Objective To analyze the association between urinary selenium (Se) level and early menopause (EM) in Zhuang women in Guangxi, and to provide evidence for preventing the occurrence of EM.

Methods Based on the baseline data of the"Prospective Cohort Study of Chronic Diseases in Guangxi Natural Minority Population", inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used to detect the concentration of selenium in urine. According to the self-reported age at menopause, participants were divided into EM group and non-EM group. The association between urinary Se level and EM was analyzed by logistic regression model, and the trend test was used to evaluate the dose-response relationship between urinary Se concentration and EM.

Results A total of 2, 394 participants were included in the study, with 155 in the EM group and 2, 239 in the non-EM group. No association was found between urinary Se levels and EM in all subjects (OR=0.98, 95% CI: 0.73-1.31). However, when the participants were restricted to under 55 years old of age, urinary Se concentration was found to be positively associated with the risk of EM occurrence (OR=1.82, 95% CI: 1.10-3.01), and urinary Se concentration in the fourth quantile significantly increased the risk of EM occurrence compared to that in the first quantile (OR=2.61, 95% CI: 1.19-5.68). After propensity score matching, urinary Se concentration in the fourth quantile still significantly increased the risk of EM occurrence (OR=8.29, 95% CI: 1.40-49.01). The trend test was statistically significant (P < 0.05).

Conclusion Elevated urinary Se concentration may increase the risk of EM in women.