Metabolic Syndrome and Insulin Resistance by HOMA-IR in Menopause

Abstract Background: Metabolic syndrome is an important cardiovascular risk factor, and its prevalence increases after menopause. However, it is still uncertain whether menopause is an independent risk factor for metabolic syndrome. One of the pathophysiological basis for metabolic syndrome is insulin resistance, which can be calculated by the Homeostatic Model Assessment-Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) method, and the association between insulin resistance and menopause is little known. Objective: To evaluate the association between metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance in menopausal women. Method: Descriptive study, which evaluated 150 women, aged 40 to 65, treated at a Gynecology Outpatient Clinic of a tertiary public hospital, from May to December of 2013. The sample was divided into two groups: Group I, comprising women in the premenopausal period and Group II, comprising women in the post-menopausal period. The presence of metabolic syndrome and its components were evaluated, as well as occurrence of insulin resistance in both groups. The association of menopausal status and the assessed variables was assessed using the Mann-Whitney, Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests. The significance level was set at 5%. The statistical analysis was performed using STATA 12.0. Results: Metabolic syndrome and its components were more prevalent in postmenopausal women. Postmenopausal women also had a higher prevalence of insulin resistance, but no statistical association was observed between the findings. Conclusion: The menopausal status was not significantly associated with metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance. Insulin resistance was considered an independent risk factor for the development of metabolic syndrome only in the postmenopausal group.