Menstruation distress is strongly associated with hormone-immune-metabolic biomarkers

• Published in: Journal of psychosomatic research Vol. 142; p. 110355
• Main Authors: Roomruangwong, Chutima, Sirivichayakul, Sunee, Matsumoto, Andressa Keiko, Michelin, Ana Paula, de Oliveira Semeão, Laura, de Lima Pedrão, João Victor, Barbosa, Decio S., Moreira, Estefania G., Maes, Michael
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Inc 01.03.2021; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: 17β-Estradiol; Adolescent; Adult; Antioxidants; Arylesterase; Biological markers; Biomarkers; Biomarkers - metabolism; Blood; Female; Haptoglobin; Hormones; Humans; Inflammation; Insulin; Insulin-like growth factor I; Intestine; Menstrual cycle; Menstrual cycle-related syndrome; Menstruation; Menstruation - psychology; Metabolism; Middle Aged; Neuroimmunomodulation; Oxidative stress; Pain; Pain - etiology; Paraoxonase; Plasma levels; Plasminogen activator inhibitors; Progesterone; Psychiatric/Mental Health; Psychological distress; Serum; Serum levels; Surveys and Questionnaires; Women; Young Adult; CRP; Oxidative stress; MsRS; EGF; GEE; Hp; IGF; Inflammation; MCAS; CCL; PON; PCA; Antioxidants; Menstrual cycle-related syndrome; PMS; Biomarkers; PMDD; CCL2; PAI-1; CCL1; IBS; Neuroimmunomodulation; MBDI; C-reactive protein; Generalized estimating equation; regulated upon activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted or RANTES; premenstrual dysphoric disorder; chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2; Haptoglobin; insulin-like growth factor; premenstrual syndrome; paraoxonase; Principal Component Analysis; chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 11 or eotaxin; menstruation blood & duration index; menstrual cycle associated symptoms; plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1; Irritable bowel syndrome; menses-related symptoms; epidermal growth factor
• ISSN: 0022-3999; 1879-1360; 1879-1360
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2020.110355

To examine the associations between menstruation features and symptoms and hormone-immune-metabolic biomarkers. Forty-one women completed questionnaires assessing characteristic menstruation symptoms, duration of menstrual cycle and number of pads used/day and completed the Daily Record of Severity of Problems (DRSP) during the consecutive days of their menstrual cycle. Menses-related symptoms (MsRS) were computed from the sum of 10 pre- and post-menses symptoms and the menstruation blood and duration index (MBDI) was computed based on the daily number of pads and duration of menses. We assayed serum levels of various biomarkers at days 7, 14, 21, and 28 of the subjects' menstrual cycle. MBDI was significantly associated with a) MsRS including low abdominal cramps, and gastro-intestinal (GI) and pain symptoms (positively); b) plasma levels of haptoglobin (Hp), CCL5, insulin growth factor (IGF)-1, and plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI)1 (all positively); and c) estradiol and paraoxonase (PON)1 arylesterase activity (both inversely). MsRS were significantly predicted by CCL5 and IGF-1 (both positively) and progesterone (inversely). Low-abdominal cramps, and gastro-intestinal and pain symptoms were associated with lower progesterone levels. The MBDI+MsRS score was significantly predicted by the cumulative effects of (in descending order of importance): Hp, IGF-1, PON1 arylesterase, estradiol and PAI. Menstruation-related features including estimated blood loss, duration of menses, cramps, pain, and gastro-intestinal symptoms are associated with hormone-immune-metabolic biomarkers, which mechanistically may explain those features. Future research should construct a cross-validated algorithm using MBDI+MsRS features in a larger study group to delineate a useful case-definition of menstruation-related distress. •Menstrual blood loss (MBL) is associated with duration of menses (DM)•MBL is associated with menstrual-related symptoms (MsRS)•Lowered plasma estradiol levels are associated with MBL and DM•Lowered plasma progesterone levels are inversely associated with MsRS•Menstrual distress is a new concept comprising increased MBL, DM, and MsRS•Increased haptoglobin, IGF-1, PAI, and CCL5 are biomarkers of menstrual distress