PROSTAGLANDlNSLlHJKOTRIENES ANDESSElWIALFA!lTYACIDS ProQaglandins Leukotnenes and Essential 0 Longman Croup UK Ltd 1992
Fatty Acids G1992) 46. 257-2SY
Prostaglandin Metabolism in Relation to the Bowel Habits of Women C. Arthur*, M. E. Ament* and M. K. Song*+ *Department of Pediatrics, Division of Gastroenterology and Nutrition, UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90024. USA and tMedical Service, US Department of Veterans Affairs’s Medical Center, Sepulveda. CA 91343. USA (Reprint requests to CA) ABSTRACT. A relationship between the menstrual cycle, changes of bowel habits and concentrations of plasma prostaglandin (PG)E2, PGF,,, 6-keto-PGFi, and thromboxane (TX)B, in 3 groups of 8 women with different bowel habit were determined. The concentrations of PGE,, PGF,, and TXBz were significantly higher in the group who had bowel habits smoother than usual at menses compared to those who had experienced constipation throughout cycle or at menses. However, no differences between at mid-cycle and at menses were observed in the groups who had experienced constipation. These results suggest that constipation of young women is related to the inherited inability of patients to synthesize and secrete PGs in plasma and possibly in small intestine.
INTRODUCTION
women between 18-35 years of age, who experienced regular menstrual cycles without use of birth control pills within the last 6 months preceding participation in this research program. These 24 women were divided into 3 groups of 8 women. Group 1 was composed of women who had normal bowel habits throughout the menstrual cycle but had smoother bowel movement at menses. Group 2 was those who had constipation throughout menstrual cycle but had relief at menses and group 3 was those with normal bowel habits throughout the cycle except for the transient occurrence of constipation with the onset of menses. Blood samples were obtained via venipuncture on the first day of a menstrual period and 14 days after the initial drawings of blood (mid-cycle). Blood samples were collected in polypropylene test tubes containing heparin and indomethacin. After the separation of plasma by centrifugation at 1000 x g for 10 min at 4 “C, exactly 1 ml of plasma sample was mixed with 2 vol of alcohol-ethyl acetate0.2 N HCl (3:3:1) mixture and stored at -70 “C until the analysis.
Although constipation is a common problem in young women of child-bearing age, its etiology and seriousness have not been established (1). The observations that severe constipation in young to middle-aged adults is almost entirely confined to women suggest that these patients may share a common pathophysiology (2, 3). More importantly, slow transit constipation appears to affect only women, and symptoms often begin at menarche (4). Furthermore, others (5, 6) reported that a large number of women experience a change in bowel habits with the onset of menses. Diarrhea is related to the excess production of prostaglandins (PGs) in the gut (7) by inhibiting transepithelial ion transport in small intestine (8). High concentrations of PGs are released secondary to tissue trauma (9). This suggests that PG metabolism in women is altered from the destroyed cells and platelet during the menstruation. The present study was therefore undertaken to determine whether plasma PG concentrations in patients with bowel movement problem are closely related to their menstrual cycle.
Methods SUBJECTS AND METHODS
The concentrations of PGE,, PGF,,, 6-keto-PGF,, and thromboxane (TX)B* in the plasma samples were determined by radioimmunoassay as described elsewhere (10). Purified PGs and antisera against these PGs were obtained from Cayman Chemical Co (Ann Arbor, MI), and radioactive PGs from New England Nuclear (Boston. MA).
Subjects Plasma samples were obtained from 24 well-screened
Date received 12 November Date accepted 23 December
1991 1991 251
258
Prostaglandins
Leukotrienes Table
and Essential Fatty Acids Prostaglandin
concentrations
in child bearing women Prostaglandin
concentrations
Group
Menstrual cycle
PGEz
1
Mid-cycle Menses
7.21 * 0.97 10.33 + 0.86*
0.94 f 0.10 1.16f0.13*
5.04 f 0.63 6.11 kO.64
0.71 f 0.06 0.88 * 0.05*
2
Mid-cycle Menses
7.65 f 1.04 6.44 f 1.21#
1.04f0.11 1.02+ 0.08
4.82 f 0.33 4.67 * 0.3 1#
0.88 f 0.08 0.77 * 0.04#
3
Mid-cycle Menses
6.23 + 1.25 6.13 + 0.83#
0.91 f 0.05 1.03f 0.09
3.89 + 0.38 4.49 * 0.50#
0.75 + 0.08 0.72 + 0.03#
PGF?,
6-keto-PGF,,
TXBz
Each value represents the mean value f SEM of 8 determinations. Group 1: Women with normal bowel habits throughout the menstrual cycle but smoother than usual at menses. Group 2: Women who experienced constipation throughout the cycle but smooth bowel movement at menses. Group 3: Women with normal bowel habit throughout the cycle but constipation at menses. * 0~0.05 comoared to the mean value at menses with at mid-cvcle. # p
Fatty Acids G1992) 46. 257-2SY
Prostaglandin Metabolism in Relation to the Bowel Habits of Women C. Arthur*, M. E. Ament* and M. K. Song*+ *Department of Pediatrics, Division of Gastroenterology and Nutrition, UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90024. USA and tMedical Service, US Department of Veterans Affairs’s Medical Center, Sepulveda. CA 91343. USA (Reprint requests to CA) ABSTRACT. A relationship between the menstrual cycle, changes of bowel habits and concentrations of plasma prostaglandin (PG)E2, PGF,,, 6-keto-PGFi, and thromboxane (TX)B, in 3 groups of 8 women with different bowel habit were determined. The concentrations of PGE,, PGF,, and TXBz were significantly higher in the group who had bowel habits smoother than usual at menses compared to those who had experienced constipation throughout cycle or at menses. However, no differences between at mid-cycle and at menses were observed in the groups who had experienced constipation. These results suggest that constipation of young women is related to the inherited inability of patients to synthesize and secrete PGs in plasma and possibly in small intestine.
INTRODUCTION
women between 18-35 years of age, who experienced regular menstrual cycles without use of birth control pills within the last 6 months preceding participation in this research program. These 24 women were divided into 3 groups of 8 women. Group 1 was composed of women who had normal bowel habits throughout the menstrual cycle but had smoother bowel movement at menses. Group 2 was those who had constipation throughout menstrual cycle but had relief at menses and group 3 was those with normal bowel habits throughout the cycle except for the transient occurrence of constipation with the onset of menses. Blood samples were obtained via venipuncture on the first day of a menstrual period and 14 days after the initial drawings of blood (mid-cycle). Blood samples were collected in polypropylene test tubes containing heparin and indomethacin. After the separation of plasma by centrifugation at 1000 x g for 10 min at 4 “C, exactly 1 ml of plasma sample was mixed with 2 vol of alcohol-ethyl acetate0.2 N HCl (3:3:1) mixture and stored at -70 “C until the analysis.
Although constipation is a common problem in young women of child-bearing age, its etiology and seriousness have not been established (1). The observations that severe constipation in young to middle-aged adults is almost entirely confined to women suggest that these patients may share a common pathophysiology (2, 3). More importantly, slow transit constipation appears to affect only women, and symptoms often begin at menarche (4). Furthermore, others (5, 6) reported that a large number of women experience a change in bowel habits with the onset of menses. Diarrhea is related to the excess production of prostaglandins (PGs) in the gut (7) by inhibiting transepithelial ion transport in small intestine (8). High concentrations of PGs are released secondary to tissue trauma (9). This suggests that PG metabolism in women is altered from the destroyed cells and platelet during the menstruation. The present study was therefore undertaken to determine whether plasma PG concentrations in patients with bowel movement problem are closely related to their menstrual cycle.
Methods SUBJECTS AND METHODS
The concentrations of PGE,, PGF,,, 6-keto-PGF,, and thromboxane (TX)B* in the plasma samples were determined by radioimmunoassay as described elsewhere (10). Purified PGs and antisera against these PGs were obtained from Cayman Chemical Co (Ann Arbor, MI), and radioactive PGs from New England Nuclear (Boston. MA).
Subjects Plasma samples were obtained from 24 well-screened
Date received 12 November Date accepted 23 December
1991 1991 251
258
Prostaglandins
Leukotrienes Table
and Essential Fatty Acids Prostaglandin
concentrations
in child bearing women Prostaglandin
concentrations
Group
Menstrual cycle
PGEz
1
Mid-cycle Menses
7.21 * 0.97 10.33 + 0.86*
0.94 f 0.10 1.16f0.13*
5.04 f 0.63 6.11 kO.64
0.71 f 0.06 0.88 * 0.05*
2
Mid-cycle Menses
7.65 f 1.04 6.44 f 1.21#
1.04f0.11 1.02+ 0.08
4.82 f 0.33 4.67 * 0.3 1#
0.88 f 0.08 0.77 * 0.04#
3
Mid-cycle Menses
6.23 + 1.25 6.13 + 0.83#
0.91 f 0.05 1.03f 0.09
3.89 + 0.38 4.49 * 0.50#
0.75 + 0.08 0.72 + 0.03#
PGF?,
6-keto-PGF,,
TXBz
Each value represents the mean value f SEM of 8 determinations. Group 1: Women with normal bowel habits throughout the menstrual cycle but smoother than usual at menses. Group 2: Women who experienced constipation throughout the cycle but smooth bowel movement at menses. Group 3: Women with normal bowel habit throughout the cycle but constipation at menses. * 0~0.05 comoared to the mean value at menses with at mid-cvcle. # p
