Racial disparity in peripheral microvascular function assessed throughout the menstrual cycle
Date
2020
Authors
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Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
Vascular function is a non-traditional risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and is known to be attenuated in African Americans compared to Caucasian Americans. However, the vascular profile in young premenopausal African American women (AAW) has not been well elucidated. In premenopausal women, estrogen is cardioprotective and positively influences vascular function. Unfortunately, studies in AAW have either been restricted to the low estrogen phase of the menstrual cycle, or the menstrual cycle has not been controlled for altogether. Therefore, we evaluated peripheral microvascular function in healthy, premenopausal Caucasian women (CW) and AAW using passive leg movement (PLM) across three phases of the menstrual cycle; early follicular (EF), ovulation (OV), and mid-luteal (ML). We hypothesized that in both groups microvascular function would be augmented during the OV and ML phases compared to the EF phase, but would be attenuated in AAW compared to CW at all three menstrual phases. PLM was performed on 26 female participants not using hormonal contraceptives; 15 CW (23±1 years) and 11 AAW (24±2 years). In both groups, the overall change in leg blood flow (∆LBF) during PLM and the total hyperemic response to PLM, calculated as LBF area under the curve (AUC), were unchanged across the menstrual cycle phase (P=0.53 and P=0.46 respectively). There was a significant effect of race for ∆LBF (ANOVA P=0.03), as AAW were attenuated compared to CW during the EF and OV phases; EF (CW: 405±63, AAW: 218±40 ml/min) and OV (CW: 480±85, AAW: 223±55 ml/min). AAW also had significantly lower LBF AUC (ANOVA P=0.05) during the OV phase (CW: 138±32, AAW: 60±25 ml). These data imply that within CW and AAW, peripheral microvascular function is unchanged across the menstrual cycle, however a racial disparity is apparent during both the EF and OV phases. ☐ Key words: racial disparity, premenopausal women, menstrual cycle, estrogen, peripheral microvascular function, passive leg movement
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Keywords
Estrogen, Menstrual cycle, Passive leg movement, Peripheral microvascular function, Premenopausal women, Racial disparity