title: Can premenstrual syndrome affect arterial stiffness or blood pressure?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We tested the hypotheses that monthly fluctuations in markers of arterial stiffness and blood pressure hemodynamics differ between women with and without premenstrual syndrome. We also assessed hypertension prevalence and arterial stiffening in postmenopausal women with or without history of premenstrual symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty one pre-menopausal women with premenstrual syndrome and 15 women without were prospectively examined in three distinct phases of their menstrual cycle (menses, late follicular and luteal phase). Pulse-wave velocity and analysis were used to assess arterial stiffness and wave reflection indices, respectively. Endothelial function was evaluated by flow-mediated vasodilation. In a cross-sectional substudy, 156 postmenopausal women were assessed for possible associations between retrospectively reported PMS symptoms and hypertension.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In women with premenstrual syndrome, arterial stiffness significantly increased during the luteal and menses phase (late follicular: 6.48 ± 1.07, luteal: 7.1 ± 1.26, menstruation: 7.12 ± 1.19 m/s, p = 0.003), while blood pressure peaked at the menses phase. Significant interactions between PMS and changes in arterial stiffness and blood pressure but not endothelial function, were observed. Changes in PWV were significantly associated with concomitant changes in blood pressure, C-reactive protein and the severity of PMS symptoms. The prevalence of hypertension (20.9% vs. 40.9%, p = 0.041) and pulse-wave velocity values (8.64 ± 1.52 vs. 9.37 ± 1.1, p = 0.046) were higher in postmenopausal women with 7 or more reported PMS symptoms. Arterial stiffness differences remained significant after adjustment for confounding factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results imply that PMS may affect arterial stiffness and BP monthly variability. Whether PMS is associated with new onset hypertension later in life needs further evaluation.
authors: Vascular Laboratory, Department of Clinical Therapeutics, Alexandra Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 80 Vas. Sofias Str, PO Box 11528, Athens, Greece. stamatelopoulosk@yahoo.gr
authors: Kimon S
authors: KS
authors: Stamatelopoulos
authors: Georgios
authors: G
authors: Georgiopoulos
authors: Theodore
authors: T
authors: Papaioannou
authors: Irene
authors: I
authors: Lambrinoudaki
authors: Anastasios
authors: A
authors: Kouzoupis
authors: Charalambos
authors: C
authors: Vlachopoulos
authors: Stylianos P
authors: SP
authors: Georgiou
authors: Efstathios
authors: E
authors: Manios
authors: Maria
authors: M
authors: Alevizaki
authors: Christos M
authors: CM
authors: Papamichael
authors: Petros P
authors: PP
authors: Sfikakis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology; D008183:Luteal Phase / Q000502:physiology; D008598:Menstruation / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000502:physiology; D011293:Premenstrual Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D063177:Pulse Wave Analysis; D059289:Vascular Stiffness