Assessment of endothelial dysfunction in patients with primary dysmenorrhea

AIM: Primary dysmenorrhea, common among young women, is characterized by cramp-like menstrual pain that affects quality of life. Its impact on the cardiovascular system has recently been studied. Endothelial dysfunction is an early sign of cardiovascular risk, but its role in dysmenorrhea is unclear. This study aims to evaluate endothelial function in primary dysmenorrhea patients using flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and volume flow (VolFlow) methods, compared to healthy individuals. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 31 patients with primary dysmenorrhea and 31 healthy controls were included. Endothelial function was assessed using FMD and VolFlow. FMD measures flow-mediated dilation in the brachial artery, while VolFlow evaluates arterial flow volume. Group differences were analyzed with SPSS, and significance was set at p<0.05. RESULTS: FMD values were significantly lower in the dysmenorrhea group (5.97±5.29 vs. 10.95±3.78, p<0.001). The percentage of individuals with endothelial dysfunction was significantly higher in the dysmenorrhea group (51.6% vs. 6.45%, p<0.001). In the dysmenorrhea group, baseline VolFlow was 77.4±24.1 ml/min, increasing to 81.4±25.1 ml/min (p<0.001). In the healthy group, baseline VolFlow increased from 69.8±15.3 ml/min to 92.0±15.3 ml/min, but this was not significant (p=0.077). ΔVF was significantly lower in the dysmenorrhea group (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The results indicate impaired endothelial function in women with primary dysmenorrhea, suggesting long-term cardiovascular risk. FMD and VolFlow are effective non-invasive tools for detecting vascular dysfunction in this group. Cardiovascular health should be monitored alongside menstrual symptoms, and further research is needed to clarify the relationship between dysmenorrhea and cardiovascular risk.