Authors

Rebecca C. Thurston, Ph.D., Yuefang Chang, Ph.D., Peter Mancuso, Ph.D., Karen A. Matthews, Ph.D.

Volume 100, Issue 3, Pages 793-800.e1, September 2013

Abstract

Objective:

To test relationships between adipokines, adiposity, and vasomotor symptoms (VMS), including how these associations vary by menopause stage.

Design:

A subcohort of the longitudinal cohort Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation completed questionnaires, physical measures, and a fasting blood draw annually for 8 years. Associations between a poorer adipokine profile (lower adiponectin, lower high-molecular-weight [HMW] adiponectin, higher leptin, lower soluble leptin receptor, higher monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 [MCP-1]) and VMS were tested with the use of generalized estimating equations adjusting for potential confounders. Interactions by menopause stage (pre-/early perimenopause, late peri-/postmenopause) were tested.

Setting:

Community.

Patient(s):

A total of 536 women ages 42–52 at baseline.

Intervention(s):

None.

Main Outcome Measure(s):

VMS.

Result(s):

Associations between adipokines and hot flashes varied by menopause stage, with a poorer adipokine profile associated with higher odds of hot flashes early in the transition (adiponectinlog: odds ratio [OR] 0.68, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.51–0.90; HMW adiponectinlog: OR 0.70, 95% CI 0.58–0.85; leptinlog: OR 1.23, 95% CI 0.99–1.54; multivariable models including body mass index [BMI]), but not later in the transition. The direction of associations between BMI and VMS also varied by menopausal stage. Higher MCP-1 was associated with more night sweats (OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.06–1.76) across menopausal stages.

Conclusion(s):

An adverse adipokine profile was associated with more VMS, particularly early in the menopause transition.

Read the full text at: http://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(13)00568-2/fulltext