Assessment of creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase activities of postmenopausal women in Ekpoma, Edo state, Nigeria

Abstract

Ina bid to investigate the influence of menopausal on coronary heart disease, plasma creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) enzymes were analysed on a prospective cohort of 100 women attending Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH), Irrua,  Edo state-Nigeria. They were divided into two groups; postmenopausal women (n = 50) which serve as the test group and the premenopausal women (n = 50) which serves as the control group. The control group were aged 25-40 with a mean age of 34 years, while the postmenopausal women were aged 45 years and above with a mean age of 58 years. Information on menopausal status and other risk factors were obtained while venous blood samples were collected for the analysis of enzyme activities herein studied using standard laboratory procedures. Results which are presented as mean ± standard deviation showed significantly higher (P<0.05) CK and LDH activities in  postmenopausal women (82.88 ± 23.63; 174.28 ± 76.63 respectively)
compared to those of premenopausal women (48.40±50.76; 126.44 ± 50.76 respectively). These findings therefore confirmed increase incidence of coronary heart diseases associated with menopause.

keywords: Menopause, lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase, artherosclerosis