Influence of menstrual cycle on pulse pressure waveforms measured from the radial artery in biphasic healthy women.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the menstrual cycle on the pulse pressure waveforms in women with regular biphasic cycles.


METHODS
We recruited 36 biphasic healthy eumenorrheic volunteers. Pulse pressure waveforms from the radial artery were recorded by sphygmography in both hands, each with three measurement positions and three different preload pressures, in a total of 18 measured points. The experimental design was single blinded and the technician who measured the waveforms did not know the menstrual time point of the subjects. The parameters included the pulse rate (PR), the height of the main wave (h(1)), the height of the dicrotic wave (h(3)), the rapid ejection time, the single systolic area (sSA), and the 1-minute systolic area (tSA).


RESULTS
Our results showed that PR was significantly greater during the luteal phase (81.5 +/- 1.5/minutes versus 78.3 +/- 1.5/minutes, p < 0.05) with an accompanying greater h(1), h(3), sSA, and tSA (p < 0.05). We also demonstrated that h(1), h(3), sSA, and tSA increased with preload pressures and decreased when the detector was moved proximally, possibly a resultant of differences in the diameter and depth of radial artery. Furthermore, we found that h(3) taken from the right hand was larger than that taken from the left hand and may reflect a shorter and simpler route of the right radial artery.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that pulse waveforms taken from the radial artery may assist in the identification of greater plasma volume, ventricular ejection volume, and vasodilatation increase in the luteal compared to the follicular phase.
Su
Shan-Yu
SY
Graduate Institute of Chinese Medical Science, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
Wei
Ching-Chuan
CC
Hsieh
Ching-Liang
CL
Tsao
Jung-Ying
JY
Li
Tsai-Chung
TC
Lin
Tsai-Hui
TH
Chang
Hen-Hong
HH
Lo
Lun-Chien
LC
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001810:Blood Volume; D005260:Female; D005498:Follicular Phase / Q000502:physiology*; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008183:Luteal Phase / Q000502:physiology*; D017534:Radial Artery; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013318:Stroke Volume; D013599:Systole; D014664:Vasodilation; D055815:Young Adult