Three months use of third-generation oral contraceptives does not affect artery wall properties

In several studies, artery wall properties have been shown to differ betwee n men and women, It has been hypothesized that these differences may result from hormonal influences but, in a previous study, we were unable to detec t any influence of the menstrual cycle on artery wall properties. Therefore , we investigated the differences in artery wall properties, if any, betwee n the menstrual cycle and the use of a third-generation oral contraceptive for 3 months. We investigated the right common carotid (CCA) and femoral (C FA) arteries of normotensive young (18-25-y-old) women volunteers (n = IJ). The arterial cross-sectional distensibility and compliance coefficients we re determined by means of a specially designed ultrasonic wall-tracking dev ice and automatic brachial artery cuff blood-pressure measurements. The men strual cycles and the cycles during oral contraceptive use (30 mu g ethinyl estradiol and 75 mu g gestodene) were monitored by ultrasonographic evaluat ion and the assessment of plasma levels of 17 beta-oestradiol and progester one. The distensibility and cross-sectional compliance coefficients of both the CCA and CFA did not differ significantly between the menstrual cycle a nd the use of oral contraceptives, despite different ovarian hormone levels . Brachial arterial blood pressure was also not affected. We conclude that 3 months use of a third-generation oral contraceptive does not influence th e wall properties of peripheral arteries and cannot explain the observed di fference between genders. The absence of a rise in blood pressure and the l ow androgenic profile of this specific oral contraceptive may have contribu ted to our findings. (C) 1999 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology.