Menopause Increases Asthma Risk in Women

A new study has found that, menopause can increase asthma risk and lower lung function in menopausal women.

The study found that menopause decreases lung function and aids in the development of respiratory problems, and that lean women, who are undergoing menopause, are more affected than others.

A study was conducted on a group of women aged 45 to 56 years who were not taking sex hormones, by Francisco Gomez Real, MD and colleagues.

The women provided information about their lung health and menstrual history and the ratio of height to weight, body mass index (BMI).

The researchers found:

• Women who had stopped menstruating had significantly lower lung function and more respiratory symptoms than women of the same age who were menstruating regularly.

• Lean women (BMIs of less than 23 kg/m²) showed a greater risk for lung problems.

The authors think that the decrease in lung function in menopausal women could be because of the increased insulin resistance during menopause.

Another reason for their line of thought is that, since insulin resistance is a proinflammatory condition, therefore there is an increase in respiratory symptoms associated with menopause.

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The study, “Lung function, respiratory symptoms, and the menopausal transition,” appeared in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (JACI), the peer-reviewed journal of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI).

Source-ANI
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