Physical activity and coronary artery calcification in two cohorts of women representing early and late postmenopause

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the association between physical activity (PA) and coronary artery calcification (CAC) among two cohorts of postmenopausal (PM) women representing early and late postmenopause.

Methods: The cross-sectional relationship between PA and CAC was examined in 173 younger PM women (mean age ± SD, 56.8 ± 2.9 y) from the Women on the Move Through Activity and Nutrition (WOMAN) study and 121 older PM women (mean age ± SD, 73.9 ± 3.8 y) from the Walking Women Follow-up (WWF) study who had complete PA and CAC data. PA was measured objectively using a pedometer over a 7-day period in both cohorts. CAC was assessed using electron beam tomography. Descriptive statistics were used to describe median levels of PA and CAC, as well as proportions of detectable CAC (0 vs > 0).

Results: Fifty-seven percent of WOMAN study participants and 74% of WWF study participants had detectable CAC. The median (interquartile range) CAC score was 1.4 (0-23.3) for participants in the WOMAN study and 38.8 (0-264.4) among WWF study participants. Median (interquartile range) step counts were 6,447 (4,823-8,722) steps per day in the WOMAN study and 5,466 (3,610-7,576) steps per day for WWF study participants. Among WWF study participants, there was a statistically significant inverse association between pedometer steps and CAC (P for trend = 0.002); no association was found among WOMAN study participants.

Conclusions: Among older PM women, higher levels of PA were associated with lower CAC. However, the relationship was not observed in PM women, likely due to the lower prevalence of CAC in this age group.

FIG. 1

Distribution of coronary artery calcium scores in the WOMAN (n = 173) and WWF (n = 121) study cohorts. WOMAN, Women on the Move Through Activity and Nutrition; WWF, Walking Women Follow-up.

FIG. 2

Percentage of women with detectable CAC (90) by quartiles of pedometer steps in the WOMAN (n = 173) and WWF (n = 121) study cohorts. CAC, coronary artery calcification; WOMAN, Women on the Move Through Activity and Nutrition; WWF, Walking Women Follow-up.