A STUDY OF SYMPATHETIC FUNCTION TESTS DURING DIFFERENT PHASES OF MENSTRUAL CYCLE IN NORMAL HEALTHY FEMALES

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The present study was designed to study the sympathetic function tests during the follicular, luteal and menstrual phases of the menstrual cycle in normal healthy eumenorrheic females. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty females in the age group of 1825 years were recruited for the study. Sympathetic non-invasive autonomic function tests were performed that is Isometric handgrip exercise test, cold pressor test and postural challenge test. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Results were analyzed by ANOVA with SPSS version 17.0 using unpaired 't' test. RESULTS: showed that during the luteal phase, there is a significant increase in the resting systolic (119.1 +/- 4.41) and diastolic (74.43 +/- 4.26) blood pressure, as compared to menstrual(SBP 116.11 +/- 4.23 & DBP 72.13 +/- 3.44) and follicular phase(SBP 110.23 +/- 4.46 & DBP 69.13 +/- 3.13) showing the sympathetic dominance (p<0.05). The systolic and diastolic blood pressure also showed significant increase (p<0.05) with the application of the stimulus [viz. isometric handgrip exercise, cold pressor tests and postural challenge test] during the luteal phase as compared to both follicular and menstrual phase. However, In the follicular phase, both the systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased with the application of the stimulus [viz. isometric handgrip exercise(Follicular phase SBP 112.16 +/- 3.12, DBP 70.16 +/- 1.18), cold pressor tests (SBP 121.41 +/- 3.27, DBP 80.43 +/- 4.12) and postural challenge test (SBP 100.23 +/- 4.41, DBP 60.14 +/- 3.32)] as compared to the menstrual (IHG SBP 120.15 +/- 3.11, DBP 74.24 +/- 2.14, CPT SBP 125.17 +/- 3.29 DBP 86.22 +/- 4.16, postural challenge SBP 105.17 +/- 4.17, DBP 62.41 +/- 3.11) and luteal phase (IHG SBP124.12 +/- 2.21, DBP 78.12 +/- 3.23, CPT SBP 129.21 +/- 3.12 DBP 90.23 +/- 4.46, postural challenge SBP 109.21 +/- 4.61, DBP 65.12 +/- 3.22) showing the parasympathetic predominance. The decrease is statistically significant (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows that blood pressure in the resting state and during the stressful maneuvers like cold pressor test, isometric handgrip exercise and standing from lying posture was highest during luteal phase of the menstrual cycle and lowest in the follicular phase. This correlates to the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome which has hormonal and neural basis.