The influence of menopause and cardiorespiratory fitness on lipoprotein particles in midlife women.

Lipoprotein particles may provide better information about cardiovascular risk than standard cholesterol measures for women. Whether lipoprotein subclasses change with menopausal stage is unclear. Given the high prevalence of low cardiorespiratory fitness in midlife women and benefit of cardiovascular disease risk, it is also important to understand the effect of fitness on lipoprotein profiles. This study evaluated the influence of menopausal status and fitness on lipoprotein particles in healthy midlife women. Lipoprotein particles were measured in high- ( = 25) and low- ( = 13) fit perimenopausal and late postmenopausal women, and in high-fit premenopausal ( = 10), perimenopausal ( = 12), and late postmenopausal women ( = 13). There were larger low-density lipoprotein particles (LDL-P; 21.7 ± 0.06 vs. 21.3 ± 0.1 nm, = 0.002), more large LDL-P (623.1 ± 32.8 vs. 500.2 ± 52.6 nmol/L, = 0.045), and fewer small LDL-P (145.5 ± 31.4 vs. 311.5 ± 44.7 nmol/L, = 0.001) in the high-fit group vs. the low-fit group. High-density lipoprotein particles (HDL-P) were larger (10.1 ± 0.1 vs. 9.7 ± 0.1 nm, = 0.002) in the high-fit group, with more large (14.8 ± 0.7 vs. 11.0 ± 0.9 μmol/L,  = 0.002), medium (12.9 ± 0.8 vs. 8.4 ± 0.9 μmol/L, = 0.002) HDL-P, and fewer small HDL-P (10.2 ± 1.1 vs. 15.4 ± 1.6 μmol/L, = 0.009) compared with the low-fit group. High-fit postmenopausal women had more large LDL-P (662.9 ± 47.5 nmol/L) compared with premenopausal women (479.1 ± 52.6 nmol/L, = 0.035), and more HDL-P (40.2 ± 1.1 µmol/L) compared with premenopausal (34.9 ± 1.5 μmol/L, = 0.023) and perimenopausal women (35.4 ± 1.3 μmol/L, = 0.033). High fitness positively influences lipoprotein particles in healthy perimenopausal and late postmenopausal women. In healthy fit women, menopause may not have a large influence on lipoprotein particles. In highly fit women, menopause may not have a negative influence on lipoprotein particle subclasses. High fitness is associated with a less atherogenic lipoprotein profile in perimenopausal and late postmenopausal women.