Although postmenopause is a universal experience of aging and is defined by permanent changes in ovarian function, we still do not understand how postmenopausal sex hormones affect diabetes risk. Intriguing observations suggest that endogenous sex hormones (ESH) may contribute to glucose intolerance in postmenopausal women. Previous observational studies have been limited by single measures of ESH, and intervention studies are limited by examination of exogenous hormone only, lack of significant glucose changes, lack of measurement of potential confounders such as insulin homeostasis, or examination only in Caucasians of European ancestry. The Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) was a large randomized controlled trial (n=3,234) of intensive lifestyle intervention and metformin for prevention of diabetes. The DPP enrolled participants with either impaired fasting glucose or impaired glucose tolerance, 45% of whom were non-white, and the DPP also obtained multiple measures of anthropometry, insulin secretion, insulin sensitivity, and fasting and postchallenge glucose. Approximately two-thirds were women, and half of the women were postmenopausal at baseline. Thus, the DPP offers a compelling opportunity to examine the contribution of changes in endogenous sex hormones (ESH) to the evolution of glucose intolerance in postmenopausal women. We propose an ancillary study to the DPP, the Sex Hormones in Postmenopausal Women or SHIP study. Using plasma stored from the baseline data collection and 2 years after randomization, we propose to examine ESH (testosterone, estradiol, sex hormone binding globulin) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) in a subset of DPP women without exogenous hormone use (n=865) and DPP women with exogenous hormone use (n=144) using state-of-the art mass spectrometry.
Specific Aim 1 is to examine if diabetes prevention interventions are associated with changes in ESH.
Specific Aim 2 is to examine if changes in ESH levels are associated with changes in glucose by intervention arm.
Specific Aim 3 is to examine whether changes in adiposity, insulin sensitivity, and insulin secretion explain these associations. Investigators and consultants on this proposal are involved in the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation expert in ESH life stage transitions, as well as DPP PIs who have conducted the initial research in ESH that form the basis for this study. The team includes sex hormone biologists, epidemiologists, and diabetologists. The DPP and its follow-up study are supported by the NIDDK. Ongoing management of DPP resources occurs through the DPP Coordinating Center, and the SHIP study will be complementary to ongoing DPP ancillary studies examining androgens in premenopausal women and androgens in men. The DPP's large, well-characterized, racially/ethnically diverse population and stored plasma provide a unique opportunity to assess the relationships among repeated measures of ESH, adiposity, insulin homeostasis, and glucose intolerance.

Public Health Relevance

Postmenopausal women are at high risk for diabetes, and previous studies suggest that endogenous sex hormones (as opposed to hormone replacement therapy) may play a role. However, previous studies have not examined whether changes in sex hormones are associated with changes in glucose tolerance, and whether such changes might be explained by concurrent changes in adiposity and insulin. Previous studies have not examined the influence of diabetes prevention interventions upon sex hormones. To address these gaps, the proposed SHIP ancillary study will leverage the significant data already collected through the DPP. The SHIP study will provide insight into the pathophysiology of glucose intolerance, and the findings will have implications not only for diabetes prevention but also for other diseases that focus on sex hormones as mediators.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01DK083297-03
Application #
8278068
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZDK1-GRB-R (M4))
Program Officer
Staten, Myrlene A
Project Start
2010-07-01
Project End
2014-05-31
Budget Start
2012-06-01
Budget End
2014-05-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2012
Total Cost
$195,330
Indirect Cost
$69,716
Name
University of Michigan Ann Arbor
Department
Internal Medicine/Medicine
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
073133571
City
Ann Arbor
State
MI
Country
United States
Zip Code
48109
Kim, Catherine; Barrett-Connor, Elizabeth; Aroda, Vanita R et al. (2016) Testosterone and depressive symptoms among men in the Diabetes Prevention Program. Psychoneuroendocrinology 72:63-71
Kim, C; Christophi, C A; Goldberg, R B et al. (2016) Adiponectin, C-reactive protein, fibrinogen and tissue plasminogen activator antigen levels among glucose-intolerant women with and without histories of gestational diabetes. Diabet Med 33:32-8
Kim, Catherine; Randolph, John F; Golden, Sherita H et al. (2015) Weight loss increases follicle stimulating hormone in overweight postmenopausal women [corrected]. Obesity (Silver Spring) 23:228-33
Kim, Catherine; Cushman, Mary; Kleindorfer, Dawn et al. (2015) A review of the relationships between endogenous sex steroids and incident ischemic stroke and coronary heart disease events. Curr Cardiol Rev 11:252-60
Kim, Catherine; Kim, Shin Y; Sappenfield, William et al. (2014) Are gestational diabetes mellitus and preconception diabetes mellitus less common in non-Hispanic black women than in non-Hispanic white women? Matern Child Health J 18:698-706
Kim, Catherine; Golden, Sherita H; Kong, Shengchun et al. (2014) Does hormone therapy affect blood pressure changes in the Diabetes Prevention Program? Menopause 21:477-83
Kim, Catherine; Halter, Jeffrey B (2014) Endogenous sex hormones, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes in men and women. Curr Cardiol Rep 16:467
Buschur, Elizabeth; Sarma, Aruna V; Pietropaolo, Massimo et al. (2014) Self-reported autoimmune disease by sex in the diabetes control and complications trial/epidemiology of diabetes interventions and complications (DCCT/EDIC) study. Diabetes Care 37:e28-9
Kim, C (2014) Maternal outcomes and follow-up after gestational diabetes mellitus. Diabet Med 31:292-301
Kim, Catherine; Cleary, Patricia A; Cowie, Catherine C et al. (2014) Effect of glycemic treatment and microvascular complications on menopause in women with type 1 diabetes in the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial/Epidemiology of Diabetes Interventions and Complications (DCCT/EDIC) cohort. Diabetes Care 37:701-8

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