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Background: There is limited and conflicting evidence on the effect of menopause on asthma., Objectives: We sought to study whether the incidence of asthma and respiratory symptoms differ by menopausal status in a longitudinal population-based study with an average follow-up of 12 years., Methods: The Respiratory Health in Northern Europe study provided questionnaire data pertaining to respiratory and reproductive health at baseline (1999-2001) and follow-up (2010-2012). The study cohort included women aged 45 to 65 years at follow-up, without asthma at baseline, and not using exogenous hormones (n = 2322). Menopausal status was defined as nonmenopausal, transitional, early postmenopausal, and late postmenopausal. Associations with asthma (defined by the use of asthma medication, having asthma attacks, or both) and respiratory symptoms scores were analyzed by using logistic (asthma) and negative binomial (respiratory symptoms) regressions, adjusting for age, body mass index, physical activity, smoking, education, and study center., Results: The odds of new-onset asthma were increased in women who were transitional (odds ratio, 2.40; 95% CI, 1.09-5.30), early postmenopausal (odds ratio, 2.11; 95% CI, 1.06-4.20), and late postmenopausal (odds ratio, 3.44; 95% CI, 1.31-9.05) at follow-up compared with nonmenopausal women. The risk of respiratory symptoms increased in early postmenopausal (coefficient, 0.40; 95% CI, 0.06-0.75) and late postmenopausal (coefficient, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.15-1.23) women. These findings were consistent irrespective of smoking status and across study centers., Conclusions: New-onset asthma and respiratory symptoms increased in women becoming postmenopausal in a longitudinal population-based study. Clinicians should be aware that respiratory health might deteriorate in women during reproductive aging., (Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To determine the association between birth weight and carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT), a measure of atherogenesis, in a population of 11-year-old children., Study Design: CIMT measured by high-resolution ultrasound, and birth registry data were available for 670 children of the Southern California Children's Health Study. Multivariate regression analyses were performed to investigate the association between birth weight and CIMT, with adjustment for child's health status and lifestyle, pregnancy information, and parental health., Results: Mean CIMT was 0.57 mm (SD 0.04). We found a nonlinear association between birth weight and CIMT, with an increase in CIMT of 0.014 mm in the fifth (P value .01) compared with the third birth weight quintile. These associations were robust in subsample analyses in children considered normal-weight by gestational age or in term-born children. No significant association with CIMT was found for the lowest quintile., Conclusions: Greater birth weight was significantly associated with increased CIMT at age 11 years. No evidence for an impact of lower birth weight was found. The predictive value of childhood CIMT on future cardiovascular outcomes is largely unknown, but strong associations between childhood cardiovascular disease risk factors and adult vascular disease suggest that increased CIMT in childhood may be clinically important., (Copyright © 2013 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Studies on perimenstrual asthma are inconsistent, and different methodologies limit comparisons., Objective: To investigate cyclic variations in bronchial hyperreactivity (BHR) to methacholine in premenopausal women in a population-based cohort and assess effect modification by oral contraceptives (OCs)., Methods: Day of menstruation cycle at the time of methacholine challenge was calculated in 571 menstruating women without hormonal treatment, age 28 to 58 years, on the basis of questionnaire data from the Swiss cohort study on Air Pollution And Lung Disease In Adults (SAPALDIA) cohort 2001/2002. A window of risk was defined 3 days before and after the first day of menstruation. Logistic and linear regression analyses were performed adjusting for main predictors of BHR and stratifying for asthma status. The impact of OCs was studied in the same sample enlarged by 130 women taking OCs., Results: The prevalence of BHR was 13% (fall of > or =20% in FEV(1) up to a maximal cumulative dose of 2 mg), and 6% had asthma. A total of 143 women had undergone methacholine challenge within the risk window. We observed a significant increase in BHR within the window of risk (odds ratio [OR], 2.3; 95% CI, 1.27-4.29). A cyclic association pattern was confirmed by trigonometric functions. Effect modification by asthma status and oral contraceptive use was found, with lower OR in subjects without asthma and OR <1 in women using OCs., Conclusion: The data provide evidence of a systematic variation in BHR during the menstruation cycle, supporting the hypothesis of a hormonal influence. OCs appear to have a protective effect. Cyclicity of BHR could be of clinical importance in view of future medication recommendations and timing of respiratory function tests in women., (Copyright (c) 2010 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: There is limited information on potential changes in respiratory health when women enter the menopausal transition., Objective: We sought to investigate whether the menopausal transition is related to lung function and asthma and whether body mass index (BMI) modifies associations., Methods: Four thousand two hundred fifty-nine women from 21 centers (ECRHS II, 2002) responded to a questionnaire concerning women's health. Women aged 45 to 56 years not using exogenous sex hormones (n = 1274) were included in the present analysis. Lung function measurements (n = 1120) and serum markers of hormonal status (follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, and estradiol; n = 710) were available. Logistic and linear regression analyses were adjusted for BMI, age, years of education, smoking status, center, and height., Results: Women not menstruating for the last 6 months (n = 432, 34%) had significantly lower FEV(1) values (-120 mL [95% CI, -177 to -63]), lower forced vital capacity values (-115 mL [95% CI, -181 to -50]), and more respiratory symptoms (odds ratio [OR], 1.82 [95% CI, 1.27-2.61]) than those menstruating regularly. Results were similar when restricting analyses to those who never smoked. Associations were significantly stronger in women with BMIs of less than 23 kg/m(2) (respiratory symptoms: OR, 4.07 [95% CI, 1.88-8.80]; FEV(1) adjusted difference: -166 [95% CI, -263 to -70]) than in women with BMIs of 23 to 28 kg/m(2) (respiratory symptoms: OR, 1.10 [95% CI, 0.61-1.97], P(interaction): .04; FEV(1) adjusted difference, -54 [95% CI, -151 to 43], P(interaction) = .06)., Conclusions: Menopause is associated with lower lung function and more respiratory symptoms, especially among lean women.

Background: Oligomenorrhea was associated with more asthma (Respiratory Health in Northern Europe study), but a possible association with lung function has not been investigated previously., Objective: To investigate whether oligomenorrhea was related to lung function and asthma, and whether body mass index and physical activity modified associations., Methods: Women age 28 to 44 years (n = 1631) participating in the European Community Respiratory Health Survey were included. Women who were taking exogenous sex hormones, were pregnant, or had recently given birth were excluded., Results: Long or irregular menstrual cycles were reported by 313 women (19%). Oligomenorrhea was significantly associated with more asthma symptoms (odds ratio [OR], 1.76; 95% CI, 1.29-2.40), allergic asthma (OR, 2.46; 95% CI, 1.43-4.23), and lower forced vital capacity (FVC; adjusted difference, 63 mL; 95% CI, -124 to -1). When excluding women using asthma medication, very lean women, or women exercising daily, these associations remained significant. Effects of oligomenorrhea were additive to those of body mass index (BMI) on asthma and FVC. Asthma symptoms increased significantly with BMI. FVC and FEV(1) increased with BMI until 25 kg/m(2) and thereafter decreased with increasing BMI. Excluding women exercising daily, asthma symptoms increased significantly with decreasing physical activity (OR, 1.09; 95% CI, 1.001-1.19) per category of physical activity) independently of oligomenorrhea. Among women exercising daily, oligomenorrhea predicted very high risk for asthma symptoms (OR, 12.6; 95% CI, 3.7-43)., Conclusion: Women with oligomenorrhea have reduced lung function and more asthma, particularly allergic asthma, independent of BMI and physical activity. Airways pathology may have not only a hormonal but also a metabolic component., Clinical Implications: Women with oligomenorrhea should be investigated with regard to asthma and lung function. Underlying metabolic disturbance should be considered in asthma.