Brief report: Relationships between endogenous sex hormone concentrations and vascular function in postmenopausal women

Emily D. Szmuilowicz, Gail K. Adler, Vincent Ricchiuti, Paul N. Hopkins, Ellen W. Seely*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

16 Scopus citations

Abstract

Context: Differences in postmenopausal endogenous sex hormone concentrations are associated with varying risks of a growing number of common diseases. The relationships between postmenopausal endogenous sex hormone concentrations and vascular function are not well understood. Objective: We examined in postmenopausal women the relationships between endogenous sex hormone concentrations and both blood pressure (BP) and renal vascular resistance (RVR), at baseline and in response to infused angiotensin II (AngII). Subjects, Interventions, and Main Outcome Measures: A total of 34 hypertensive, postmenopausal women were studied in low-sodium and/or high-sodium balance. Serum estradiol, serum progesterone, BP, and RVR were measured at baseline. BP and RVR were remeasured after AngII infusion. Results: In low-sodium balance, the increases in systolic and diastolic BP in response to infused AngII were blunted with increased serum progesterone concentrations (P < 0.05). The increase in RVR in response to infused AngII was also blunted with increased serum progesterone concentrations (P < 0.005). The relationships between progesterone concentration and vascular response to AngII were independent of age, body mass index, and estradiol concentration. There were no significant correlations between estradiol concentration and BP or RVR response to AngII. There were no significant correlations between sex hormone concentrations and baseline BP or RVR. In high-sodium balance, there were no significant associations between sex hormone concentrations and vascular measures. Conclusions: In postmenopausal women in low-sodium balance, the pressor and renovascular responses to AngII are blunted with increased endogenous progesterone concentrations. Our findings suggest a role for endogenous progesterone in modulating vascular function, even within the low postmenopausal range.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)4738-4741
Number of pages4
JournalJournal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism
Volume92
Issue number12
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2007

Funding

This work was supported by National Institutes of Health GCRC's Grants M01-RR02635 and M01-RR00095, RO1-HL-67332, RO1-AR-43130, Specialized Center for Research in Atherosclerosis P50-HL55000, and K24 RR0186-13-01.

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biochemistry, medical
  • Endocrinology
  • Biochemistry
  • Clinical Biochemistry
  • Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism

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