Association between central adiposity and cognitive domain function in recently postmenopausal women: an analysis from the KEEPS-Cog substudy of the Kronos Early Estrogen Preventive Study.

OBJECTIVE

To determine associations between central adiposity, cognitive function, and randomized menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) in a reanalysis of the Kronos Early Estrogen Prevention Study-Cognitive and Affective (KEEPS-Cog) sub-study participants.

METHODS

KEEPS randomized 727 women (ages 42-58) who were <36 months postnatural menopause to oral conjugated equine estrogens (o-CEE), transdermal 17-β-estradiol (t-E2), or placebo for 48 months. Participants with diabetes, body mass index >35 kg/m 2 , coronary artery calcium score >50 Agatston Units, and other cardiometabolic disease risk indicators were excluded from enrollment. In the ancillary KEEPS-Cog study, cognitive tests were completed at baseline, 18-, 36-, and 48-month post-randomization. In these analyses, cognitive variables were summarized as four cognitive domain-specific factor scores: verbal learning and memory, auditory attention and working memory, visual attention and executive function, and speeded language and mental flexibility. Waist-hip-ratio (WHR), an indicator of central adiposity, was measured at screening (baseline) and modeled as a covariate in linear latent growth models assessing associations of MHT with cognitive functions at baseline and over time.

RESULTS

Higher baseline WHR was associated with poorer performance on all domain-specific cognitive outcomes at baseline and with changes in visual attention and executive function across time. Models including interaction effects were not significant for either o-CEE x WHR or t-E2 x WHR.

CONCLUSION

Central adiposity is a risk factor for domain-specific cognitive decline, and thus, cognitive health effects should be investigated in early postmenopausal women, even in women with low cardiovascular risk statuses.