Skip to content
2000
Volume 21, Issue 1
  • ISSN: 1573-4056
  • E-ISSN: 1875-6603
file format text download EPUB
file format pdf download PDF
side by side viewer icon HTML

Abstract

Introduction

This study aimed to demonstrate the relationship between hemodynamic changes in head blood flow and headache during the premenstrual period in patients experiencing premenstrual syndrome.

Methods

Thirty-two female patients experiencing premenstrual headaches were prospectively examined using carotid and vertebral artery duplex ultrasonography during headache episodes in the premenstrual periods and headache-free periods across two consecutive menstrual cycles. The diameters and areas of both the carotid and vertebral arteries, along with systolic and end-diastolic velocities, pulsatility and resistivity indices, and volumetric flow rates, were measured using grayscale imaging. Total head blood flow was determined as the sum of bilateral common carotid artery and vertebral artery flow volumes. Measurements were compared between participants’ premenstrual and menstrual periods.

Results

A statistically significant difference in the diameter of the left external carotid artery was observed between periods with and without headache during the two consecutive menstrual cycles assessed ( = 0.030). Left external carotid artery ( = 0.019), total external carotid artery ( = 0.028), and total head blood volumes ( = 0.030) were significantly higher when headache was present during the premenstrual period than when headache was absent.

Discussion

Towards the end of the luteal phase, the total head blood flow and external carotid artery flow were high due to a decrease in peripheral resistance caused by the decline in progesterone and hormonal fluctuations during this period.

Conclusion

Increased flow volume in the external carotid arteries and total head blood flow may be a contributing factor to premenstrual headaches.

© 2025 The Author(s). Published by Bentham Science Publishers. 
This is an open access article published under CC BY 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.
Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/cmir/10.2174/0115734056326531250529161603
2025-06-24
2025-09-13

  • From This Site

    /content/journals/cmir/10.2174/0115734056326531250529161603
    dcterms_title,dcterms_subject,pub_keyword
    -contentType:Contributor -contentType:Concept -contentType:Institution
    10
    5
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

/deliver/fulltext/cmir/21/1/CMIR-21-E15734056326531.html?itemId=/content/journals/cmir/10.2174/0115734056326531250529161603&mimeType=html&fmt=ahah

References

  1. HalbreichU. BackstromT. ErikssonE. O’BrienS. CalilH. CeskovaE. DennersteinL. DoukiS. FreemanE. GenazzaniA. HeuserI. KadriN. RapkinA. SteinerM. WittchenH.U. YonkersK. Clinical diagnostic criteria for premenstrual syndrome and guidelines for their quantification for research studies.Gynecol. Endocrinol.200723312313010.1080/0951359060116796917454164
     [Google Scholar]
  2. The International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd edition.Cephalalgia2018381121110.1177/0333102417738202
     [Google Scholar]
  3. MacGregorE.A. FrithA. EllisJ. AspinallL. HackshawA. Incidence of migraine relative to menstrual cycle phases of rising and falling estrogen.Neurology200667122154215810.1212/01.wnl.0000233888.18228.1916971700
     [Google Scholar]
  4. KrejzaJ. RudzinskiW. ArkuszewskiM. OnuohaO. MelhemE.R. Cerebrovascular reactivity across the menstrual cycle in young healthy women.Neuroradiol. J.201326441341910.1177/19714009130260040624007729
     [Google Scholar]
  5. MartinV.T. WernkeS. MandellK. RamadanN. KaoL. BeanJ. LiuJ. ZomaW. RebarR. Defining the relationship between ovarian hormones and migraine headache.Headache20054591190120110.1111/j.1526‑4610.2005.00242.x16178949
     [Google Scholar]
  6. VetvikK.G. MacGregorE.A. LundqvistC. RussellM.B. Prevalence of menstrual migraine: A population-based study.Cephalalgia201434428028810.1177/033310241350763724101732
     [Google Scholar]
  7. MartinV.T. BehbehaniM. Ovarian hormones and migraine headache: Understanding mechanisms and pathogenesis--part I.Headache200646132310.1111/j.1526‑4610.2006.00309.x16412147
     [Google Scholar]
  8. MartinV.T. BehbehaniM. Ovarian hormones and migraine headache: Understanding mechanisms and pathogenesis--part 2.Headache200646336538610.1111/j.1526‑4610.2006.00370.x16618254
     [Google Scholar]
  9. MartinV.T. LiptonR.B. Epidemiology and biology of menstrual migraine.Headache200848s3Suppl. 3S124S13010.1111/j.1526‑4610.2008.01310.x19076658
     [Google Scholar]
  10. MartinV.T. New theories in the pathogenesis of menstrual migraine.Curr. Pain Headache Rep.200812645346210.1007/s11916‑008‑0077‑318973740
     [Google Scholar]
  11. KayaA. AkgölG. GülkesenA. PoyrazA.K. YildirimT. AtmacaM. Cerebral blood flow volume using color duplex sonography in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome.Arch. Rheumatol.2018331667210.5606/ArchRheumatol.2018.646629900985
     [Google Scholar]
  12. BlancoP. Volumetric blood flow measurement using Doppler ultrasound: Concerns about the technique.J. Ultrasound201518220120410.1007/s40477‑015‑0164‑326191112
     [Google Scholar]
  13. WuC. HonarmandA.R. SchnellS. KuhnR. SchoenemanS.E. AnsariS.A. CarrJ. MarklM. ShaibaniA. Age‐Related changes of normal cerebral and cardiac blood flow in children and adults aged 7 months to 61 Years.J. Am. Heart Assoc.201651e00265710.1161/JAHA.115.00265726727967
     [Google Scholar]
  14. KaszczewskiP. ElwertowskiM. LeszczynskiJ. OstrowskiT. GalazkaZ. Volumetric carotid flow characteristics in doppler ultrasonography in healthy population over 65 years old.J. Clin. Med.202095137510.3390/jcm905137532392788
     [Google Scholar]
  15. KaszczewskiP. ElwertowskiM. LeszczyńskiJ. OstrowskiT. KaszczewskaJ. GałązkaZ. Intracranial flow volume estimation in patients with internal carotid artery occlusion.Diagnostics202212376610.3390/diagnostics1203076635328320
     [Google Scholar]
  16. LeszczyńskiJ. KaszczewskiP. ElwertowskiM. StępkowskiK. MaciągR. ElwertowskaA. GałązkaZ. Volumetric flow changes in extracranial arteries in a symptomatic patient with significant bilateral carotid artery stenosis: A case study and literature review.Am. J. Case Rep.202021e92720210.12659/AJCR.92720233004784
     [Google Scholar]
/content/journals/cmir/10.2174/0115734056326531250529161603
Loading
Evaluating Cerebral Blood Flow among Patients Experiencing Premenstrual Syndrome with Headache using Duplex Ultrasonography
Curr. Med. Imaging 21, E15734056326531 (2025); https://doi.org/10.2174/0115734056326531250529161603
/content/journals/cmir/10.2174/0115734056326531250529161603
/content/journals/cmir/10.2174/0115734056326531250529161603
Loading

Data & Media loading...


  • Article Type:     Research Article
Keyword(s): Carotid arteries; Duplex ultrasound; Dysmenorrhea; Headache; Premenstrual syndrome; Ultrasound

Most Cited Most Cited RSS feed

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a Success
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error
Please enter a valid_number test