Poster Session
AUTHORS: Martínez A., Marín A., Azcárraga A., Julián M., Genovés R., Cano A. CONTEXT: Cardiovascular desease is the first cause of women’s mortality in Spain, altough a great heterogenity exists among the different areas. Cantabria is one of the five communities with a lower mortality rate (31.1% in women), while in the Valencian Commnunity this rate exceeds the national average (34.5% in women). OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the age distribution of some of the main cardiovascular risk factors in two population cohorts of postmenopausal women located in Cantabria and in the city of Valencia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cross sectional study on two different cohorts of postmenopausal women, the CAMARGO cohort in Cantabria and de Chronic Aliment Reduction after Menopause (CARMEN) cohort in Valencia. Clinical risk factors were measured and differences between cohorts assessed by Student t test. PATIENTS: The CAMARGO cohort included 1288 postmenopausal women aged between 41 and 101 years (average, 58 +/- 8). Participants were recruited in a population screening study of osteoporosis and other metabolic bone deseases. The CARMEN cohort was composed of 1081 postmenopausal women living in the metropolitan area of Valencia, and aged between 42 – 100 (average 58 +/- 10). Women in CARMEN were recruited when attending health control in outpatient facilities of the Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valencia. Anthropometric data, systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP), and lipidic parameters were collected. INTERVENTIONS: None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Anthropometric data , blood pressure and lipidic parameters. RESULTS: SBP and waist circumference increased with age in both cohorts. Body mass index, (Kg/m2, BMI) increased up to the seventies and became stable afterwards. DBP, total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol remained stable up to the seventies. Cardiovascular risk factors, with the exception of triglycerides, HDL cholesterol and blood pressure, were more unfavourable in the CAMARGO cohort. CONCLUSIONS: Age determines a wide range of changes in cardiovascular risk factors. Most of them are different between the two studied cohorts. However, and interestingly, they do not match the cardiovascular mortality rate described in the geographic areas of the cohorts.