{
  "abstract": "Background Menopausal changes in adipose tissue distribution and adipokine profiles may influence immune activity in multiple sclerosis (MS). We investigated relationships between adipokines, inflammation and disease severity in menopausal women with MS and evaluated changes in adipokines during menopausal hormone therapy (MHT).Methods 16 menopausal women with MS (participants with MS, PwMS) and 15 age-matched healthy controls were assessed for the associations of adipokines with inflammatory markers, and clinical, radiological and fluid biomarkers of MS severity. Adipokine levels were monitored over 1 year of oral MHT in baseline-controlled design.Results In PwMS, body mass index and leptin-to-adiponectin ratio correlated with circulating high-sensitivity C reactive protein (hs-CRP), tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin-6 (ρ=0.51–0.66, p<0.05). The associations with hs-CRP and TNF-α were independent of age, disease duration, follicle-stimulating hormone and vitamin D. Serum vitamin D inversely correlated with hs-CRP, TNF-α and interferon-γ (ρ=–0.64–0.65, p<0.01). Adipsin showed strong correlation with neurofilament light chain (ρ=0.72, p=0.002) and decreased during MHT (3 months: p=0.007; 12 months: p=0.04).Conclusions Adipokine imbalance and lower vitamin D levels were associated with systemic inflammation in PwMS. Adipsin emerged as a promising biomarker, with potential relevance for disease monitoring and therapeutic modulation via hormonal pathways. These findings support further exploration of multibiomarker profiling to guide personalised care in menopausal MS.",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere Universities, Tampere, Finland",
        "Department of Sensory, Neural, and Musculoskeletal Medicine, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland"
      ],
      "name": "Laura Juutinen"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland"
      ],
      "name": "Katja Ahinko"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Neuroimmunology Research Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere Universities, Tampere, Finland"
      ],
      "name": "Sanna Hagman"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Neurology, University of Eastern Finland Institute of Clinical Medicine, Kuopio, Finland"
      ],
      "name": "Tarja Kokkola"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Neurology, University of Eastern Finland Institute of Clinical Medicine, Kuopio, Finland"
      ],
      "name": "Sari Kärkkäinen"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Neurology, University of Eastern Finland Institute of Clinical Medicine, Kuopio, Finland"
      ],
      "name": "Olli Jääskeläinen"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "The Immunopharmacology Research Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere Universities, Tampere, Finland"
      ],
      "name": "Mari Hämäläinen"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere Universities, Tampere, Finland"
      ],
      "name": "Pabitra Basnyat"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "The Immunopharmacology Research Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere Universities, Tampere, Finland"
      ],
      "name": "Julia Vistbacka"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Neurology, University of Eastern Finland Institute of Clinical Medicine, Kuopio, Finland",
        "Department of Neurology, Neurocenter, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland"
      ],
      "name": "Sanna-Kaisa Herukka"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "The Immunopharmacology Research Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere Universities, Tampere, Finland",
        "Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland"
      ],
      "name": "Eeva Moilanen"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere Universities, Tampere, Finland"
      ],
      "name": "Marja-Liisa Sumelahti"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Immunometabolic profiling in menopausal women with multiple sclerosis: the role of adipokines and hormone therapy",
  "uid": "3290ebf3-83d3-504e-96ab-75570baa3141"
}