Age at Menarche in Relation to Risk of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Results from the China Kadoorie Biobank Study of 300,000 Chinese Women

Background Age at menarche has important implications for lung function. However, little is known about its association with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The present study aims to investigate age at menarche in relation to the risk of COPD among Chinese women. Methods We analyzed data on 302,463 women aged 30–79 years from 10 regions across China during 2004 to 2008, recruited by the China Kadoorie Biobank baseline survey. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine odds ratios (ORs) with 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between COPD and age at menarche. Results Overall, the average age at menarche was 15.4 ± 2.0 years. The relationship between age at menarche and adult COPD was J-shaped. Compared with women with menarche at age 13–14 years, the adjusted ORs for COPD for menarche at ≤12, 15–16, and ≥ 17 years of age were 1.21 (95 % CI: 1.07, 1.36), 1.04 (95 % CI: 0.98, 1.11) and 1.11 (95 % CI, 1.03, 1.19), respectively. The patterns of association appeared to be more pronounced among women living in rural areas and those who ever drank alcohol. Conclusions In Chinese adults, both early menarche and late menarche are associated with increased risk of COPD; as such, age at menarche may be a factor that could help to identify women at higher COPD risk who would benefit from early preventative strategies.