title: Plasma adenosine levels in peri-menopausal women having frequent hot flushes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The effect of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on plasma adenosine levels was investigated in climacteric women experiencing hot flushes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Plasma adenosine levels were measured in 13 peri-menopausal women with frequent hot flushes (>5 per day) before and 3-4 months after initiating HRT. Thirteen healthy pre-menopausal, 9 peri-menopausal women with few hot flushes (<1 or 2 per day) and 10 healthy postmenopausal women were enrolled as controls. The average plasma adenosine level in the peri-menopausal women was 0.20+/-0.09 micromol/L, which was significantly higher than in the pre-menopausal (0.12+/-0.07 micromol/L, p<0.05), peri-menopausal with few hot flushes (0.10+/-0.09 micromol/L, p<0.05) and postmenopausal women (0.13+/-0.06 micromol/L, p<0.05). Both the increased adenosine level and the hot flushes were decreased by HRT (plasma adenosine: 0.13+/-0.06 micromol/L).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increased plasma adenosine in peri-menopausal women may be associated with frequent hot flushes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tokyo Rinkai Hospital, Japan. czg83542@mopera.ne.jp
authors.forename: Shunji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Tsutomu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takeuchi
mesh_terms: D000241:Adenosine / Q000097:blood*; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy; D004967:Estrogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D019584:Hot Flashes / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008593:Menopause / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D004967:Estrogens; D004958:Estradiol; D000241:Adenosine