© Impact Journals A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF SERUM LIPID PROFILE BETWEEN PREMENOPAUSAL

Dyslipidemia in menopause is a known feature in women, which may lead to significant increase in the development of coronary heart disease (CHD). The present study was aimed at comparing the level of total serum cholesterol and their subfractions, in premenopausal with that of their postmenopausal counterparts. Fifty (50) apparently healthy, nonpregnant females (25 premenopausal and 25 postmenopausal) were recruited for the study. Serum total cholesterol and their subfractions- high-density lipoproteins (HDL), low-density lipoproteins (LDL), very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL) and triglycerides (TG) were estimated using enzymatic and established mathematical methods. There was no significant difference in the total serum cholesterol and triglyceride between the two groups. There was however, a significant reduction of HDL and VLDL in the postmenopausal group (P<0.005) and a significant increase in the level of LDL in the postmenopausal group (P<0.005). The elevated LDL and the reduction of cardio protective HDL and VLDL is an indication that menopause is an independent risk factor for developing cardiovascular disease