Is bioelectrical impedance analysis beneficial to estimate subclinical atherosclerosis in menopause? Prospective case-control study

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate body composition and basal metabolic rate in premenopausal and postmenopausal women, using the bioelectrical impedance analysis method, and to investigate its relationship with carotid intima media thickness (CIMT). Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in 40 premenopausal and 40 postmenopausal women who had been followed up in an obstetrics and gynecology outpatient clinic between January 2009 and September 2009, and data were obtained using the hospital’s database. Body composition parameters and basal metabolic rate were measured via bioelectrical impedance analysis. CIMT was measured using the Doppler ultrasound method. Results: The mean CIMT of the postmenopausal group was statistically significantly higher than that of the premenopausal group (p < 0.001). There was a statistically significant negative correlation between basal metabolic rate and both right (p = 0.015, r = - 0.381) and left (p = 0.025, r = -0.354) CIMT in the postmenopausal group. Conclusion: Bioelectrical impedance analysis may be a useful adjunctive tool for early detection of subclinical atherosclerosis in postmenopausal women.