Gender-Specific Independent and Combined Effects of the Progesterone and 17-Hydroxyprogesterone on Metabolic Syndrome: From the Henan Rural Cohort Study

Mian Wang; Luting Nie; Dandan Wei; Pengling Liu; Li Zhang; Keliang Fan; Yu Song; Lulu Wang; Qingqing Xu; Juan Wang; Xiaotian Liu; Linlin Li; Zhenxing Mao; Chongjian Wang; Wenqian Huo

doi:10.2147/DMSO.S332028

Gender-Specific Independent and Combined Effects of the Progesterone and 17-Hydroxyprogesterone on Metabolic Syndrome: From the Henan Rural Cohort Study

Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes. 2021 Oct 18:14:4297-4306. doi: 10.2147/DMSO.S332028. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Mian Wang^#¹, Luting Nie^#¹, Dandan Wei², Pengling Liu², Li Zhang², Keliang Fan², Yu Song¹, Lulu Wang², Qingqing Xu², Juan Wang², Xiaotian Liu², Linlin Li², Zhenxing Mao², Chongjian Wang², Wenqian Huo¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, People's Republic of China.
² Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, People's Republic of China.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

Background: Although the concentrations of progesterone (P4) and 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP) have been correlated with some characteristics of metabolic syndrome (MetS), the relationships with MetS are inconclusive. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between P4 and 17-OHP with MetS.

Methods: In all, the present study includes 4807 participants. Serum P4 and 17-OHP were measured through liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Logistic regression and restricted cubic splines were used to assess the independent and combined effects of P4 and 17-OHP on MetS.

Results: After adjusting for multiple variables, the positive association of P4 with MetS was observed in postmenopausal women (Third tertiles vs First tertiles: OR = 1.49, 95% CI: 1.20-1.86) and the negative association of 17-OHP with MetS was observed in men (Third tertiles vs First tertiles: OR = 0.43, 95% CI: 0.32-0.58). Compared with the combination of low P4 and low 17-OHP, the combination of high P4 and high 17-OHP were significantly related to MetS in postmenopausal women (OR = 1.71, 95% CI: 1.18-2.48). Moreover, the combination of low P4 and high 17-OHP was negatively associated with MetS in men (OR = 0.41, 95% CI: 0.24-0.69).

Conclusion: The association between P4 and MetS in postmenopausal women was positive, whereas 17-OHP was negatively associated with MetS in men. Additionally, their combination has a synergistic effect on MetS in postmenopausal women and an antagonistic effect on MetS in men.

Keywords: 17-hydroxyprogesterone; metabolic syndrome; obesity; progesterone.

Grants and funding

This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant NO: 21806146), the National Key Research and Development Program of China (Grant NO: 2016YFC0900803, 2019YFC1710002), the Postdoctoral Science Foundation of China (Grant NO: 2016M602264, 2020T130604), and the Excellent Youth Development Foundation of Zhengzhou University (Grant No: 2018ZDGGJS052), and the Science and Technique Foundation of Henan Province (Grant No: 202102310074).