Heart rate variability and endogenous sex hormones during the menstrual cycle in young women
Leicht, Anthony S., Hirning, David A., and Allen, Graham D. (2003) Heart rate variability and endogenous sex hormones during the menstrual cycle in young women. Experimental Physiology, 88 (3). pp. 441-446.
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Abstract
To our knowledge, the relationship between all four endogenous female sex hormones and resting cardiac autonomic function has not been studied. The aim of the current study was to examine the association between the normal endogenous levels of oestrogen (17beta-oestradiol), progesterone, luteinising hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone and heart rate variability (HRV) during the menstrual cycle in young eumenorrheic women. Ten healthy, young, female subjects volunteered for this study. HRV and endogenous hormone levels were recorded at three phases of the menstrual cycle: menses (day 3.8 +/- 0.5), ovulation (day 15.8 +/- 0.7) and luteal (day 22.1 +/- 0.4) to ensure HRV recordings at times of low (menses) and high (ovulation and luteal) hormonal influence. Heart rate recordings were obtained from supine resting subjects and analysed on a Holter analysis system. Total power (TP, 0-1.0 Hz), low frequency (LF, 0.041-0.15 Hz), high frequency (HF, 0.15-0.80 Hz) and LF/HF components of HRV were examined. Despite a significantly greater HR at ovulation and normal cyclic variations in all endogenous sex hormone levels, no measure of HRV was significantly different between menstrual cycle phases. Significant correlations between oestrogen levels and absolute measures of HRV at ovulation were identified. The results of the current study demonstrated that the normal cyclic variations in endogenous sex hormone levels during the menstrual cycle were not significantly associated with changes in cardiac autonomic control as measured by HRV. Significant correlation between peak oestrogen levels and HRV measures at ovulation provided further support for the reported cardioprotective effects of oestrogen in healthy females.
| Item ID: | 459 |
|---|---|
| Item Type: | Article (Research - C1) |
| ISSN: | 0958-0670 |
| Keywords: | Heart rate variability, Menstrual cycle, Oestrogen, Progesterone, Ovarian hormones, Cardiac neural control |
| Additional Information: | © 2003 Cambridge University Press : Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher : This journal is available online - use hypertext links above. |
| Date Deposited: | 28 Sep 2006 |
| FoR Codes: | 11 MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES > 1109 Neurosciences > 110901 Autonomic Nervous System @ 51% 11 MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES > 1116 Medical Physiology > 111603 Systems Physiology @ 49% |
| SEO Codes: | 97 EXPANDING KNOWLEDGE > 970106 Expanding Knowledge in the Biological Sciences @ 80% 92 HEALTH > 9201 Clinical Health (Organs, Diseases and Abnormal Conditions) > 920103 Cardiovascular System and Diseases @ 20% |
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