摘要:Serum lipid level increases during hormonal transition before and after menopause. In Caucasians, changes in lipid level after menopause across apolipoprotein E (apo E) genotypes were studied. We investigated 159 Japanese healthy female workers (age range, 35-63). The apo E genotypes were determined by the polymerase chain reaction single-strand conformation polymorphisms method for the entire apo E-coding region. The low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-cholesterol) level significantly varied according to the apo E genotype, but not according to the menopausal status after adjusting for age and body mass index ( p < 0.001). The effect of menopause on LDL-cholesterol level significantly varied depending on the apo E genotype ( p < 0.05). Apo E2 [APOE, R158C] carriers in the senium period had a lower LDL-cholesterol level than those in the fertile period (81.5 ± 12.0 mg/dl vs. 122.3 ± 12.9 mg/dl). In contrast, apo E3 homozygotes in the senium period showed a higher LDL-cholesterol level than those in the fertile period (140.9 ± 7.0 mg/dl vs. 134.1 ± 6.1 mg/dl). The LDL-cholesterol levels of apo E4 [APOE, C112R] carriers were the similar for the two periods. These results indicate that the serum lipid control in perimenopausal women should be customized according to the apo E genotype for the promotion of women's health in Japan.