title: Visfatin correlates with hot flashes in postmenopausal women with metabolic syndrome: effects of genistein.
abstract: During menopause, an increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and central obesity seems to increase hot flashes (HFs). Visfatin is an inflammatory adipokine secreted by visceral fat. We investigated visfatin levels and its relationship with hot flash number and BMI, in postmenopausal women with MetS. We also evaluated the effect of genistein, an isoflavone effective in reducing HFs, on visfatin levels and HFs after 1 year of treatment. This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Postmenopausal women with MetS were randomly assigned to receive placebo (n = 60) or 54 mg genistein (n = 60), daily for 1 year. As main outcome measures, hot flashes number and circulating visfatin levels were evaluated. Visfatin significantly correlated with BMI and HFs number in women with MetS at basal. After 6 and 12 months, our results indicate a strong correlation and a significant effect of genistein in reducing both HFs and visfatin in women with MetS. The present study suggests that visfatin plays a role in the vasomotor symptoms, at least in postmenopausal women with metabolic syndrome. Genistein may reduce HFs decreasing the circulating levels of this inflammatory adipokine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Torre Biologica 5th Floor, c/o AOU Policlinico G. Martino, Via C. Valeria Gazzi, 98125, Messina, Italy. abitto@unime.it.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bitto
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Torre Biologica 5th Floor, c/o AOU Policlinico G. Martino, Via C. Valeria Gazzi, 98125, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Arcoraci
authors.affiliation: Department of Economical Business and Environmental Sciences and Quantitative Methods, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alibrandi
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric Gynaecological, Microbiological and Biomedical Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Rosario
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: D'Anna
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric Gynaecological, Microbiological and Biomedical Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Corrado
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Torre Biologica 5th Floor, c/o AOU Policlinico G. Martino, Via C. Valeria Gazzi, 98125, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Atteritano
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Torre Biologica 5th Floor, c/o AOU Policlinico G. Martino, Via C. Valeria Gazzi, 98125, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Letteria
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Minutoli
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric Gynaecological, Microbiological and Biomedical Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Domenica
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Altavilla
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Torre Biologica 5th Floor, c/o AOU Policlinico G. Martino, Via C. Valeria Gazzi, 98125, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Squadrito
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D019833:Genistein / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019584:Hot Flashes / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D054409:Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase / Q000097:blood*; D048789:Phytoestrogens / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000097:blood*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D048789:Phytoestrogens; D019833:Genistein; D054409:Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase
keywords: BMI; Hot flashes; Metabolic syndrome; Visfatin