Activity of Autonomic Nervous System, Energy Expenditure and Assessment of Oxidative Stress in Menopause-women Using Hormone Replacement Therapy
Giovanni Messina *
Department of Experimental Medicine, Section of Human Physiology and Clinical Dietetic Service, Second University of Naples, Via Costantinopoli 16, 80138 Naples, Italy. and Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy.
Vincenzo De Luca
Department of Experimental Medicine, Section of Human Physiology and Clinical Dietetic Service, Second University of Naples, Via Costantinopoli 16, 80138 Naples, Italy.
Andrea Viggiano
Faculty of Medicine, University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy.
Domenico Tafuri
Faculty of Motor Sciences, University of Naples “Parthenope”, Naples, Italy.
Antonietta Messina
Department of Experimental Medicine, Section of Human Physiology and Clinical Dietetic Service, Second University of Naples, Via Costantinopoli 16, 80138 Naples, Italy.
Fiorenzo Moscatelli
Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy and Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome “Foro Italico”, Rome, Italy.
Antonio Ivano Triggiani
Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy.
Giuseppe Cibelli
Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy.
Anna Valenzano
Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy.
Sergio Chieffi
Department of Experimental Medicine, Section of Human Physiology and Clinical Dietetic Service, Second University of Naples, Via Costantinopoli 16, 80138 Naples, Italy.
Marcellino Monda
Department of Experimental Medicine, Section of Human Physiology and Clinical Dietetic Service, Second University of Naples, Via Costantinopoli 16, 80138 Naples, Italy.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aims: Menopause is a period of significant physiological change that may be associated with increased body weight and obesity-related diseases. Many studies have been carried out to determine influences of estrogen depletion, resting energy expenditure (REE) decline and aging during menopause-related obesity.
Methodology: In the present experiment, REE, body composition, activity of the autonomic nervous system, oxidative stress and food intake were measured in three groups of women: pre-menopause (n=40), post-menopause with hormone-replacement therapy (HRT) (n=40) and post-menopause without HRT (n=40).
Results: In post-menopause women with HRT a significant increase was found in: 1) the sympathetic activity, measured by the power spectral analysis of the heart rate variability; 2) REE, measured by indirect calorimetry; 3) oxidative stress, measured by Free Radical Analytical System 4 (Fras-4) compared to the value of the other two, while fat mass, measured by Body Impedance Analysis (BIA), was reduced in favor of a recovery of free fat mass.
Conclusion: The study emphasizes the important changes due to HRT on various components influencing body weight in menopause-women.
Keywords: Hormone-replacement therapy, resting energy expenditure, autonomic nervous system, body composition, assessment of oxidative stress.