15-hydroxy-11-alpha-9-alpha-(epoxymethano)prosta-5-13-dienoic-acid and Menorrhagia

This study was undertaken to study vascular reactivity of small myometrial arteries in women with idiopathic menorrhagia.. Small myometrial arteries were isolated from 6 patients with idiopathic menorrhagia and 4 controls. The contractile responses to thromboxane mimetic (U46619) and endothelin-1 were assessed before and after incubation with N(w)-nitro-L arginine methyl ester alone or in combination with indomethacin (Indo). Endothelium-dependent dilation to bradykinin and basal tension were compared before and after incubation with N(w)-nitro-L arginine methyl ester alone, or with N(w)-nitro-L arginine methyl ester in combination with indomethacin.. Constriction to endothelin-1 was enhanced in idiopathic menorrhagia arteries (P < .05). Idiopathic menorrhagia arteries demonstrated enhanced basal tension after incubation with N(w)-nitro-L arginine methyl ester, which was further exaggerated by indomethacin. NOS inhibition had no effect on basal tension in controls, but basal tension was enhanced after inhibition of cyclooxygenase-derived products (P < .05). Bradykinin-mediated dilation was significantly increased in idiopathic menorrhagia (P < .05).. The presence of functional alterations in small myometrial arteries could contribute to idiopathic menorrhagia.

Topics: 15-Hydroxy-11 alpha,9 alpha-(epoxymethano)prosta-5,13-dienoic Acid; Adult; Biopsy, Needle; Case-Control Studies; Female; Humans; Indomethacin; Menorrhagia; Middle Aged; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular; Myometrium; NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester; Probability; Reference Values; Risk Assessment; Sensitivity and Specificity; Tissue Culture Techniques; Uterus; Vasoconstriction