title: Oral contraceptives alter circadian rhythm parameters of cortisol, melatonin, blood pressure, heart rate, skin blood flow, transepidermal water loss, and skin amino acids of healthy young women.
abstract: Sixteen healthy women users and nonusers of oral contraceptives (OC) volunteered to document a set of circadian rhythms. Nine were taking OC providing ethynyl estradiol (0.03-0.05 mg/24h, 21 days/month) combined with DL- or L-norgestrel or norethisterone. There was no group difference (p > 0.05) in median age (22 years), weight (57 kg), and height (162) cm). Data were obtained at fixed hours, 5 times/24h, during a 48-h span, in November. (Day activity from approximately 08:00 to approximately 23:00 h and night rest). Environmental conditions were controlled, using air-conditioned rooms of constant temperature (26 degrees +/- 0.5) and relative humidity 45% +/- 1. Both cosinor and ANOVA were used for statistical analyses. All circadian rhythms were validated with one exception: that of salivary melatonin was not detected in OC users. The 24h mean (M) exhibited group differences for certain variables: M was greater in OC than non-OC users for systolic blood pressure (p < 0.0001), heart rate (p < 0.01), skin blood flow (p < 0.04), and transepidermal water loss (p < 0.02). M was lower in OC than non-OC users in salivary cortisol (p < 0.04) and skin amino acids (p < 0.003). No group difference was detected in any other documented rhythms: diastolic blood pressure, grip strength of both hands, oral temperature, self-rated fatigue, and the skin variables of urea, lactate, triglycerides, and acid phosphatase activity.
authors.affiliation: Unité de Chronobiologie et Chronothérapie, Fondation A. de Rothschild, Paris, France.
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Reinberg
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Touitou
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Soudant
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bernard
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bazin
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mechkouri
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015415:Biomarkers; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000187:drug effects; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000187:drug effects; D003277:Contraceptives, Oral, Combined / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism*; D008550:Melatonin / Q000378:metabolism*; D009640:Norethindrone; D009644:Norgestrel; D012016:Reference Values; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000187:drug effects; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply; D012879:Skin Physiological Phenomena; D014870:Water Loss, Insensible / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D015415:Biomarkers; D003277:Contraceptives, Oral, Combined; D009644:Norgestrel; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol; D008550:Melatonin; D009640:Norethindrone; D006854:Hydrocortisone