Faculty Collaboration Database

Is there an association between athletic amenorrhea and endothelial cell dysfunction? Med Sci Sports Exerc 2003 Mar;35(3):377-83

Date

03/06/2003

Pubmed ID

12618566

DOI

10.1249/01.MSS.0000053661.27992.75

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-0037372104 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   91 Citations

Abstract

PURPOSE: To test the hypothesis that young females with athletic amenorrhea and oligomenorrhea show signs of early cardiovascular disease manifested by decreased endothelium-dependent dilation of the brachial artery.

METHODS: Ten women with athletic amenorrhea (mean +/- SE, age 21.9 +/- 1.2 yr), 11 with oligomenorrhea (age 20.8 +/- 1.1 yr), and 11 age-matched controls (age 20.2 +/- 1.1 yr) were studied. Study subjects were amenorrheic an average of 2.3 (range 0.6-5) yr and oligomenorrheic an average of 6.2 yr. All ran a minimum of 25 miles.wk. They were nonpregnant and free of metabolic disease. Brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (endothelium-dependent) was measured with a noninvasive ultrasound technique in each group.

RESULTS: Endothelium-dependent brachial artery dilation was reduced in the amenorrheic group (1.08 +/- 0.91%) compared with oligomenorrheic (6.44 +/- 1.3%; P< 0.05) and eumenorrheic (6.38 +/- 1.4%; P< 0.05) groups.

CONCLUSION: Athletic amenorrhea is associated with reduced endothelium-dependent dilation of the brachial artery. This may predispose to accelerated development of cardiovascular disease.

Author List

Zeni Hoch A, Dempsey RL, Carrera GF, Wilson CR, Chen EH, Barnabei VM, Sandford PR, Ryan TA, Gutterman DD

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adolescent
Adult
Amenorrhea
Blood Flow Velocity
Blood Pressure
Brachial Artery
Eating
Endothelium, Vascular
Female
Heart Rate
Hormones
Humans
Hyperemia
Nitroglycerin
Oligomenorrhea
Sports
Statistics as Topic
Vasodilation
Vasodilator Agents
Women's Health