Cold exposure increases cyclic guanosine monophosphate in healthy women but not in women with Raynaud's phenomenon

J Leppert, A Ringqvist, J Ahlner, U Myrdal, S Sørensen, I Ringqvist

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To investigate influence of whole-body cooling on cyclic GMP (cGMP) in women with Raynaud's phenomenon and in healthy women.
DESIGN: The study was performed as an open, parallel-group comparison between women with Raynaud's phenomenon and healthy women during the winter month of February.
SETTING: The municipality of Västerås (Sweden).
PARTICIPANTS: The Raynaud group comprised 24 female patients. The control group consisted of 21 healthy females.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The venous levels of cGMP were measured on three different occasions: just before and after 40 min of whole-body cooling and after 20 min rest at room temperature (21 degrees C).
RESULTS: Venous cGMP increased significantly in the control group after cold exposure (mean difference 0.43 pmol mL-1; 95% CI, 0.018-0.848; t = 2.18; df = 20; P = 0.02) and remained at a high level after 20 min rest (mean difference 0.58 pmol mL-1; 95% CI, 0.063-1.108; t = 2.34; df = 20; P = 0.015). In contrast, the levels of venous cGMP in the Raynaud group did not change significantly. The difference in increase between the two groups was significant (P < 0.02). The diastolic blood pressure in the Raynaud group increased after 40 min of whole-body cooling and was still significantly increased (P < 0.001) after 20 min rest at room temperature (21 degrees C).
CONCLUSION: These results indicate that women suffering from Raynaud's phenomenon lack the physiological response of cGMP to cold exposure, which may explain their increased vasospastic response.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)493-8
JournalJournal of Internal Medicine
Volume237
Issue number5
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1995
Externally publishedYes

Free keywords

  • Adult
  • Blood Pressure
  • Calcium/blood
  • Cold Temperature
  • Cyclic GMP/blood
  • Female
  • Heart Rate
  • Humans
  • Magnesium/blood
  • Middle Aged
  • Raynaud Disease/blood

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