Regulation of the 24h body temperature rhythm of women in luteal phase: role of gonadal steroids and prostaglandins.

An investigation into whether the rise in the 24h body temperature rhythm observed in the luteal menstrual phase is antagonized by the administration of prostaglandin synthesis inhibitors has been made. Intravaginal body temperature was monitored continuously for 24h, once in the follicular and twice in the luteal phase. In the luteal phase, women were studied both without and with the simultaneous administration of a prostaglandin synthesis inhibitor (lysine acetylsalicylate; 1.8 g every 6 h orally). The progesterone/estradiol ratio (measured at 17:00h each day) was related to mesor (r = 0.825; P < 0.001), acrophase (r = 0.682; P < 0.02), and amplitude (r = -0.731; P < 0.001) of the 24h body temperature rhythm. Luteal phase elevation of the progesterone/estradiol ratio was associated with a 0.32 +/- 0.07 degrees C increase in mesor (P < 0.01), a 0.11 +/- 0.02 degrees C decrease in amplitude (P < 0.001), and a 34.8 +/- 11.6 min delay in acrophase (P < 0.03) of the 24h body temperature rhythm. Prostaglandin synthesis inhibitors did not counteract these modifications. The present data shows that the modifications of the circadian parameters of the 24h body temperature rhythm observed during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle are strictly related to modifications of the progesterone/estradiol ratio, and presumably independent of prostaglandin synthesis.