ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between serum calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), homocysteine (Hcy), sex hormone, and coronary heart disease (CHD) in postmenopausal women. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, serum CGRP, estradiol (E(2)), progesterone (P) and Hcy levels of 144 postmenopausal women undergoing diagnostic CHD (75 with CHD and 69 without CHD) and 66 healthy young women were measured. RESULTS: The occurrence of CHD was correlated with high Hcy level and low CGRP level. The mean serum CGRP level was significantly lower in CHD postmenopausal women than in without CHD ones [(103.6 +/- 59.8) ng/L vs (164.6 +/- 50.7) ng/L, P < 0.01]. The mean serum E(2) level was significantly lower in CHD postmenopausal women than in without CHD ones [(67.9 +/- 24.4) pmol/L vs (91.7 +/- 23.0) pmol/L, P < 0.01]. The mean serum P level was significantly lower in CHD than in without CHD postmenopausal women [(0.89 +/- 0.46) nmol/L vs (1.11 +/- 0.45) nmol/L, P < 0.01]. The mean serum Hcy level was significantly higher in CHD than in without CHD postmenopausal women [(15.3 +/- 6.5) micromol/L vs (10.2 +/- 2.8) micromol/L, P < 0.01]. By multivariate logistic regression, the OR of high Hcy level > or = 1, P < 0.01, that means Hcy is an independent risk factor of CHD. The OR of CGRP, E(2) and P were all < or = 1, indicating that they were independent protective factor. CONCLUSIONS: Hcy is an independent risk factor of CHD. CGRP, E(2) and P are independent protective factors of CHD. There was no relationship between Hcy, CGRP and E(2) and P.
