Gunning MN, et al. - Since early menopause is associated with a higher risk for coronary artery disease (CAD), cardiovascular disease death, and all-cause mortality, researchers compared the prevalence of CAD in middle-aged women vs a population-based cohort on average 10 years following an initial diagnosis of premature ovarian insufficiency (POI). Despite lower BMI than seen in controls, women with POI had significantly higher blood pressure, cholesterol, and glucose. According to this cross-sectional case-control study, coronary artery calcium (CAC) was positively linked to the CVD risk factors age, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and LDL-cholesterol in controls. The use of HRT in controls was negatively associated with CAC. In women with POI about 50 years of age, the presence of CAC was not significantly different from an age- and race-matched control group. Despite the presence of unfavorable cardiovascular risk factors in these women, no increased calcified coronary disease is observed in POI patients.