Modulation of Platelet Functions Assessment during Menstruation and Ovulatory Phases.

During menstruation, endometrial hemostasis is achieved by platelet aggregation, fibrin deposition, and thrombus formation that interact with local endocrine and immunological factors which cause termination of menstrual bleeding. Interactions between steroidal sex hormones and platelet functions are not well understood. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of platelet function during the menstrual cycle and luteal phase in women of reproductive age. The cross-sectional study on women of reproductive age included 44 healthy women. Platelet function was assessed by PFA-100TM analyzer with collagen/epinephrine and collagen/ADP cartridges during the menstrual cycle and luteal phase. There were no significant differences in platelet function between menstruation and ovulatory phase. Platelet activity in Arab collagen/epinephrine cartridge increased during menstruation compared to non-Arab ethnic subjects and no significant differences in platelet function were found when using collagen/ADP cartridge. This study suggested modulation in platelet functions during menstruation and luteal phase in women of reproductive age. Further studies, including a large number of subjects, platelet genetic and progesterone factors change in platelet clotting associated to menstrual cycle should be conducted. ©Carol Davila University Press.

Introduction

There are many controversies about the exact mechanism of steroid hormones on hemostasis during the ovarian cycle, pregnancy, and hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Normal menstruation starts with a marked decrease in progesterone and estrogen hormones where the cessation of menstrual bleeding is achieved by endometrial hemostasis through platelet aggregation, deposition of fibrin and thrombus formation [1]. Physiological estrogen concentration did not affect the megakaryocytes (MKs) count and platelet formation [2]. However, Bord, et al. [3] reported that estrogen influences differentiation and maturation of MK progenitor cells. During the ovarian cycle, the variation in platelet function was reported due to progesterone and estrogen at von Willebrand disease (vWF) concentrations [4]. The platelet activity was more during the luteal phase in collagen/epinephrine cartridge compared with the follicular phase. Roell, et al. [5] reported that platelet activation was increased in collagen/epinephrine cartridge during luteal phase compared to the follicular phase in women who are not pill users, due to variability in progesterone level during ovarian cycle phases. In contrast, no cyclic variation in platelet aggregation during menstrual cycle phases was determined and no correlation between estrogen and platelet function during ovarian cycle phases [5, 6]. Not all platelets response to estrogen is proaggregatory, but the final result of interaction favors arterial thrombus formation [7]. The main aim of this study is to determine the platelet function modulation during the menstrual cycle and luteal phase in women of reproductive age.

Material and Method

This cross-section study included 44 healthy women in reproductive age (the mean age was 26.68 years) with a regular ovarian cycle, women taking non-hormonal contraceptives aged 19-years-old or above, without platelet function disorders, not taking medications or other drugs that interfere with platelet function, who are non-smoking and non-pregnant. We excluded women with a family history of thrombo-embolic or bleeding disorders, high blood pressure, abnormal lipid profile, liver or renal disease, endocrinal and gynecological disorders, and chronic diseases. Furthermore, those with hemoglobinopathies, allergic conditions, presence of infection at the time of sampling, and subjects with diabetes or performing regular strenuous exercises were excluded [4, 8]. Survey questionnaires were distributed in Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University and King Fahad Hospital University. It was designed in Arabic and English which included questions about demographic information, menstrual cycle status, physical and health status that could interfere with platelet reactivity or affect estrogen level. The study was approved by the institutional review board (IRB) of the Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University (University of Dammam) (IRB-2014-04-282). Oral informed consent to participate in the study has been obtained from all subjects who meet the study criteria.

Citrated blood samples were collected for platelet function during menstruation and luteal phase from all subjects by using a light tourniquet and a needle of at least 21 gauges with a plastic syringe. Blood was collected in clot activator tube for quantitative analysis of 17β-estradiol. Blood Pressure and pulse were measured by automatic wrist blood pressure monitor OMRON (Japan). A blood pressure of 120/80 was considered as normal. The PFA-100TM System was used for evaluation of platelet function on small samples of citrated whole blood. Well mixed blood (800 µl) was dispensed slowly into the sample reservoir opening of the disposable test cartridges. The cartridge membrane is coated with collagen with either epinephrine or adenosine diphosphate (ADP). The result was determined by the interval from the start of the test until the platelet plug occludes the aperture and is reported as the Closure Time (CT). Serum level of 17β-estradiol was measured by Chemiluminescent Microparticle Immunoassay (CMIA) using the ARCHITECT i optical system.

Statistical Analysis

During menstrual cycle phases, the significant difference in collagen/epinephrine cartridge and collagen/ADP cartridge was identified as mean and standard deviation (SD). Microsoft Office Excel 2010 blotted data as mean ± SD. The p-value was determined by paired t-test for each cartridge. A p value below 0.05 was considered statistically significant. All statistical analysis was carried out using version 16.0 of the SPSS.

Results

The study population was subdivided into two groups; Arab 32(72.72%) and non-Arab 12 (27.27%). A significant decrease in 17β-estradiol level was observed during menstruation and luteal phase (mean ± SD = 59.56 ± 60.08 pg/ml and 128.73 ± 80.07 pg/ml respectively) (p-value <0.001). Different clinical variables including systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and pulse have been analyzed during the menstrual cycle in all included subjects (Table 1). When differences in platelet function between menstruation and luteal phase were statistically analyzed the results found a non-significant difference in a collagen/epinephrine cartridge between the two phases (mean ± SD =115.02 ± 29.24 s and 122.73 ± 40.58 s, respectively) (p-value =0.052). The difference in collagen/ADP cartridge between menstruation and luteal phase was also statistically insignificant (mean ± SD =87.93 ± 25.21s and 86.25 ± 19.45s, respectively) (p-value =0.677) (Fig.1). Both groups showed a significant difference in 17-βestradiol levels between menstruation and luteal phase; in Arabs (mean ± SD =56.12 ± 59.73 and 136.13 ± 83.91, respectively; p =0.001) while in non-Arabs (mean ± SD =53.27 ± 63.22 and 109.02 ± 68.04, respectively; p =0.03). There was a significant difference in collagen/epinephrine cartridge among Arab women between menstruation and luteal phase (mean ± SD =113.30 ± 29.53 and 122.75 ± 41.65, respectively; p =0.045). In non-Arab women the difference was not statistically significant (mean ± SD = 119.33 ± 29.31 and 122.67 ± 39.33; p =0.694). In both Arab and non-Arab there were no statistically significant differences in collagen/ADP cartridge (p =0.928 and 0.517, respectively) between menstruation and luteal phase (Figure 2).

Table 1:

Vital parameter of participants.

	Menstruation	Ovulation	P-value*
	Mean ± SD	Mean ± SD
Systolic blood Pressure (mmHg)	118.55 ± 16.01	116.86 ± 13.28	0.49
Diastolic blood Pressure (mmHg)	74.82 ± 11.22	73.20 ± 10.41	0.35
Pulse	82.30 ± 11.75	85.89 ± 9.52	0.09

Paired t-test

Figure 1:

Platelet function: CT values with collagen/epinephrine cartridge (p =0.052) and collagen/ADP cartridge (p =0.677) during menstrual cycle phases in premenopausal women. Values presented as mean+S.E.

Figure 2:

The differences in platelet function during menstrual cycle phases in premenopausal women in saudis (A) in collagen/epinephrine and collagen/ADP cartridges (p =0.045 and 0.928, respectively) and non-saudis (B) in collagen/epinephrine and collagen/ADP cartridges (p =0.694 and 0.517, respectively). CT values presented as mean + S.E.

Discussion

Assessment of the variation in platelet function during different menstrual cycles and luteal phase was achieved through PFA-100TM system with collagen/epinephrine cartridge and collagen/ADP cartridge. The data presented in this study indicate that there were no differences in platelet function between menstruation and luteal phase. Furthermore, during menstruation, platelet function was increased in the collagen/epinephrine cartridge among Arab females where the level of 17β-estradiol is low. No changes in platelet function were seen in the collagen/epinephrine cartridge in non-Arab females. Additionally, there were no differences in platelet function with collagen/ADP cartridge during menstrual cycle phases neither in Arab nor in non-Arab females. These conflicting data suggest that additional factors may play a role in the 17β-estradiol regulation of platelet function.

Platelets are known to have a critical role in hemostasis. However, there is enough evidence that there are differences in platelet reactivity between genders, where the incidence of cardiovascular diseases is lower in premenopausal women than in men of the same age, but which increases in women after menopause. The difference in mean platelet count between genders was noted with it being slightly higher in women compared to men [9]. There are many reports that noted the influence of steroid hormones on hemostasis during the ovarian cycle, pregnancy HRT. Sex steroid hormones have been shown to modulate platelet function in vitro by binding to a non-nuclear receptor with ligand-binding properties [10].In contrast to our findings, Feuring, et al [4]. have assessed primary hemostasis during follicular and luteal phases of menstrual cycle in healthy women by PFA-100TM analyzer. It has been reported that there was an increase in the CT with collagen/epinephrine cartridge during follicular phase compared to the luteal phase. However, consistent with this study outcome there was no significant difference in the CT with collagen/ADP cartridge during the follicular phase as compared with the luteal phase. It has been reported that the fluctuation in platelet function was due to the influence of progesterone and estrogen on vWF concentrations. In addition, it has been observed during menstrual cycle phases that there was a decrease in mean bleeding time during the follicular phase compared to menstrual and luteal phases [11]. The same report showed that the mean clotting time during the follicular phase was moderately less than that at menstrual and luteal phases, but the difference was not significant. It has been reported that the primary and secondary hemostatic activities were at their highest level in the follicular phase than in the luteal and menstrual phases. In contrast, an observational study on young women, using different types and doses of oral contraceptives (OCs) compared to non-oral contraceptives users, showed that the CT with the collagen/epinephrine cartridge in follicular phase was significantly increased compared to the luteal phase [5]. It was reported that the differences in platelet function during the menstrual cycle were caused by the differences in progesterone levels. Inconsistent to our finding, platelet hemostatic capacity (PHC) was determined in pregnant women which showed that the CT was decreased with collagen/epinephrine and collagen/ADP cartridges during three trimesters compared to non-pregnant women which reflects increased PHC during pregnancy, which suggested that estrogen hormone has a hypercoagulability effect [1] also, supported by the previous study on the relationship between the phases of the menstrual cycle and platelet activity which differs according to the type of agonist [13]. Suzuki, et al. [14] reported that there was no significant difference in primary hemostasis between proliferative and luteal phases. In agreement with our findings, Koh, et al. [15] stated that systemic coagulation, fibrinolysis, and platelet function were not affected by natural hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle except for fibrinolytic state which was reduced during mid-cycle. Moreover, the same report stated that 17β-estradiol did not modulate any platelet response directly. Different forms of estrogen (E1, E2, and E3) did not have a direct effect on platelet aggregation, but its effect was induced in the presence of adrenaline and ADP [16]. In agreement with the findings of the current study, Yamazaki, et al. [17] stated that there was no variation in the intensity of platelet aggregation between pregnant and non-pregnant women, but increased the appearance rate of secondary aggregation during pregnancy. Additionally, the platelet activity was affected by many factors including gender, race, diet, and test system [18]. Platelets were described to have a critical role in thrombosis in postmenopausal women [19]. Suzuki, et al. [14] demonstrated that the bleeding time was prolonged in elderly women who passed through menopause. Short-term HRT was suggested to increase the risk of thrombosis by increasing the number of circulating activated platelets [20]. A randomized controlled trial demonstrated that combined estrogen plus progestin can be initiated or continued for primary prevention of CHD [21]. Oral combined continuous hormone replacement therapy consisting of estradiol and norethisterone did not affect the rate or the maximum level of whole-blood platelet aggregation in response to collagen, arachidonic acid or ADP in postmenopausal women when compared with women receiving placebo therapy [22]. The method we chose may be the source of a significant limitation that has emerged during the interpretation of the results; for example, we didn’t interview all groups of cases, but if we apply a different or more robust methodology, it might address the research problem more effectively.

Conclusion

The current study suggested that platelet function modulation enhanced during menstruation and luteal phase of the menstrual cycle in reproductive age and the 17β-estradiol had a role in platelets behavior and was affected by different factors such as the type of agonist and race. A larger sample including both normal and subjects with menorrhagia could have been evaluated simultaneously. Also, subjects could have been followed by more than three times was the limiting factor for participant’s compliance. Further, a similar study must be conducted on a larger sample size in the Arab population and with more precise tests of platelet function and closure time studies, prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, and coagulation factor assays. We need these kinds of studies for evaluating hemostatic variables during the normal menstrual cycle and in women with menorrhagia, because perhaps women with menorrhagia may show some variation. This could give us more insight into the pathogenesis of menorrhagia which may lead to the development of more targeted interventions for the management of abnormal uterine bleeding in the future. The need of greater understanding of the complex physiology and pharmacogenetic effects of sex hormones and their receptors on platelet is important for the prevention of bleeding and thrombosis, for the management of abnormal uterine bleeding and to determine the benefit and which patient is at risk in using hormone therapy. This can be achieved by conducting a larger controlled interventional study to investigate the effect of other sex hormones [progesterone, follicular stimulating hormone (FSH), and luteinizing hormone (LH)] on platelet function.

Acknowledgment

We thank Prof. Suliman Bah who guided us in statistical analysis. We gratefully acknowledge the Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University (University of Dammam), laboratories of King Fahad Hospital University, Saudi Arabia.

Conflict of Interest

The authors confirm that there are no conflicts of interest.