title: Concentrations of calcitonin gene-related peptide and neuropeptide Y in plasma increase during flushes in postmenopausal women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess whether the plasma concentrations of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), neuropeptide Y (NPY), or neurokinin A (NKA) increase during hot flushes in postmenopausal women with vasomotor symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight postmenopausal women (age range = 49-63 years) with vasomotor symptoms were included. During 1 day, repeated blood samples were taken between and during flushes; four samples were taken during each flush. The samples were analyzed for CGRP, NPY, and NKA using radioimmunoassay technique.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The serum concentrations of CGRP and NPY increased significantly-73% and 34%, respectively-during the flushes (p = 0.018; p = 0.028), whereas the concentrations of NKA did not change significantly.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CGRP and NPY may be involved in the mechanisms that cause vasomotor symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University Hospital, Linköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: Y A
authors.initials: YA
authors.lastname: Wyon
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Spetz
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Theodorsson
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Hammar
mesh_terms: D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D019584:Hot Flashes / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015288:Neurokinin A / Q000097:blood*; D009478:Neuropeptide Y / Q000097:blood*; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D009478:Neuropeptide Y; D015288:Neurokinin A; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide