩾ 25 was 7.6 and 2.8%, respectively. Menopausal stages were positively associated with depressive symptoms in a dose-dependent manner. Multivariable-adjusted prevalence ratios (PRs, 95% confidence intervals) for CESD scores of 16-24 comparing the stages of the early menopausal transition (MT), late MT and post-menopause to pre-menopause was 1.28 (1.16-1.42), 1.21 (1.05-1.38) and 1.58 (1.36-1.84), respectively. The multivariable-adjusted PRs for CESD scores ⩾ 25 comparing the stages of the early MT, late MT and post-menopause to pre-menopause were 1.31 (1.11-1.55), 1.39 (1.12-1.72), 1.86 (1.47-2.37), respectively. In addition, the multivariable-adjusted PRs for suicidal ideation comparing the early MT, late MT and post-menopause stages to the pre-menopause stage were 1.24 (1.12-1.38), 1.07 (0.93-1.24) and 1.46 (1.25-1.70) (p for trend <0.001), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that the prevalence of depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation increases with advancing menopausal stage, even pre-menopause.

High low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level is associated with an increased risk of incident early-onset vasomotor symptoms.

We investigated the associations between serum lipid profiles and risk of early-onset vasomotor symptoms (VMSs) in premenopausal women. This cohort study comprised 2,540 premenopausal women aged 42-52 years without VMSs at baseline (median follow-up: 4.4 years). VMSs, including hot flashes and night sweats, were assessed using the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life questionnaire (Korean version). Early-onset VMSs were defined as VMSs that occurred premenopause; moderate/severe VMSs were defined as a score of ≥ 3 points (range: 0 to 6, 6 being most bothersome). Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the development of VMSs across the lipid levels. Higher low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels were positively associated with increased risk of early-onset VMSs. Compared to the < 100 mg/dL LDL group, the multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for incident VMSs were 1.19 (1.03-1.37) and 1.20 (1.03-1.40) in participants with LDL cholesterol levels of 100-129 mg/dL and ≥ 130 mg/dL, respectively (P for trend = 0.027). The multivariable-adjusted HR for incident moderate/severe VMSs was 1.37 (95% CI: 1.08-1.73) in participants with LDL ≥ 130 mg/dL, compared to those with LDL < 100 mg/dL. Meanwhile, triglycerides and total and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were not significantly associated with early-onset VMSs risk in premenopausal women. Premenopausal women with high serum LDL cholesterol concentrations had a higher risk of incident early-onset VMSs. Further studies should confirm our findings and examine whether LDL-lowering interventions reduce the risk of early-onset VMSs among women during menopause transition.

Low anti-Müllerian hormone levels are associated with an increased risk of incident early-onset vasomotor symptoms among premenopausal women.

The role of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels in incident vasomotor symptoms (VMS) is largely unknown. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between AMH levels and the development of early-onset VMS among premenopausal women. Our cohort study comprised 2041 premenopausal women aged 42-52 years free of VMS at baseline whose AMH levels were measured. VMS, including hot flushes and night sweats, were assessed using the Korean version of the Menopause-specific Quality of Life questionnaire. Early-onset VMS was defined as the occurrence of VMS prior to menopause. Parametric proportional hazards models were used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CI. During a median follow-up of 4.4 years, 708 premenopausal women developed early-onset VMS (incidence rate, 8.0 per 100 person-years). Lower AMH levels were statistically significantly associated with an increased risk of early-onset VMS. After adjusting for age and other confounders, multivariable-adjusted HRs (95% CI) for incident VMS comparing AMH quintiles 4-1 to the highest quintile were 1.02 (0.78-1.33), 1.37 (1.06-1.76), 1.36 (1.04-1.76), and 2.38 (1.84-3.08), respectively (P for trend < 0.001). Our results support an independent role of serum AMH levels in predicting incident early-onset VMS among premenopausal women in the late reproductive stage.

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Risk of Early-Onset Vasomotor Symptoms in Lean and Overweight Premenopausal Women.

The role of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in vasomotor symptom (VMS) risk in premenopausal women is unknown. We examined the prevalence of early-onset VMSs according to NAFLD status in lean and overweight premenopausal women. This cross-sectional study included 4242 premenopausal Korean women (mean age 45.4 years). VMSs (hot flashes and night sweats) were assessed using the Korean version of the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life questionnaire. Hepatic steatosis was determined using liver ultrasound; lean was defined as a body mass index of <23 kg/m2. Participants were categorized into four groups: NAFLD-free lean (reference), NAFLD-free overweight, lean NAFLD, and overweight NAFLD. Compared with the reference, the multivariable-adjusted prevalence ratios (PRs) (95% confidence intervals (CIs)) for VMSs in NAFLD-free overweight, lean NAFLD, and overweight NAFLD were 1.22 (1.06−1.41), 1.38 (1.06−1.79), and 1.49 (1.28−1.73), respectively. For moderate-to-severe VMSs, the multivariable-adjusted PRs (95% CIs) comparing NAFLD-free overweight, lean NAFLD, and overweight NAFLD to the reference were 1.38 (1.10−1.74), 1.73 (1.16−2.57), and 1.74 (1.37−2.21), respectively. NAFLD, even lean NAFLD, was significantly associated with an increased risk of prevalent early-onset VMSs and their severe forms among premenopausal women. Further studies are needed to determine the longitudinal association between NAFLD and VMS risk.

Alcohol Consumption Patterns and Risk of Early-Onset Vasomotor Symptoms in Premenopausal Women.

The role of alcohol consumption in the risk of vasomotor symptoms (VMS), the most cardinal climacteric symptoms, is not well established. We examined their relationship with early-onset VMS among premenopausal women. Moderately-to-severely bothersome VMS, the primary outcome, was assessed using the Korean version of the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life questionnaire. The alcohol consumption categories included lifetime abstainer, former drinker, or current drinker, categorized as light, moderate, heavy, and very heavy. Compared with the lifetime-abstinence (reference), the multivariable-adjusted odds ratio (95% CIs) for prevalent VMS in alcohol consumption of <10, 10−19, 20−39, and ≥40 g/day were 1.42 (1.02−1.99), 1.99 (1.27−3.12), 2.06 (1.19−3.57), and 3.52 (1.72−7.20), respectively (p trend <0.01). Compared with the lifetime-abstinence, the multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (95% CIs) for incident bothersome VMS among average alcohol consumption of <10, 10−19, 20−39, and ≥40 g/day were 1.10 (0.85−1.41), 1.03 (0.70−1.51), 1.72 (1.06−2.78), and 2.22 (1.16−4.23), respectively (p trend = 0.02). Increased alcohol consumption positively and consistently showed a relationship with increased risk of both prevalent and incident early-onset VMS. Refraining from alcohol consumption may help prevent bothersome VMS in premenopausal women.

Ideal Cardiovascular Health Metrics and Risk of Incident Early-Onset Vasomotor Symptoms Among Premenopausal Women.

CONTEXT: The relationship of ideal cardiovascular health (CVH) behaviors with preventing early-onset vasomotor symptoms (VMSs) is unknown. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the association between CVH metrics and the development of early-onset VMSs in premenopausal women. METHODS: This cohort study included 2541 premenopausal women aged 42 to 52 years without VMSs at baseline. CVH metrics were defined according to the American Heart Association Life Simple 7 metrics. Owing to limited availability of dietary information, CVH metrics were scored from 0 (unhealthy) to 6 (healthy) and classified into 3 groups: poor (0-2), intermediate (3-4), and ideal (5-6) CVH. VMSs, including hot flashes and night sweats, were assessed using the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life questionnaire. Moderate/severe VMSs was defined as a score of 3 or more points (range, 0 to 6; 6 being most bothersome). RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 4.5 years, 1241 women developed VMSs before menopause. After adjustment for age, parity, education level, and alcohol consumption, the hazard ratio (HR) (95% CI) for developing early-onset VMSs comparing poor CVH group to the ideal group was 1.41 (1.07-1.86). CVH scores were also inversely associated with moderate/severe VMSs in a dose-response manner (P for trend = .004); specifically, multivariable-adjusted HRs comparing intermediate and poor CVH groups to the ideal group were 1.20 (95% CI, 1.02-1.43) and 1.57 (95% CI, 1.08-2.29), respectively. CONCLUSION: Unfavorable CVH metrics were significantly associated with an increased risk of early-onset VMSs and its more severe forms among premenopausal women.

Gender role stereotypes, patriarchal attitudes, and cognitive function in the elderly rural Korean population: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: We analyzed whether gender role stereotypes (GRS) and patriarchal attitudes are associated with cognitive function in an elderly community. METHODS: We analyzed data from 580 people enrolled in the Korean Social Life, Health, and Aging Project. The degrees to which respondents held stereotypical beliefs about gender roles and had patriarchal mindsets were measured using a questionnaire. Based on participants' responses, we divided respondents into 2 groups-those with conservative mindsets and those with open mindsets-according to the median score for each of the 2 variables. Cognitive function was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination, Korean version (MMSE-K). Cognitive impairment was defined as an MMSE-K score ≤21 points. Multivariable logistic regression was performed, adjusting for gender, age, socio-demographic and lifestyle factors, and social network size. Age and lifestyle factors were stratified. RESULTS: Compared to those with open mindsets, those with conservative mindsets regarding gender roles and patriarchal norms had adjusted odds ratios of 1.88 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.11 to 3.19) and 1.67 (95% CI, 1.00 to 2.79) for cognitive impairment, respectively. In the stratified analysis, subgroups with younger age and a good lifestyle maintained a protective association with cognitive impairment. CONCLUSIONS: GRS and a patriarchal mindset were marginally significantly associated with cognitive impairment among women later in life.

Risk Factors Influencing the Occurrence and Severity of Symptomatic Dry Eye Syndrome: A Cross-sectional Study.

Propose: We aimed to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of dry eye syndrome (DES) among a population-based cohort study.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 475 subjects (184 men and 291 women) enrolled in the Study Group for Environmental Eye Disease at July 2013. Using the ocular surface disease index (OSDI), we measured the DES severity and defined DES as OSDI score ≥13. Current symptoms of DES and possible risk factors such as body mass index, occupations, comorbidities, exercise, smoking and drinking status were assessed by multivariate logistic regression.Results: Prevalence of DES was significantly higher in women (52.6%) than in men (41.9%) (p < .001). Compared to white-collar workers, blue-collar workers and unemployed persons showed significantly higher DES prevalence and severity. Compared to those with low BMI (<23.0 kg/m2), people with extremely high BMI (≥30.0 kg/m2) had significantly higher odds ratio (OR) of having DES after fully adjusted for sex, age, hypertension, diabetes, menopausal status, hormone replacement therapy, occupation, and lifestyle factors (OR: 2.83, 95% confidence interval: 1.04-7.71).Conclusions: We found some novel factors which have been unknown to the relationship with DES through the five years observation of the cohort. The positive associations of unemployment status, blue-collar work, alcohol habit, and obesity with DES suggests a person's comprehensive condition, not individual factors, contribute significantly in developing DES. Further studies will be helpful to understand the underlying mechanisms.

Association Between Dyslipidemia and Dry Eye Syndrome Among the Korean Middle-Aged Population.

PURPOSE: Dry eye syndrome (DES) is a common eye disease caused by tear deficiency or excessive tear evaporation. Because the tear film layers play a major role in the pathogenesis of the evaporative dry eye, some previous articles have suggested the possible mechanism of dyslipidemia and DES. However, the previous results were inconsistent and few studies were conducted to find the independent relationship between dyslipidemia and DES. Therefore, we investigated the association of dyslipidemia with DES in middle-aged Korean adults. METHODS: This study was conducted on 2272 participants (854 men and 1418 women) enrolled in the Study Group for Environmental Eye Disease (2013-2017) after excluding people who have taken lipid-lowering medication. Participants with total cholesterol ≥240 mg/dL or high-density lipoprotein cholesterol <40 mg/dL or low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ≥160 mg/dL or triglycerides ≥200 mg/dL are defined as having dyslipidemia. Using the ocular surface disease index, we measured the DES severity and defined DES as an ocular surface disease index score ≥13. RESULTS: Men with dyslipidemia had an odds ratio of 1.29 (95% confidence interval, 0.97-1.71) for DES in an unadjusted model compared with those without DES. After adjusting for age, body mass index, hypertension, diabetes, occupations, smoking and drinking status, exercise, contact lens use, computer use, study cohorts, and calendar year of examinations, the adjusted odds ratio for DES was 1.40 (1.03-1.90) in men. However, there was no significant association between dyslipidemia and DES in women, even after stratifying by menopausal status. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that dyslipidemia may be associated with the prevalence of DES in Korean men, but not in women.

Prevalence of and factors related with abnormal fundoscopic findings among the elderly population in a rural community in South Korea.

We aimed to report the results of fundus photography ophthalmic examinations among older adults in a rural community in South Korea. We used data from the Korean Social Life, Health, and Aging Project cohort study, which was designed to examine the entire population of individuals aged 60 years or older and their spouses living in a rural Village K of Ganghwa Island, South Korea. At baseline, a total of 860 people was targeted as the study population. From December 2011 to January 2019, five health examinations were conducted, including baseline and follow-up tests. During the fifth wave of the study, we performed fundus photography to assess eye health. Ophthalmic and physical examinations were conducted for 387 people who participated in the fifth wave by trained researchers. Systemic factors were evaluated via blood and diagnostic tests. After excluding eight people who did not undergo follow-up fundoscopy, a total of 379 participants was included for analysis. We classified the participants into two groups with either no (zero) or one or more suspicious ophthalmic diseases. The abnormalities included media opacity, suspected glaucoma, and suspicion of retinal disease as diagnosed by a trained specialist. We further categorized ophthalmic conditions as clinically insignificant, follow-up needed, semi-urgent, and urgent conditions. We included 379 participants, of which 225 (59.4%) were women. The mean age of the participants was 76.4 ± 6.2 years. Among all participants, 81% (n=307) had one or more abnormalities on fundus screening. Older age, living alone, high blood pressure, and high fasting insulin were associated with an increased risk of having ≥ one eye disease. In terms of triage, 3.7% (n= 14) of the observed conditions were urgent, and 25.9% (n= 98) were semi-urgent. Therefore, we documented fundoscopy results among the elderly population in a rural community in South Korea. Elderly people living alone were more likely to have eye disease. Policies to improve eye health are needed to prevent vision loss in this population.