The effect of long-term melatonin supplementation on psychosomatic disorders in postmenopausal women.

Different psychosomatic disorders are observed in postmenopausal women. The decrease of estrogen production is believed to be the main cause of their severity. It is nowadays evident that the decreased melatonin release in women at this age who suffer from postmenopausal disorders might also contribute to the severity of the symptoms. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of melatonin supplementation on female hormones release and the alteration in climacteric symptoms. The study included 60 postmenopausal women, aged 51 - 64 years, who were randomly allotted into two equal groups. Group I was recommended placebo (2 x 1 tablet) and Group II - melatonin (3 mg in the morning and 5 mg at bedtime) for 12 months. Serum levels of 17ß-estradiol, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), melatonin and urinary 6-sulfatoxymelatonin (aMT6s) excretion as well as Kupperman Index (KI) and body mass index (BMI) were determined before the start and at 12 months after placebo or melatonin administration. In Group I only the value of KI slightly decreased (28.4 ± 2.9 versus 25.6 ± 3.8 points, P = 0,0619). In Group II - KI decreased from 29.1 ± 2.9 to 19.7 ± 3.1 points (P < 0.001) and BMI from 30.9 ± 2.9 to 28.1 ± 2.3 kg/m2 (P < 0.05). Melatonin supplementation failed to change significantly the serum concentration of female reproductive hormones 17ß-estradiol and FSH. We conclude that melatonin supplementation therapy exerts a positive effect on psychosomatic symptoms in postmenopausal women and can be recommended as the useful adjuvant therapeutic option in treatment of these disorders.

Subclinical Inflammation and Endothelial Dysfunction in Patients with Chronic Pancreatitis and Newly Diagnosed Pancreatic Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have suggested that various cytokines may be important players in the development and progression of chronic pancreatitis (CP) and pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PC). AIMS: We studied endothelial dysfunction and subclinical inflammation in patients with newly diagnosed pancreatic adenocarcinoma and CP. METHODS: A total of 45 patients were included in the present investigation, 27 with CP and 18 with PC. In addition, the study included 13 age- and body weight-matched healthy subjects served as controls. In all subjects, plasma adiponectin, TNF-alfa, interleukin 6 (IL-6), interleukin 1beta (IL-1ß), E-selectin, thrombomodulin, adhesion molecules ICAM and VCAM, and endothelin-1 were assessed. RESULTS: PC and CP patients as compared with controls had significantly greater plasma adiponectin (13,292 and 12,227 vs 5408 ng/ml; p < 0.0003), TNF-alfa (22.1 and 23.1 vs 13 pg/ml; p < 0.0002), and IL-6 (6.6 and 7.3 vs 3.3 pg/ml; p < 0.0001). Moreover, there was significantly higher concentration of ICAM (931 and 492 vs 290 ng/ml; p < 0.005) and VCAM (1511 and 1080 vs 840 ng/ml; p < 0.01) in PC and CP patients. When PC and CP patients with and without diabetes were considered separately, there was no difference in adiponectin, cytokines, and parameters of endothelial dysfunction. CONCLUSION: In summary, our data indicate that patients with CP and PC express high levels of several cytokines compared with healthy individuals, especially adiponectin, TNF-α and IL-6. Serum TNF-α and ICAM concentrations coordinately increase in advanced CP. Furthermore, especially in PC subjects, elevated markers of endothelial dysfunction are present. This study provides additional evidence that changes in inflammatory cytokine and adhesion molecules in PC and CP are not likely related to endocrine disorders.