Correlation between some metabolic markers of vascular risk and carotid artery intima-media thickness in postmenopausal women

Aim and setting: This study investigated correlations between insulinemia, insulin sensitivity, body mass index, lipids and lipoproteins with intima-media thickness in a group of 25 (age range 40-55 years) postmenopausal women (minimum duration of menopause 2 years) not on hormone replacement treatment. Methodology: Uni and multivariate correlations showed a direct relationship between insulin pattern, insulin sensitivity, body mass index, low density lipoproteins and increased intima-media thickness. Results: Our multivariate correlation results revealed that intima-media thickness is influenced by the associations of the different metabolic functions investigated. Therefore, carotid wall intima-media thickness represents a dependent variable in postmenopausal women for some metabolisms whose dysfunction leads to atherosclerosis. Conclusion: This multielement synergy is able to detect cardiovascular risk and may underlie cardiovascular mortality in postmenopausal women.