Urinary leukotriene (LT) E-4 in adolescents with dysmenorrhea: A pilot study

In the present study we measured levels of urinary leukotriene (LT) E-4 as an index of LT production during the menstrual cycle in adolescents. Mean u rinary LTE4 levels in girls with dysmenorrhea was approximately threefold h igher than normal laboratory values on Day 1 of the menstrual period and ap proximately twofold higher than normal laboratory values on Day 5 of the me nstrual period. Compared with urinary LTE4 levels in girls with eumenorrhea , urinary LTE4 levels in girls with dysmenorrhea were higher on Day 1 [361 +/- 123 pg/mg creatinine vs. 122 +/- 37 pg/mg creatinine, p = .1; not signi ficant (NS)] and on Day 5 (202 +/- 26 pg/mg creatinine vs. 117 +/- 26 pg/mg creatinine, p < .05) of the menstrual period, as well as on Day 10 (159 +/ - 33 pg/mg creatinine vs. 88 +/- 21 pg/mg creatinine, p = .1; NS) of the me nstrual cycle. Increased urinary excretion of leukotrienes, inflammatory me diators known to cause potent vasoconstriction and uterine contractions, in girls with dysmenorrhea in this pilot study, suggests that these mediators may be involved in generating dysmenorrhea symptoms in adolescents. (C) So ciety for Adolescent Medicine, 2000.