Epidemiology of Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Women (Healthy Women Study)
Condition: Cardiovascular Diseases; Heart Diseases; Depression; Carotid Artery Diseases; Menopausal Syndrome
MeSH terms: Carotid Artery Diseases; Cardiovascular Diseases; Heart Diseases
Study type: Observational

Summary: 
      To determine cardiovascular risk factors and the change in risk factors during and following
      the menopause.
    

Detailed description: 
      BACKGROUND:

      In 1983, when the Healthy Women Study began, there was a paucity of epidemiological studies
      of cardiovascular risk factor changes and risk of heart disease related to natural menopause.
      The Healthy Women Study was one of the few in which the status of premenopausal women was
      followed carefully through and subsequent to the menopause. The study also included detailed
      behavioral and biological measures, as well as important environmental factors related to the
      determinants of these risk factors.

      DESIGN NARRATIVE:

      A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the relationship between risk factors,
      behavioral, psychosocial, and other environmental determinants. A five year longitudinal
      follow-up of the women evaluated changes over time in risk factors related to the
      perimenopausal and postmenopausal periods. Longitudinal follow-up after the menopause
      continues in order to determine the relationships among changes in behavior, hormones,
      habits, and risk factors.

      The women had home interviews, baseline examinations, follow-up of menstrual cycles, and a
      six-month self-administered questionnaire. Risk factors studied included behavioral factors,
      glucose and insulin, obesity, exercise, cigarette smoking, nutrition, lipoproteins, blood
      pressure, and hormones. Surgical menopause and the use of exogenous hormones were also
      studied. Although not part of the original protocol, measurements of fat distribution,
      coagulation factors, apoproteins, sodium-lithium counter-transport, and sodium-hydrogen
      exchange in platelets were added.

      The study was renewed in 1995 to continue follow-up to determine characteristics of changes
      in risk factors, behavioral/psychological attributes and to determine the relationship
      between risk factors, and their changes and atherosclerotic plaque and wall thickness.
      Studies are conducted on the interrelationship of lifestyle and behavioral attributed to
      sex-steroid hormones and insulin and the level of hormones to atherosclerosis. A
      determination is made of the association of lifestyle to amount and distribution of body fat
      measured by DEXA and CT of the abdomen.

      The study has been renewed several times and ends in November of 2007.
    

Observational model: Cohort
Time perspective: Prospective
Sampling method: Probability Sample
Study population: 
        The study began in 1983-84, baseline age was 48, median age was 47. The first EBT
        examination was added to the study at the approximate time of the 8th postmenopausal visit
        in 1992-93. 249 women in this grant period.
      
Biospecimen description: 
      Plasma and serum samples from baseline and follow up exams stored at -80 degrees Celsius in
      the Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh.