Fluctuations of Radial Artery Distensibility Throughout the Menstrual Cycle

Abstract

Estrogen administration has a number of favorable cardiovascular effects, and recent evidence suggests that these include an increase in arterial distensibility. Whether this is also the case for the physiological changes in estrogen production during the menstrual cycle has never been determined, however. In 21 premenopausal healthy women, we continuously measured radial artery diameter and blood pressure by an echo-tracking device and a beat-to-beat finger device, respectively. Arterial distensibility was calculated as distensibility/blood pressure curve. The measurements were made during the follicular, ovulatory, and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle. As expected, compared with the follicular phase, plasma estradiol, follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, and prolactin were increased in the ovulatory phase, whereas progesterone was increased in the luteal phase, together with antidiuretic hormone. Radial artery distensibility was increased in the ovulatory and reduced in the luteal phase, the changes being independent of the small, concomitant blood pressure changes. The arterial wall stiffening seen in the luteal phase was associated with a reduction in the flow-dependent endothelial dilatation of the radial artery as assessed by the hyperemia after short-term ischemia of the hand. Thus, the natural menstrual cycle is characterized by alterations in radial artery distensibility. The mechanisms responsible for this phenomenon remain to be clarified. It is possible, however, that the greater arterial distensibility of the ovulatory phase is due to an estrogen-dependent reduction in vascular smooth muscle tone, whereas the arterial stiffening of the luteal phase depends on vascular smooth muscle contraction due to more complex hormonal phenomena, ie, an endothelial impairment due to estrogen reduction but also to an increase in progesterone and antidiuretic hormone levels.

Effect of Different Phases of Menstrual Cycle on Reflection Index, Stiffness index and Pulse wave velocity in Healthy subjects

“…Upper limb BFPWV is being used for the first time to measure arterial stiffness. [12], Flow mediated dilatation (FMD) and whole body arterial compliance (WBAC) [8]. There are many studies showing similar results using central artery compliance by invasive procedures (mean arterial pressure, aortic augmentation index (AIx) and central systolic blood pressure (SBP) [7,13] and non invasive techniques (MRI and USG) [14,15].…”

Estrogen modulation of baroreflex function in conscious mice

“…The observations made with regard to gender differences in this study are limited to the contribution of estrogen alone. The 4-day-long estrous cycle in intact female rodents is accompanied by significant variations in estrogen and progesterone levels (15,47,51). A complete analysis of gender differences would require evaluation of baroreflex responses in intact females with known serum levels of endogenous ovarian hormones and in males with known levels of testosterone.…”

Evaluation of digital blood pressure measured with the Omron F3 device as an index of brachial arterial pressure, under different thermal and hormonal conditions

“…[18][19][20] As well, we compared pressures in the same female subjects at menses and during the periovulatory phase of the menstrual cycle, in view of the known vasodilator effect of circulating oestrogens. [21][22][23] We also utilised thermal stimuli as a way of specifically manipulating cutaneous vascular resistance, which might be anticipated to have an effect on the digital arterial environment without a substantial systemic effect.…”