For analytic purposes, the term 'All hormone (AH)' incorporates all of the above categories; sensitivity analysis reports on the differences between categories.
KDH prepared analytic variables, including menopausal status and hormone therapy use.
Plasma levels of estradiol (E2), progesterone (P4) and Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) were measured by immunometry, using an electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLIA) on Modular Analytics E170 (Roche Diagnostics GmbH, Mannheim, Germany).
Serum cortisol, progesterone, sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), and insulin were analyzed by electrochemiluminescence immunoassays, on a Modular Analytics E170 (all from Roche AB, Stockholm, Sweden).
TSH and thyroid hormones (T4, free T4, T3, and free T3) were measured with an electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (Modular Analytics E170; Roche GmbH, Mannheim, Germany).
In a further analytic step, subjects were divided into four equal groups (quartiles) on the basis of thyroid hormone concentrations (TSH, TT4, TT3; Table 1).
Using the same analytic approach for estradiol showed that there was no heterogeneity in the longitudinal pattern of this hormone in the present study.
Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and thyroid hormones (thyroxine (T4); free T4; triiodothyronine (T3); and free T3) were measured with an electrochemiluminescense immunoassay (Modular Analytics E170, Roche GmbH, Mannheim, Germany).
18 Thyroid function tests (thyroid stimulating hormone, free thyroxine, free triiodothyronine, thyroid peroxidase antibodies) were carried out and human chorionic gonadotrophin measured using a Roche Diagnostics Modular Analytics E170 analyzer (Roche Diagnostics, Indianapolis, IN, USA).
The analytic sample comprised 1023 postmenopausal women not taking exogenous hormones who had an analyzable saliva sample for hormone levels and questionnaire data on the variables included in the model.
