Interleukin-17, C-reactive protein, Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte ratio, Lymphocyte-to-Monocyte ratio, and lipid profiles in healthy menopausal women with or without hot flashes: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Introduction The reciprocation between systemic inflammatory markers (SIMs), dyslipidemia, and hot flashes (HFs) can play a part in the pathogenesis of endothelial dysfunction through menopause. This study intended to determine the association between some SIMs, lipids, and HFs in healthy menopausal women. Materials and methods We designed a cross-sectional study in which 160 healthy menopausal women aged 40–60 were enrolled. Concerning their HFs status, they were stratified into two groups by consecutive sampling: without HFs (n = 40) and with HFs (n = 120). In addition to clinical variables and HFs experience, we measured the fasting serum levels of SIMs and lipid profiles (LPs), including Interleukin-17 (IL-17), high- sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (hs-CRP), Total Cholesterol (TC), Triglycerides (TG), Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (LDL-C), and High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (HDL-C) in each group. Then, we calculated TC/HDL-C concerning the related variables and determined Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR), and Lymphocyte-to-Monocyte Ratio (LMR), according to Complete Blood Count (CBC) quantitative parameters in each group. Furthermore, we used logistic regression analysis to assess the association between SIMs, LPs, and HFs. Settings We performed this study in a governmental teaching hospital, Guilan/Rasht, Iran, from April to September 2021. Results The two groups of menopausal women without and with HFs were not significantly different regarding the median of IL-17, hs-CRP, NLR, LMR, TG, HDL-C, and TC/HDL-C, and the mean of TC and LDL-C. Based on multiple logistic regression, TG levels appeared to be associated with the incidence of HFs (B = 0.004, P = 0.040, Odds Ratio:1.004, 95%CI:1.000–1.009). NLR seemed to have an increasing impact on the HFs severity, according to ordinal logistic regression (B = 0.779, P = 0.005, Odds Ratio = 2.180, 95%CI:1.270–3.744). Furthermore, hs-CRP negatively correlated with TG (r = -0.189, P = 0.039) and TC/HDL-C (r = -0.268, P = 0.003) in menopausal women with HFs. Conclusion This study indicated an association between SIMs, lipids, and HFs. These connections may suggest HFs as links between SIMs/LPs alterations and their outcomes.