Metabolic syndrome components and vitamin D availability relationship in late postmenopausal women

BACKGROUND : The global prevalence of vitamin D deficiency is currently a real threat due to association with major chronic non-communicable diseases. Abdominal obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and hyperglycemia contribute significantly to cardiometabolic risk in late postmenopausal women. AIM : to assess the frequency of deficiency and insufficiency of 25(OH)D in late postmenopausal residents of Yekaterinburg; to establish associations of 25(OH)D serum concentration with components of metabolic syndrome and severity of menopausal symptoms. MATERIALS AND METHODS : During the period from October 2018 to March 2020 145 independently living late postmenopausal residents of Yekaterinburg were enrolled in a cross-sectional study. The following scope of data regarding each of the subjects was collected: complaints and anamnesis, anthropometry, diagnosis of metabolic syndrome, arterial hypertension and diabetes mellitus, assessment of 25 (OH)D level by the ECLIA method, LDL-C, HDL-C levels, serum TG by the enzymatic colorimetric method, as well as the evaluation of the modified menopausal index. RESULTS : Adequate serum level of 25(OH)D was detected in 20.6% patients, insufficiency and deficiency were found in 33.1 and 46.2% cases, respectively. In patients with vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency, the most frequent metabolic syndrome components were arterial hypertension (p=0.02; OR 3.5; CI 1.2–10.6) and abdominal obesity (p=0.03; OR 2.8; CI 1.1–7.2). Vitamin D deficient subjects had significantly lower serum HDL and increased TG levels (p=0.04), compared to the adequately provided 25(OH)D patients. Vitamin D levels were not associated with the severity of menopausal symptoms in late postmenopausal women. Regular daily intake of 400–2000 IU of colecalciferol contributed to higher serum 25(OH)D level. CONCLUSION : a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among postmenopausal women of Yekaterinburg was detected. Diagnosis and correction of vitamin D levels are necessary for timely reduction of cardiometabolic risk, primarily due to the potential pleiotropic effects of D-hormone on the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, carbohydrate and lipid metabolism.