title: 17β-estradiol and progesterone independently augment cutaneous thermal hyperemia but not reactive hyperemia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We examined the impact of estradiol and progesterone on skin LH and RH in 25 healthy women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects were studied three times over 10-12 days. Endogenous sex hormones were suppressed with a GnRHa. Subjects were studied on day 4 of suppression (study day 1), three to four days later following treatment with either 17β-estradiol or progesterone (study day 2), and another three to four days later, following treatment with both estradiol and progesterone (study day 3). Subjects underwent identical LH and RH protocols on all study days. LH is characterized by an initial peak in blood flow, followed by a prolonged plateau. A brief nadir is seen between the phases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Blood flow values are expressed as percent maximum CVC. Estradiol alone increased initial peak CVC from 71 ± 2% to 79 ± 2% (p = 0.001). Progesterone alone increased initial peak CVC from 72 ± 2% to 78 ± 2% (p = 0.046). Neither estradiol nor progesterone increased plateau CVC. No significant changes were seen between study days 2 and 3 for either group. No differences were observed in RH.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both estradiol and progesterone increased initial peak CVC during LH, without altering plateau CVC. There was no additive effect of estradiol and progesterone.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Physiology, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, USA.
authors.forename: Vienna E
authors.initials: VE
authors.lastname: Brunt
authors.forename: Jennifer A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Miner
authors.forename: Jessica R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Meendering
authors.forename: Paul F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Kaplan
authors.forename: Christopher T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Minson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004958:Estradiol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004967:Estrogens / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006940:Hyperemia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011372:Progestins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D004967:Estrogens; D011372:Progestins; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol