Effects of exercise programs on cardiorespiratory fitness and arterial stiffness on postmenopausal women: A systematic review study
With advancing age, there are numerous adverse changes in vascular function, with two of the main expressions of vascular aging being the endothelial dysfunction and stiffness of the large arteries, such as the aorta and carotid arteries [1]. (Source: Maturitas)
Source: Maturitas - January 19, 2024 Category: Primary Care Authors: Lu ís Ferreira, Catarina Abrantes, Maria Emília Alves, Carlos Moreira, Helena Moreira Tags: Review article Source Type: research

Development and validation of a stacking ensemble model for death prediction in the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS)
Data from the seventh census shows that in 2020, the number of people over 65 in China was around 190 million, accounting for 13.5  % of the total population. With the aging of the population, more and more attention should be paid to the health problems of the elderly [1]. It is of practical public health significance to build a more accurate mortality risk prediction model and identify high risk groups (for death) in the el derly. (Source: Maturitas)
Source: Maturitas - January 19, 2024 Category: Primary Care Authors: Muqi Xing, Yunfeng Zhao, Zihan Li, Lingzhi Zhang, Qi Yu, Wenhui Zhou, Rong Huang, Xiaozhen Lv, Yanan Ma, Wenyuan Li Tags: Original Article Source Type: research

Vitamin D status and supplementation, calcium supplementation, and timing of natural menopause
Vitamin D, which is well-known for its role in maintaining bone health [1], has also been associated with reproductive health [2] and menstrual function [3 –5]. The association between vitamin D and reproductive lifespan, however, is unclear. Age of natural menopause has been associated with sun exposure in two studies from Turkish populations [6,7] and in a study of Italian nuns [8]. In all three studies, women whose lifelong sun exposure was estima ted to be low (due to sun avoidance, covered dressing, or a lack of outdoor activity) had an earlier age at menopause. (Source: Maturitas)
Source: Maturitas - January 18, 2024 Category: Primary Care Authors: Anne Marie Jukic, Dale P. Sandler, Clarice R. Weinberg, Katie M. O'Brien Tags: Original article Source Type: research

Breast cancer and gender-affirming hormone therapy for transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) individuals
Transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) people identify with a different gender from that assigned at birth. This diverse community is inclusive of people who identify as transgender men, transgender women, and as non-binary whose identities lie outside the traditional, cisnormative binary. There are also gender-diverse individuals who find other terms to be more affirming of their gender identity. TGD individuals experience numerous breast cancer-related disparities, but many issues facing TGD individuals with breast cancer remain understudied. (Source: Maturitas)
Source: Maturitas - January 16, 2024 Category: Primary Care Authors: Elizabeth J. Cathcart-Rake, Kathryn J. Ruddy, Amye J. Tevaarwerk, Aminah Jatoi Tags: Review article Source Type: research

Demographic and biological factors in interrelationships between physical, cognitive, psychological, and social frailty in community-dwelling older adults: Data from the Birjand Longitudinal Aging Study (BLAS)
Frailty is a complex, multidimensional biopsychosocial syndrome characterized by progressive and gradual loss of physiological reserves that occurs mostly in older individuals [1]. It is manifested by accelerated and age-related decline in cognitive and physical capabilities and is associated with diseases and functional organ impairments in the musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, neurological, and metabolic systems [2,3]. Frailty syndrome encompasses a spectrum ranging from the absence of frailty (robustness fitness) to prefrail and physically frail [4]. (Source: Maturitas)
Source: Maturitas - January 15, 2024 Category: Primary Care Authors: Maryam Chehrehgosha, Ali Sharifi, Amir Mohammad Meftah, Hassan Maleki, Sayed Mahmoud Sajjadi-Jazi, Hadi Baharifar, Kamyar Khoshnevisan, Farshad Sharifi Tags: Original article Source Type: research

Statin use and incident type 2 diabetes mellitus in women after menopause
The age-related alterations in cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevalence appear to follow a gender-specific pattern [1,2]. The prevalence of CVD is higher in men until the age of 54  years, while the prevalence in women increases after the age of 55 years, almost approaching the equivalent rates of men [3,4]. Women tend to develop obstructive coronary heart disease or stroke after 60 years, whereas men manifest these diseases 10 years earlier [3,5,6]. The gender-related pathophysiological differences in the development of vascular lesions [7,8] demand gender-specific primary and secondary CVD-prevention strategies [9...
Source: Maturitas - January 15, 2024 Category: Primary Care Authors: Valentina Anelli, Eleni Armeni, Stavroula Paschou, Irene Lambrinoudaki Tags: Review article Source Type: research

Editorial Board
(Source: Maturitas)
Source: Maturitas - January 10, 2024 Category: Primary Care Source Type: research

Age at first birth is associated with the likelihood of frailty in middle-aged and older women: A population-based analysis from NHANES 1999 –2018
Frailty is a common geriatric syndrome characterized by a progressive age-related decline in physiological systems and functional reserves that can lead to a high risk of adverse health outcomes, including falls, fractures, disability, hospitalization, cognitive impairment, and mortality [1,2]. With the rapid growth of aging populations worldwide, frailty is becoming a major public health concern. Pooled estimates of frailty prevalence measured in regard to physical phenotype (PP) and frailty index (FI) were 12  % and 24 %, respectively, in 62 countries across the world [3]. (Source: Maturitas)
Source: Maturitas - December 25, 2023 Category: Primary Care Authors: Hui-Jie Guo, Yi-Lu Ye, Yun-Fei Gao, Zhi-Hua Liu Tags: Original article Source Type: research

Could psychobiotics and fermented foods improve mood in middle-aged and older women?
Menopause, an inevitable stage in a female's reproductive life, is marked by declining estrogen levels, often leading to physiological and psychological changes [1]. This transformation, typically occurring between the ages of 45 and 55, is influenced by various factors, including genetics, lifestyle, and environmental elements [2]. Among menopausal changes, mood swings, anxiety, and depression emerge as the most frequently reported mood disorders [3]. These emotional changes can be attributed to the intricate interplay between hormones and neurotransmitters, as the body recalibrates to function without the same hormonal b...
Source: Maturitas - December 20, 2023 Category: Primary Care Authors: Souzan Zidan, Serene Hilary, Ayesha Al-Dhaheri, Leila Cheikh Ismail, Habiba I. Ali, Vasso Apostolopoulos, Lily Stojanovska Tags: Review article Source Type: research

Is weight loss a therapeutic tool in the management of male infertility?
Couple infertility, defined as the inability to conceive after at least one year of unprotected sexual intercourse, affects approximately 15 –20 % of couples of reproductive age. This condition is a clear example of gender disparity, since the female partner is largely evaluated and treated, while the male is generally reduced to a simple ‘sperm provider’. However, male factors are detectable in about half of cases, justifying a detailed diagnostic work-up aimed at identifying specific causes and potential therapeutic approaches [1]. (Source: Maturitas)
Source: Maturitas - December 19, 2023 Category: Primary Care Authors: Daniele Santi, Giovanni Corona Tags: Editorial Source Type: research

Quality of life in sarcopenia measured with the SarQoL questionnaire: A meta-analysis of individual patient data
Sarcopenia, consequential from the involuntary loss of muscle mass and function [1], is now recognized as a disease entity and figures in The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems - Clinical Modification Code (ICD-10-CM, code M62.84) [2]. This multifactorial disease is associated with increased morbidity, mortality, falls, and physical disability and is currently suggested to impact health-related quality of life (HRQoL) [3 –7]. (Source: Maturitas)
Source: Maturitas - December 15, 2023 Category: Primary Care Authors: Charlotte Beaudart, No émie Tilquin, Pawel Abramowicz, Fátima Baptista, Dao Juan Peng, Fabiana de Souza Orlandi, Michael Drey, Marta Dzhus, Raquel Fábrega-Cuadros, Julio Fernandez-Garrido, Lucas Fornari Laurindo, Andrea-Ildiko Gasparik, Anton Geerinck, Tags: Review article Source Type: research

Editorial Board
(Source: Maturitas)
Source: Maturitas - December 6, 2023 Category: Primary Care Source Type: research

Menopause and accelerated aortic stiffness
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in women over the age of 50  years in most Western societies [1]. Although the risk of CVD increases with age in both sexes, the risk accelerates more sharply in postmenopausal women than in men [2,3]. This has led to the hypothesis that the menopausal transition may itself accelerate vascular aging, most notably through an increase in aortic stiffness [4]. An increase in aortic stiffness elevates left ventricular afterload, impedes normal coronary perfusion, and is an independent predictor of CVD morbidity and mortality [5–7]. (Source: Maturitas)
Source: Maturitas - December 4, 2023 Category: Primary Care Authors: Sheila M. O'Neill, Catherine M. Travers, Petr Otahal, Soo-Keat Khoo, James E. Sharman Tags: Original article Source Type: research

Body composition analysis: A snapshot across the perimenopause
Perimenopause starts from the first clinical, biological, and endocrine features of the approaching menopause, including vasomotor symptoms and menstrual irregularity, ending 12  months after the last menstrual period. It is experienced only with spontaneous (natural), as opposed to induced menopause [1]. This transition state is characterized by gradual loss of oocytes, altered responsiveness to gonadal steroid feedback and hormonal fluctuations with a gradual decline in serum estrogen concentrations [2]. (Source: Maturitas)
Source: Maturitas - November 30, 2023 Category: Primary Care Authors: Maria Karaflou, Dimitrios G. Goulis Tags: Review article Source Type: research

Impact of violence against women on quality of life and menopause-related disorders
Violence against women (VAW) is a pressing global issue that poses a number of significant health risks. Although we currently lack precise data on the number of women who have been victims of VAW, it is a pervasive social problem, with at least one in four women reaching menopause estimated to have experienced VAW [1]. (Source: Maturitas)
Source: Maturitas - November 29, 2023 Category: Primary Care Authors: Loreto Mendoza-Huertas, Nicol ás Mendoza, Débora Godoy-Izquierdo Tags: Original Article Source Type: research