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Microvascular function has no menstrual‐cycle‐dependent variation in healthy ovulatory women
Author(s) -
Ketel Iris J.G.,
Stehouwer Coen D.A.,
Serné Erik H.,
Poel Danielle M.,
Groot Leonieke,
Kager Cathrien,
Hompes Peter G.A.,
Homburg Roy,
Twisk Jos W.,
Smulders Yvo M.,
Lambalk Cornelis B.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
microcirculation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.793
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1549-8719
pISSN - 1073-9688
DOI - 10.3109/10739680903199186
Subject(s) - vasomotion , medicine , menstrual cycle , endocrinology , sodium nitroprusside , follicular phase , blood flow , hormone , nitric oxide
Objective : Hyper‐ and hypoestrogenism that persist for a long time can affect vascular and metabolic function. However, it is not clear whether the same is true for subtle sex hormone changes (i.e., during the menstrual cycle). Methods: Twenty‐one healthy normal‐weight women with regular cycles were studied during the early‐follicular (day 3±2), late‐follicular (day 12±2), and midluteal (day 20±3) phases. Microvascular function was assessed by skin iontophoresis of acetylcholine (ACh) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP), by skin‐capillary recruitment after arterial and venous occlusion (i.e., capillaroscopy), and by Fourier analysis of resting skin laser Doppler flow at rest (i.e., vasomotion). Insulin sensitivity (i.e., homeostasis model assessment) and blood pressure were also determined during the study days. Results : Three women were excluded from analyses because they were anovulatory. Skin microvascular responses to ACh and SNP, capillary function, vasomotion, insulin sensitivity, and blood pressure did not differ between the three phases ( P ≥ 0.1). Further, microvascular function did not correlate with plasma‐estrogen levels ( r = −0.06−0.2; P ≥ 0.2). Conclusions : Microvascular function does not demonstrate a clear menstrual‐cycle–dependent variation.