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Advancements made in menopause
Menopausal symptoms, supplements and treatments discussed at ASRM Annual Meeting.
WASHINGTON D.C. — At the American Society for Reproductive Medicine’s 63rd Annual Meeting, researchers presented data on the association of hormones, benefits of supplementation and several new treatment options for menopausal and postmenopausal patients.
Data presented included an investigation of the relationship between leptin levels and hot flashes, an examination of the impact of soy supplementation on body composition, and results from a study that analyzed the effects of desvenlafaxine succinate on hot flashes and night sweats.
“Understanding menopause and being able to alleviate its symptoms is an important focus of reproductive medical research,” Steven J. Ory, MD, president of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, said in a press release. “Basic research to help us understand what happens during menopause, examining the impact of common treatments and looking for new ones are all vital pieces of the puzzle.”
Leptin levels involvement
Researchers from Johns Hopkins University conducted a cross-sectional study measuring the association of leptin with levels of other hormones and the occurrence of hot flashes. Participants (n=639) were aged 45 to 54 years, had intact ovaries and uterus, and reported at least three menstrual periods within the last year.
Data suggested that leptin levels were associated with estrogen levels, sex hormone binding globulin and with the frequency of hot flashes. The researchers suggested that genetic polymorhphisms may be involved in the mechanism of hot flashes, however they were not associated with leptin levels in this study.
Supplementation reduces fat
Other data presented at the conference showed that soy supplementation reduced the increase of total and subcutaneous abdominal fat in postmenopausal women; however, it did not affect fat in their arms, legs or torsos.
Researchers from the University of Alabama, Birmingham, and the University of Vermont, Burlington conducted a randomized, prospective, double blind, placebo-controlled trial. They analyzed the impact of soy supplementation on bone mineral content of 15 women and on the percentage of fat found in certain parts of the body. Participants were in their mid-50s.
They divided the participants into a group assigned to a daily soy-based shake or a group not assigned to a shake. Results showed that short-term soy supplementation does not affect bone mineral content or lean body mass.
Novel SNRI evaluated
Researchers at Wyeth Pharmaceuticals examined the safety and efficacy of desvenlafaxine succinate, a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, in two studies.
In the first study, researchers evaluated the safety profile of the drug. The study was a 12-week, multicenter, randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled trial. Participants included menopausal women who were experiencing hot flashes and night sweats. The researchers recorded adverse events and conducted physical exams for 301 women assigned the drug and 151 women not assigned the drug.
The researchers did not find a difference between the groups. Most of the adverse events reported were mild and no significant differences were found between the groups upon physical examination.
In a second study, Wyeth researchers assigned 459 participants to 100 mg or 150 mg of desvenlafaxine succinate for the treatment of hot flashes. Tests measuring mood and overall level of menopausal symptoms were given at the start of the study, at four weeks and at eight weeks.
The researchers reported that 100 mg of desvenlafaxine succinate was effective at relieving women’s menopausal symptoms. – by Christen Haigh
Editor’s note: The art and science of treating menopausal signs and symptoms has become a priority. Instead of being merely a phase to pass beyond, menopause and its concomitant problems are in the forefront. Finally, there are answers for the unmentionable time of life that is a part of life and now part of the mainstream of reproductive medicine.
– Lois Jovanovic, MD
For more information:
- Alexander CJ, Schilling C, Gallicchio L, et al. The association of leptin levels, hormone levels and hot flashes in mid-life women. #016.
- Christie DR, Cooper BC, Sites CK. Effect of soy supplementation on regional fat, bone mineral content and lean mass in postmenopausal women. #0-22.
- Farmer M, Rojas A, Constantine G, et al. Safety and tolerability of desvenlafaxine succinate (DVS) in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial for the relief of vasomotor symptoms (VMS) associated with menopause. #P-421.
- Archer DF, DuPont C, Constantine G, et al. Desvenlafaxine succinate (DVS), a novel serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, improves mood and menopausal symptoms in women with hot flashes (HFs) associated with menopause. #P-422.
- All presented at: the American Society for Reproductive Medicine 63rd Annual Meeting; Oct. 13-17, 2007; Washington, D.C.