The Relation Between Systemic Inflammation and the Menopause Transition: The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation
Authors' conclusion
Midlife women experience distinct patterns of change in hs-CRP and IL-6 over the MT. Subgroups entering the MT with low-to-medium inflammation levels, particularly for IL-6, showed rises close to the FMP, supporting a contribution of menopause in progression of systemic inflammation.
Study context
- Population
- Midlife women in the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation with a known date of final menstrual period (FMP) and at least 3 measures of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) or IL-6hs-CRP n = 1470
- Outcome
- Trajectories of hs-CRP and IL-6 over the menopause transition and their associations with premenopausal obesity and race/ethnicity
- Follow-up
- 21 years
Methodological detailsgroup-based trajectory modeling, piecewise linear mixed-effects models, 15 follow-up visits
- Group-based trajectory modeling
- Piecewise linear mixed-effects models
- 15 follow-up visits
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Inflammation trajectory groups (share of women)
- hs-CRP Low-Rise
- 27.2%
- hs-CRP Medium-Stable
- 41.9%
- hs-CRP High-Decline
- 30.9%
- IL-6 Low-Rise
- 36.0%
- IL-6 Medium-Rise
- 45.2%
- IL-6 High-Stable
- 18.8%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Associations with race/ethnicity and overweight/obesity
- Chinese and/or Japanese women more likely to follow Low-Rise hs-CRP and IL-6 trajectories
- Black women more likely to follow High-Decline hs-CRP and High-Stable IL-6 trajectories
- Overweight or obesity associated with High-Decline hs-CRP and High-Stable IL-6 trajectories
Original publication
The Relation Between Systemic Inflammation and the Menopause Transition: The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. Published 24 March 2025. doi:10.
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