Relationship between climacteric symptoms and serum galanin levels in post-menopausal women.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to evaluate the possible relationship between climacteric symptoms and serum galanin concentrations in post-menopausal women.


METHODS
We studied 38 women who attended the Department of Gynecological Endocrinology in Poznan because of climacteric complaints. The control group comprised 16 women [mean age 22.2 yr (SD+/-0.9 yr), range 18-24 yr] who were menstruating regularly and had normal body mass index. We evaluated the severity of climacteric symptoms using the Kupperman scale and we measured 17beta-estradiol, FSH and galanin serum concentrations by radioimmunoassay.


RESULTS
The mean serum galanin concentration was 18.7 pg/ml (SD+/-16.1 pg/ml) in the study group and 21.9 pg/ml (SD+/-9.4 pg/ml) in the control group. The difference was not statistically relevant. The mean serum galanin concentration was 15.9 pg/ml (SD+/-12.6 pg/ml) in the group of patients with mild and moderate climacteric symptoms and 29.5 pg/ml (SD+/-23.3 pg/ml) in the group of patients with severe climacteric symptoms. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (Student t-test: p<0.05). Climacteric patients with nervousness had lower serum galanin concentration than patients without this symptom (Student t-test: p<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
a) Serum galanin concentration in post-menopausal women is related to severity of climacteric syndrome; b) the presence of nervousness in post-menopausal women is related to lower serum galanin level.
Słopien
R
R
Department of Gynecological Endocrinology University of Medical Sciences of Poznan, Poland.
Meczekalski
B
B
Warenik-Szymankiewicz
A
A
D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005483:Flushing / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D019004:Galanin / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000097:blood* / Q000523:psychology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology
D019004:Galanin