Health Check-Up Program for Pre/Postmenopausal Women at Siriraj Menopause Clinic
Surasak Angsuwathana MD*, Pichai Leerasiri MD*, Manee Rattanachaiyanont MD*, Prasong Tanmahasamut MD*, Chongdee Dangrat MSc*, Suchada Indhavivadhana MD*, Kitirat Techatrisak MD*
Affiliation : * Gynecologic Endocrinology Unit, Division of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University
Objective : To determine the general health status of pre/postmenopausal women attending the menopause
clinic.
Study
Design : Retrospective descriptive study.
Setting : Siriraj Menopause Clinic, Gynecologic Endocrinology Unit, Division of Reproductive Medicine,
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University.
Study population: Pre/postmenopausal women (i) presumed to have no medical disease (no disease group) or
(ii) with unknown status of medical disease (no record group) and undergoing health check-up program at
the time of registration without prior hormone therapy.
Materials and Methods : Medical records of new patients registering at the menopause clinic from January
1999 to December 2005 were reviewed.
Results : Among 1,020 patients undergoing health check-up program, there were 366 patients in the no
disease group. They had abnormal health parameters listing by frequency of prevalence including hypercho-
lesterolemia (62.3%), suboptimal blood pressure (49.3%), overweight to obese (30.2%), suboptimal fasting
blood sugar (27.9%), hypertriglyceridemia (21.3%), abnormal liver function tests (5.4-6.9%), and abnormal
kidney function tests (0.5%). The prevalence of dyslipidemia was statistically higher in the no record group
compared to the no disease group; such abnormal parameters included hypercholesterolemia (>200 ml/dL),
high blood level of low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C >130 mg/dL), and high ratio between LDL-C
and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C/HDL-C ratio >3). Osteoporosis was found in 6.6% of the
patients. Abnormal mammographic findings that needed close follow-up or breast biopsy were found in
13.5%. Twelve patients had breast biopsy and none had breast cancer.
Conclusion : Abnormal health parameters are common in pre/postmenopausal women presumed to have no
medical disease. The similar or even worse findings are also found in those whose status of medical diseases
was unknown. Therefore, a routine health screening program, especially for metabolic diseases, should be
offered to pre/postmenopausal women regardless of their medical history.
Keywords : Health, Check-up, Menopause
