更年期における女性の加齢と検査値の評価

Aging and comprehension of laboratory results in postmenopausal women

閉経に伴う女性ホルモンの低下は，更年期以降の脂質異常症や動脈硬化の急速な進展をもたらし，認知症，骨粗鬆症，骨折，心血管疾患の発症リスクは男性よりも高くなる．加齢や閉経は検査値に影響を与えるため，若年女性と閉経後女性では検査値の意義が異なる．閉経後女性の検査値を評価するうえでは，加齢による生理的変化なのか，病的な値なのかを判断することが重要である．また，閉経後女性の診療に当たっては，疾患の発症のみならず，臓器の生理機能，検査値に男性との違いを念頭に置く必要がある．

Menopause is associated with changes in multiple endocrine and metabolic parameters.　Postmenopausal women are thought to be at increased risk for several diseases such as cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, fracture and dementia.　Because aging and menopause influence laboratory results, the interpretation of laboratory results should be different between young women and postmenopausal women.　Because biological differences exist between men and women that can result in differences in prevalence of diseases, epidemiology, clinical presentation and outcomes of diseases, comprehension of laboratory results and strategies for preventing the above-mentioned diseases should be different between men and women.