Associations between serum cytokine levels and postmenopausal depression in postmenopausal women with and without menopause hormone therapy
Abstract Background The etiology of depression involves many biological and environmental factors, among which the inflammatory process is an important contributor. However, the role of pro-inflammatory cytokines in postmenopausal depression is unclear. Therefore, we aimed to explore the association...
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BMC
2025-01-01
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| Series: | BMC Women's Health |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-025-03560-2 |
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| author | Ketan Chu Xi Lin Saisai Li Linjuan Ma Yizhou Huang Fan Wu Mengna Shou Nazaré Alva Galang Cabarrabang Yibing Lan Jianhong Zhou |
| author_facet | Ketan Chu Xi Lin Saisai Li Linjuan Ma Yizhou Huang Fan Wu Mengna Shou Nazaré Alva Galang Cabarrabang Yibing Lan Jianhong Zhou |
| author_sort | Ketan Chu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The etiology of depression involves many biological and environmental factors, among which the inflammatory process is an important contributor. However, the role of pro-inflammatory cytokines in postmenopausal depression is unclear. Therefore, we aimed to explore the association between the serum concentrations of four pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-18, and TNF-α) and depressive symptoms in postmenopausal women who had been receiving menopause hormone therapy (MHT) for at least 6 months and postmenopausal women who had not received MHT. Methods This study included a total of 136 Chinese postmenopausal women aged 40 to 65 years who visited the gynecology outpatient department between June 2020 and December 2022. They were divided into the POST group (n = 94) and the POST + MHT (n = 42) group. Demographic information was collected, and the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD) was used to assess depression. The circulating levels of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-18, and TNF-α were determined using ELISA kits. Results According to the HAMD score, 39.36% of the participants in the POST group and 14.29% in the POST + MHT group were considered to have depression. The POST + MHT group had significantly lower serum concentrations of IL-18 and TNF-α than the POST group. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the serum IL-18 (β = 3.996, 95% CI = 0.508–7.484), and TNF-α levels (β = 4.784, 95% CI = 0.939–8.629) were significant predictors of the HAMD-24 scores in women in the POST group. In addition, age was found to be positively related with the level of depression (β = 0.531, 95% CI = 0.063–0.999). Conclusions Postmenopausal women who received MHT had a lower HAMD-24 score as well as lower serum TNF-α and IL-18 levels than women who did not receive MHT. Further, the TNF-α and IL-18 level were positively associated with the HAMD-24 score in women who had not received MHT. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8adc39e3e7f04548ba9cc11a101e0bbc |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1472-6874 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
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| series | BMC Women's Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-8adc39e3e7f04548ba9cc11a101e0bbc2025-01-19T12:37:35ZengBMCBMC Women's Health1472-68742025-01-012511810.1186/s12905-025-03560-2Associations between serum cytokine levels and postmenopausal depression in postmenopausal women with and without menopause hormone therapyKetan Chu0Xi Lin1Saisai Li2Linjuan Ma3Yizhou Huang4Fan Wu5Mengna Shou6Nazaré Alva Galang Cabarrabang7Yibing Lan8Jianhong Zhou9Women’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang UniversityDepartment of Gynecology, The Quzhou Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Quzhou People’s HospitalDepartment of Gynecology, The Affiliated Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang UniversityWomen’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang UniversityWomen’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang UniversityDepartment of Pharmacy, The First Affliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical UniversityDepartment of Gynecology, Shaoxing Maternity and Child Health Care HospitalSchool of Medicine, Zhejiang UniversityWomen’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang UniversityWomen’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang UniversityAbstract Background The etiology of depression involves many biological and environmental factors, among which the inflammatory process is an important contributor. However, the role of pro-inflammatory cytokines in postmenopausal depression is unclear. Therefore, we aimed to explore the association between the serum concentrations of four pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-18, and TNF-α) and depressive symptoms in postmenopausal women who had been receiving menopause hormone therapy (MHT) for at least 6 months and postmenopausal women who had not received MHT. Methods This study included a total of 136 Chinese postmenopausal women aged 40 to 65 years who visited the gynecology outpatient department between June 2020 and December 2022. They were divided into the POST group (n = 94) and the POST + MHT (n = 42) group. Demographic information was collected, and the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD) was used to assess depression. The circulating levels of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-18, and TNF-α were determined using ELISA kits. Results According to the HAMD score, 39.36% of the participants in the POST group and 14.29% in the POST + MHT group were considered to have depression. The POST + MHT group had significantly lower serum concentrations of IL-18 and TNF-α than the POST group. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the serum IL-18 (β = 3.996, 95% CI = 0.508–7.484), and TNF-α levels (β = 4.784, 95% CI = 0.939–8.629) were significant predictors of the HAMD-24 scores in women in the POST group. In addition, age was found to be positively related with the level of depression (β = 0.531, 95% CI = 0.063–0.999). Conclusions Postmenopausal women who received MHT had a lower HAMD-24 score as well as lower serum TNF-α and IL-18 levels than women who did not receive MHT. Further, the TNF-α and IL-18 level were positively associated with the HAMD-24 score in women who had not received MHT.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-025-03560-2DepressionCytokinesPostmenopausal womenPostmenopausal depressionTNF-αIL-18 |
| spellingShingle | Ketan Chu Xi Lin Saisai Li Linjuan Ma Yizhou Huang Fan Wu Mengna Shou Nazaré Alva Galang Cabarrabang Yibing Lan Jianhong Zhou Associations between serum cytokine levels and postmenopausal depression in postmenopausal women with and without menopause hormone therapy BMC Women's Health Depression Cytokines Postmenopausal women Postmenopausal depression TNF-α IL-18 |
| title | Associations between serum cytokine levels and postmenopausal depression in postmenopausal women with and without menopause hormone therapy |
| title_full | Associations between serum cytokine levels and postmenopausal depression in postmenopausal women with and without menopause hormone therapy |
| title_fullStr | Associations between serum cytokine levels and postmenopausal depression in postmenopausal women with and without menopause hormone therapy |
| title_full_unstemmed | Associations between serum cytokine levels and postmenopausal depression in postmenopausal women with and without menopause hormone therapy |
| title_short | Associations between serum cytokine levels and postmenopausal depression in postmenopausal women with and without menopause hormone therapy |
| title_sort | associations between serum cytokine levels and postmenopausal depression in postmenopausal women with and without menopause hormone therapy |
| topic | Depression Cytokines Postmenopausal women Postmenopausal depression TNF-α IL-18 |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-025-03560-2 |
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