Endothelial function across the menstrual cycle as assessed in naturally cycling women by three relevant techniques
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Date
2014-03
Authors
Madison, Erin
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Oregon
Abstract
This project is the first attempt to determine whether the menstrual cycle
hormones have an effect on female blood vessel function as measured by two
recently proposed tests of vessel reactivity. The larger implications of this study
will impact future clinical research, in terms of subject preparation. Specifically, if
it is found that young, healthy, naturally menstruating female subjects' blood
vessel reactivity is affected by the cyclical fluctuation of the hormones estrogen
and progesterone, then future research using these two new techniques should
study female subjects according to the findings of this project. Namely, subjects
should be studied during the menstrual cycle phase that elicits the lowest overall
response when compared to the two other menstrual cycle phases observed, as
this is indicative of the lowest augmentation of the results by the effect of the
hormones. This is important because it is necessary to control for as many
variables as possible in order to ensure confidence in the results of a study. Blood vessel function in this study will be assessed using three techniques
that monitor changes in blood flow and diameter by way of ultrasound imaging.
Using ultrasound, a blood vessel’s resting diameter can be quantified, and then a
test can be performed in order to quantify the effect of that test of the size of the
blood vessel. The amount a blood vessel “dilates,” or increases in size, is a
measure of the health of the blood vessel; in general, the larger the percent change
in size, the healthier the blood vessel is. The female hormones have been shown to
improve blood vessel dilation when assessed by a long-used technique known as
“flow-mediated dilation,” but it has not yet been determined whether other tests
of vessel function, such as a hand grip model or a passive limb movement model,
are similarly affected. Thus, this study seeks to determine the relationship
between these hormones and these three tests of vessel function, using flow mediated
dilation as a barometer for the results observed.
Description
54 pages. A thesis presented to the Department of Human physiology and the Clark Honors College of the University of Oregon in partial fulfillment of the requirements for degree of Bachelor of Arts, Spring 2014.
Keywords
Cardiovascular Physiology, Endothelial Function, Menstrual Cycle, Hormones, Flow-mediated Dilation, Estrogen and Progesterone