Association of Interleukin-8 With Hot Flashes in Premenopausal, Perimenopausal, and Postmenopausal Women and Bilateral Oophorectomized Women

Association of Interleukin-8 With Hot Flashes in Premenopausal, Perimenopausal, and Postmenopausal Women and Bilateral Oophorectomized Women - Toshiyuki Yasui - Hirokazu Uemura - Junko Tomita - Yuka Miyatani - Masayo Yamada - Akira Kuwahara - Toshiya Matsuzaki - Masahiko Maegawa - Naoko Tsuchiya - Mitsutoshi Yuzurihara - Shuichi Takeda - Minoru Irahara Hot flashes and night sweats are the commonest of menopausal symptoms. While the pathophysiology of hot flashes is as yet undetermined, peripheral vasodilation and increased skin temperature have been documented. Some cytokines reportedly are potent vasodilators, and a recent study found an association between increased serum levels of interleukin-8 (IL-8) and peripheral vasodilation following coronary bypass surgery. In the present study, serum levels of 17 cytokines were estimated using a multiplex human cytokine assay in 129 pre-, peri-, and postmenopausal women and in 50 others having bilateral oophorectomy. None of those studied had taken medications known to influence the immune system in the previous year. The severity of hot flashes was estimated using guidelines for clinical assessment of vasomotor symptoms published by the Food and Drug Administration. Serum estradiol levels were significantly lower in midlife women experiencing severe hot flashes than in those with no hot flashes or only mild symptoms. Serum IL-8 concentrations were significantly higher in midlife women with severe hot flashes, defined as a sensation of heat with sweating that limited activity, than in those with moderate symptoms who were able to continue their activity. Similar findings were documented in the oophorectomized women. Women in both groups who had severe hot flashes also had significantly elevated serum levels of macrophage inflammatory protein-1β. Furthermore, midlife women with moderate or severe hot flashes had significantly higher serum IL-6 levels than those without hot flashes, and oophorectomized women with severe symptoms had significantly higher levels than those with no more than mild hot flashes. These findings suggest that the cytokine IL-8 may be associated with peripheral vasodilation in naturally or surgically menopausal women who have hot flashes.