Association between COVID-19 vaccines and the menstrual cycle in young Japanese women

IntroductionAlthough several studies have investigated the association between coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines and the menstrual cycle, available data are limited. Therefore, this study investigated the effect of COVID-19 vaccines on the menstrual cycle and the effect of the menstrual cycle phase on the vaccine side effects during vaccine administration in Japan.MethodsA self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data on the date of vaccination; type of vaccine; type, grade, and duration of the side effects; regularity of menstruation; normal length of the menstrual cycle; and the day one date of menstruation around vaccination. The survey was conducted from October 2021 to March 2022.ResultsThe difference between the predicted and actual menstrual cycle length was 1.9 ± 3.0, 1.6 ± 2.8 (p = 0.557), and 2.5 ± 3.8 (p = 0.219) days before vaccination and after the first and second dose of the vaccine, respectively. In participants who received vaccinations twice within a single menstrual cycle, this difference was 1.3 ± 3.5 and 3.9 ± 3.3 (p = 0.045) days before and after vaccination, respectively. The grade and proportion of the side effects after the second dose of the vaccine was highest during the menstrual period and lowest during the ovulation period, with a significant effect on headache and chills.ConclusionCOVID-19 vaccines tended to prolong the menstrual cycle. The side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine tended to be at a maximum when vaccination occurred during the menstrual period and minimal during the ovulation period.     

Proactive management breaks the fall cycle

Meet the challenge of keeping fall-prone and wandering patients safe.     

Homocysteine during the menstrual cycle in depressive women

BACKGROUND: Two possible factors that may have a causal relation with both depressive disorder and cardiovascular disease are elevated homocysteine and steroid hormones. Our previous study found significant changes in the plasma homocysteine concentration during the menstrual cycle in healthy women. The purpose of this study therefore was to test homocysteine in depressive women treated with fluoxetine during the menstrual cycle. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirteen premenopausal women suffering from mixed anxiety-depressive disorder and a control group of 15 healthy women were enrolled in this study. The homocysteine concentration was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection, and estradiol, progesterone and cortisol by RIA methods. RESULTS: We found significantly higher plasma homocysteine concentrations in the follicular phase than in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle in both the depressive group (P < 0.003) and the controls (P < 0.0009). Moreover, the patient values of total homocysteine were significantly higher in the follicular phase (P < 0.03) and also in the luteal phase (P < 0.007) than the values of the controls. Estradiol and cortisol were significantly higher in the follicular phase of the patients compared with the control group. CONCLUSION: According to our results, women suffering from mixed anxiety-depressive disorder have not only significantly different concentrations of homocysteine in the follicular and luteal phase of the menstrual cycle but also higher plasma homocysteine compared with healthy women. More elevated homocysteine in the depressive than in the healthy premenopausal women points to the notion that psychological factors might be important when considering the homocysteine concentration.     

Postural vasoconstriction in women during the normal menstrual cycle

1. Postural vasoconstriction in the foot was examined in 15 women during the menstrual, follicular and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle, and in 13 age-matched men on two separate occasions, in a constant-temperature environment (22 degrees C). 2. Skin blood flow was measured using laser Doppler flowmetry with the subject lying down, first with the foot maintained at heart level, then with the foot lowered passively 50 cm below the heart. In six of the women, at the time of experiment, serum oestradiol and progesterone were determined by radioimmunoassay. In four women and three men, foot swelling rate was also measured in the dependent foot using a strain gauge plethysmograph in addition to the postural changes in flow. At each visit, in all subjects, arterial blood pressure, heart rate, body temperature, foot skin temperature and body weight were also recorded. 3. The men showed no significant changes in all the variables assessed. In contrast, in women during the luteal phase diastolic and mean arterial pressures were significantly reduced, whereas heart rate, body temperature, foot skin temperature and body weight were significantly increased, as compared with the follicular and menstrual phases of the cycle. 4. During the follicular phase, when oestradiol concentration was high, there were significant reductions in dependent flow and foot swelling rate associated with a significantly augmented postural fall in flow, whereas during the luteal phase, when both oestradiol and progesterone levels were high, there were significant increases in dependent flow and foot swelling rate associated with a significantly impaired postural fall in flow.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Oscillations of cerebrovascular resistance throughout the menstrual cycle in healthy women.

OBJECTIVES: Increased concentration of endogenous estrogen during a typical menstrual cycle has been shown to correlate with augmentation of blood flow through the internal carotid arteries (ICAs), which may be related to changes in vascular resistance within the brain. In this study we investigated the effects of endogenous estrogen and progesterone on cerebrovascular impedance in young healthy women. METHODS: The blood flow in the ICA and the common (CCA) and external (ECA) carotid arteries was studied with duplex Doppler sonography. The resistance index (RI) was determined and correlated with plasma 17beta-estradiol concentration in 14 young healthy women throughout their menstrual cycle. RESULTS: The concentration of 17beta-estradiol increased in the follicular phase of the cycle and reached a peak on day 14, whereas concentration of progesterone remained low. Along with an increase in estrogen concentration, the ICA RI had decreased from its initial level on average by 9.2% on day 13 and by 6.7% on day 14 (P < 0.05). In contrast, the trend of the ECA RI was to increase during the peak of estrogen concentration. There were no significant changes in the CCA RI or in the systolic blood pressure, heart rate, hematocrit and hemoglobin concentration through the menstrual cycle. CONCLUSIONS: Estrogen-related augmentation of blood flow through the ICA is caused mainly by decreased cerebrovascular impedance, as shown by a decrease in the ICA RI. These changes in RI suggest that estrogen influences cerebral impedance mainly by altering the resistance of cerebral microvasculature.     

Alterations in glucose metabolism during menstrual cycle in women with IDDM.

OBJECTIVE--To examine the hormonal mechanisms underlying the variability in glycemic control during the different phases of the menstrual cycle in women with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS--Hyperglycemic (11.7 +/- 0.1 mM), hyperinsulinemic (24 +/- 3 mU/L) clamp studies were performed in 16 women with IDDM during the follicular (day 8 +/- 1) and luteal (day 23 +/- 1) phases of the menstrual cycle. Seven of the patients (group 1) experienced worsening glucose control during the luteal phase, whereas nine patients (group 2) did not. RESULTS--In group 1, glucose metabolism fell from 30.2 +/- 3.8 mumol.kg-1.min-1 during the follicular phase to 24.5 +/- 2.0 mumol.kg-1.min-1 during the luteal phase (P = 0.09), whereas in group 2 it increased from 18.5 +/- 1.2 to 23.2 +/- 2.3 mumol.kg-1.min-1 (P = 0.03). The decrease in glucose metabolism during the luteal phase in patients in group 1 was associated with a significant rise in the serum estradiol levels from the follicular to luteal phase (164 +/- 39 vs. 352 +/- 59 pM, P = 0.006), whereas this rise was not observed in group 2 (334 +/- 156 vs. 423 +/- 74 pM, NS). Changes in other reproductive hormones (progesterone, testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, androstenedione, luteinizing hormone, follicular-stimulating hormone, or prolactin) were not related to the differences in glucose uptake in the two groups. CONCLUSIONS--1) Marked heterogeneity in glucose metabolism is seen throughout the menstrual cycle in women with IDDM, 2) a subgroup of patients exhibits worsening premenstrual hyperglycemia and a decline in insulin sensitivity during the luteal phase, and 3) the deterioration in glucose uptake in this subgroup was associated with a greater increment in estradiol levels from the follicular to the luteal phase.     

Variations in the percentages of lymphocyte subtypes during the menstrual cycle in women

In view of the well-known circadian variations in lymphocytes and their subtypes, we decided to study the possible variations in the proportions of these cells during the menstrual cycle in women. In order to do this, lymphocyte populations were determined during 3 successive cycles on D1, D13, D14, D15 and D25 in 6 women with 28-day cycles who were not on oral contraceptives. In each of these women, we then compared the percentages of lymphocyte subtypes during the different periods of the cycle; this amounted to over 400 comparisons. A statistically significant variation, at the 1% level was found in only one case, when comparing the percentages of T4 lymphocytes on D1 and D13. In the light of this experience, we can therefore assume that there are no statistically significant variations in the proportions of lymphocyte subtypes during the menstrual cycle in women, which does not exclude the possibility of variations in their total numbers.     

Excitatory and inhibitory pain mechanisms during the menstrual cycle in healthy women

Sex differences in pain perception have been clearly documented in the literature during the last decades and it has been shown that women perceived more pain than men. Sex hormones (SHs) are thought to be one of the main mechanisms which explain sex differences in pain. Pain is a dynamic phenomenon involving both excitatory and inhibitory mechanisms. Previous studies have verified the effect of SH on excitatory mechanisms but not on endogenous pain inhibitory mechanisms. The main objective of this study was to establish if pain perception and diffuse noxious inhibitory control (DNIC) vary across the menstrual cycle (MC). Thirty-two healthy women with a regular MC were tested three times across their MC (days 1–3, days 12–14 and days 19–23). Experimental pain consisted of two tonic heat pain stimulations (thermode) separated by a 2-min cold pressor test (CPT) (conditioning stimulus activating DNIC). Pain ratings were measured with a visual analogue scale. Heat pain threshold, pain tolerance and mean pain intensity during both the 2-min thermode test and CPT did not vary throughout the MC. However, we found significantly more pain inhibition (DNIC effectiveness) during the ovulatory phase compared to the menstrual and luteal phases (p = 0.05). The main finding of this study is the observation that only inhibitory mechanisms (DNIC analgesia) and not excitatory pain mechanisms vary throughout the MC, where women have greater DNIC in the ovulatory phase. The higher occurrence of pain and lower pain threshold previously reported during the MC could be related to a reduction in endogenous pain control mechanisms.     

Serum concentration of endogenous G-CSF in women during the menstrual cycle and pregnancy

Abstract. Although granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) is commonly used in the field of supportive therapy for cancer treatment, the serum concentration of endogenous G-CSF in healthy women is still obscure due to the low sensitivity (30 pg mL^-1) of the usual enzyme immunoassay. With the development of a highly sensitive (l.0 pg mL^-1) chemiluminescent immunoassay by Kiriyama et al ., we have clarified the changes of serum G-CSF levels in healthy women during the menstrual cycle and pregnancy. The G-CSF concentration showed a peak value of 27.3± 2.5 pg mL^-1 (mean±SEM) at the ovulatory phase during the menstrual cycle, which is significantly higher than in all other phases ( P < 0.0001, unpaired t -test). A significantly higher value compared to the menstrual cycle, except during the ovulatory phase, was also revealed throughout pregnancy ( P < 0.0001, unpaired t -test). These results suggest that G-CSF plays an important role in ovulation and the maintenance of pregnancy.     

Effect of the menstrual cycle on serum diamine oxidase levels in healthy women

ObjectivesSerum diamine oxidase (DAO) level is employed as a useful marker of intestinal mucosal integrity. As reported previously, the range of serum DAO levels in women is wider than that in men. We hypothesized that the menstrual cycle may affect DAO levels.Design and methodsThirty-six women of Japanese descent were recruited. All participants, aged 20–29 years, were healthy. Food surveys utilized in this study were based on questionnaires validated by dietitians. Complete blood counts, biochemical parameters, female hormones, and serum DAO levels during the follicular and luteal phases were measured in each subject.ResultsBiochemical parameters, except for DAO levels, were comparable between the two phases. However, serum DAO levels during the luteal phase were significantly higher than those during the follicular phase.ConclusionsSerum DAO levels were influenced by the menstrual cycle. Furthermore, our findings suggest that serum DAO levels should be interpreted cautiously in premenopausal women.     

The effect of dietary restriction and menstrual cycle on excess post‐exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) in young women

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of acute dietary restriction on excess post‐exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) in young women at two different phases of the menstrual cycle. Five young sedentary women (age 21–22 years) participated in this study. Each subject visited the laboratory eight times for measurement of EPOC. They performed cycle ergometer exercise for 60 min at a work rate corresponding to approximately 70% of V˙O₂max under each four different conditions (i.e. standard diet/follicular phase (SF), standard diet/luteal phase (SL), restricted diet/follicular phase (RF) and restricted diet/luteal phase (RL)). The exercise was performed in the morning and V˙O₂ was measured for the last 15 min of each hour for 7 h after the exercise. As a control, V˙O₂ was also measured with an identical time schedule under the same four conditions but without exercise. EPOC was calculated as the difference of the V˙O₂–time integral for 7 h between the exercise and control trial days in each of the four conditions (i.e. SL, SF, RL and RF). The diet was precisely controlled during 2 days (i.e. the test day and the day preceding it). The standard diet was 1600 kcal day^–1 and the restricted diet was half of the standard diet. A two‐way (dietary and menstrual cycle factors) ANOVA indicated that EPOC was significantly affected only by the dietary factor. The dietary restriction decreased EPOC compared to the standard dietary condition (SF 8·6 ± 2·1, RF 5·3 ± 1·6, SL 8·9 ± 4·8, RL 4·0 ± 1·2 l). These data indicate that for young sedentary women, EPOC is significantly lowered by prior acute dietary restriction but is not influenced by different phases of the menstrual cycle.     

Non-migraine headache across the menstrual cycle in women with and without premenstrual syndrome

Fluctuation of estrogen levels across the menstrual cycle influences migraine headache. In this study, 53 women documented prospectively the incidence and severity of headache daily for an average of three menstrual cycles. Seven of the women met the criteria established by the International Headache Society for migraine with or without aura, while the remaining 46 women failed to do so. Chi-square analysis revealed that, overall, the incidence of non-migraine headache was dependent on day of the cycle (chi 2 [1,66] = 247.7, p < 0.001), with more headaches occurring during the perimenstrual phase. The 46 women without migraine were further classified according to NIMH criteria into PMS (n = 26) and non-PMS groups (n = 20). An association between headache and menstrual cycle phase was noted for both groups (p < 0.001), although the incidence of severe headache was greater for the PMS women, during both the perimenstrual and intermenstrual phases. Both groups experienced an increase in severe headaches during the perimenstrual phase. The PMS women peaked on the day prior to menstruation, while the non-PMS women peaked on the first day of menstruation. There did not appear to be an overall difference in the reporting of mild headache across the cycle between women with or without PMS.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Sensory changes during the ovulatory phase of the menstrual cycle in healthy women.

This study compared the pain sensitivity in healthy women at the abdomen and lower back (presumed referral areas of menstrual pain), thigh and arm (control areas), in the menstrual, ovulatory, luteal and premenstrual phases of confirmed ovulatory cycles, with that of males. The pressure pain threshold (PPT) and pinch pain threshold (PiPT) was determined by an electronic pressure algometer, heat pain threshold (HPT) by a contact thermode and tactile threshold (TT) with von Frey hairs. The abdominal PPT was significantly lower in females in all menstrual phases as compared to the control sites ( p<0.0007). The abdominal and lower back HPT was significantly lower in females in all menstrual phases compared with control areas, and to the sites in males ( p<0.002). The TT was significantly reduced in females compared with males ( p< 0.013). There was no difference in the PiPT between females and males. In males, the HPT, PPT and TT were not different within any site. During the ovulatory phase, the HPT was significantly reduced at the abdomen and the PPT at the back compared with the menstrual, luteal and premenstrual phases (p<0.0002). There were no within-menstrual phase variations in the PiPT and TT at any site, or for the HPT and PPT at the control areas. The reduced thresholds in menstruating women may be due to the presence of latent uterine algogenic stimuli, and the increased levels of oestrogen and leuteinizing hormone at ovulation may enhance nociception by acting both at the peripheral and central level, resulting in the hypersensitivity changes at the abdomen and lower back areas.     

运动性月经失调

目的:总结分析引起运动性月经失调的原因、生理机制及其对骨健康的影响,提出相应的预防措施以减少运动性月经失调的发生率,提高运动员的健康水平。资料来源:应用计算机检索Medline1981-01/2005-12关于运动性月经失调的文章。检索词“athleticmenstrualcycleirregularities”,限制文章语言种类为English。检索中国期刊全文数据库1995-01/2005-12的相关文章,语言限定为中文,检索词为“运动性月经失调”。同时查阅专业妇产科书籍有关月经失调的章节。资料选择:对资料进行初选,纳入标准:有关运动性月经失调的人体实验以及动物实验;有关运动员月经失调的调查研究及综述研究。排除标准:重复性研究。资料提炼:共收集符合上述标准的文章61篇,排除重复性研究,31篇纳入标准:其中实验性研究22篇,调查性研究4篇,综述性研究5篇。资料综合:运动性月经失调是女子运动员参加运动训练的一个特殊的医学问题,其发生原因与体质量的下降、体脂量的减少、能量供给的负平衡、训练初始的年龄、训练负荷量及强度、精神压力等因素有关。运动性月经失调导致骨量流失从而使骨质疏松和应力性骨折的发病率明显上升,严重的影响了运动员的健康水平。结论:运动性月经失调的发生是多种因素综合影响的结果,严重影响了运动员的健康状况,为降低其发生率,应加强监控工作、提高能量供给、适时调整运动负荷并做好宣传教育工作是非常必要的。     

Changes in hamstring flexibility and muscle strength during the menstrual cycle in healthy young females

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to elucidate changes in flexibility and muscle strength during the menstrual cycle in detail and to investigate the relationship between flexibility and muscle strength. [Participants and Methods] Sixteen healthy young female and eight male participants were measured during the follicular, ovulation and luteal phases. Range of motion, passive torque at the onset of pain, passive stiffness and muscle strength were measured using an isokinetic dynamometer. Additionally, electromyography was measured during muscle strength measurement. [Results] In the female group, range of motion and passive torque at the onset of pain were significantly increased during the ovulatory and luteal phases compared with the follicular phase. Passive stiffness decreased significantly during the ovulatory phase compared with the follicular phase. Isometric muscle force and electromyographic activity were significantly increased during the luteal phase compared with the ovulation phase. There was no correlation between stiffness and muscle strength. However, there was a positive correlation between electromyographic activity and muscle strength. [Conclusion] Our findings suggest that changes in flexibility during the ovulatory and luteal phases are influenced by fluctuations in sex hormones. However, the changes in muscle strength showed little relation to flexibility, suggesting the involvement of neural mechanisms.     

运动性月经失调

目的：总结分析引起运动性月经失调的原因、生理机制及其对骨健康的影响，提出相应的预防措施以减少运动性月经失调的发生率，提高运动员的健康水平。 资料来源：应用计算机检索Medline 1981-01／2005—12关于运动性月经失调的文章。检索词“athletic menstrual cycle irregularities”，限制文章语言种类为English。检索中国期刊全文数据库1995—01／2005-12的相关文章，语言限定为中文，检索词为“运动性月经失调”。同时查阅专业妇产科书籍有关月经失调的章节。 资料选择：对资料进行初选，纳入标准：有关运动性月经失调的人体实验以及动物实验；有关运动员月经失调的调查研究及综述研究。排除标准：重复性研究。资料提炼：共收集符合上述标准的文章61篇，排除重复性研究，31篇纳入标准：其中实验性研究22篇，调查性研究4篇，综述性研究5篇。 资料综合：运动性月经失调是女子运动员参加运动训练的一个特殊的医学问题，其发生原因与体质量的下降、体脂量的减少、能量供给的负平衡、训练初始的年龄、训练负荷量及强度、精神压力等因素有关。运动性月经失调导致骨量流失从而使骨质疏松和应力性骨折的发病率明显上升，严重的影响了运动员的健康水平。 结论：运动性月经失调的发生是多种因素综合影响的结果，严重影响了运动员的健康状况，为降低其发生率，应加强监控工作、提高能量供给、适时调整运动负荷并做好宣传教育工作是非常必要的。