MENOPAUSAL AGE AND SEX-HORMONES IN POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN WITH ALCOHOLIC AND NONALCOHOLIC LIVER-DISEASE

In order to evaluate age at menopause and serum sex hormone profiles in postmenopausal women with stable chronic liver disease, six non-cirrhotic alcoholic, 13 with alcoholic cirrhosis, eight with non-alcoholic cirrhosis, and 46 healthy controls were studied. In all three groups, patients were significantly (p < 0.05) younger at the time of natural menopause than controls. Compared to controls, non-cirrhotic alcoholic women had significantly (p < 0.05) reduced levels of DHAS, significantly (p < 0.05) more alcoholic cirrhotic women had detectable oestradiol concentrations, elevated concentrations of oestrone and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and reduced levels of 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT), while women with non-alcoholic cirrhosis had significantly elevated concentrations of SHBG and reduced levels of oestrone sulphate, DHT, androstenedione and dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHAS) (p < 0.05). The observed changes may be a consequence of liver disease since similar changes were observed in patients with alcoholic and non-alcoholic liver disease, but an additional effect of alcohol cannot be excluded.