Urinary leukotriene (LT) E(4) in adolescents with dysmenorrhea: a pilot study.
In the present study we measured levels of urinary leukotriene (LT) E(4) as an index of LT production during the menstrual cycle in adolescents. Mean urinary LTE(4) levels in girls with dysmenorrhea was approximately threefold higher than normal laboratory values on Day 1 of the menstrual period and approximately twofold higher than normal laboratory values on Day 5 of the menstrual period. Compared with urinary LTE(4) levels in girls with eumenorrhea, urinary LTE(4) levels in girls with dysmenorrhea were higher on Day 1 [361 +/- 123 pg/mg creatinine vs. 122 +/- 37 pg/mg creatinine, p =.1; not significant (NS)] and on Day 5 (202 +/- 26 pg/mg creatinine vs. 117 +/- 26 pg/mg creatinine, p <.05) of the menstrual period, as well as on Day 10 (159 +/- 33 pg/mg creatinine vs. 88 +/- 21 pg/mg creatinine, p =.1; NS) of the menstrual cycle. Increased urinary excretion of leukotrienes, inflammatory mediators known to cause potent vasoconstriction and uterine contractions, in girls with dysmenorrhea in this pilot study, suggests that these mediators may be involved in generating dysmenorrhea symptoms in adolescents.
Harel
Z
Z
Division of Adolescent Medicine, Hasbro Children's Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island 02903, USA.
Lilly
C
C
Riggs
S
S
Vaz
R
R
Drazen
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D004412:Dysmenorrhea / Q000652:urine*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017999:Leukotriene E4 / Q000652:urine*; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000378:metabolism; D010865:Pilot Projects; D014590:Uterine Contraction / Q000378:metabolism
D017999:Leukotriene E4