Colour Doppler analysis of ovarian and uterine arteries in women with hypoestrogenic amenorrhoea

Abstract

Background: This is a clinically-controlled study designed to investigate uterine and ovarian blood flow in patients with hypoestrogenic amenorrhoea. Methods: Twelve women with hypoestrogenic amenorrhoea and 13 eumenorrhoeic subjects (controls) were enrolled. Colour and pulsed Doppler was used to visualize the uterine and ovarian arteries and the blood vessels within the ovarian stroma in both groups. Four blood flow indices were calculated: the pulsatility index, the resistance index, the peak systolic velocity and the end-diastolic velocity. Results: Peak systolic velocity underwent the most significant change in amenorrhoeic patients, being significantly lower in comparison with that of controls, both in the uterine (P = 0.0009) and ovarian (P = 0.001) arteries. Compared with controls, the end-diastolic velocity of the ovarian artery was significant lower (P = 0.039) in amenorrhoeic patients, and was also lower in the uterine artery (though not statistically significantly so). A reduction in blood flow was also evident in the ovarian stroma in amenorrhoeic patients. Conclusions: The significant reduction in blood flow observed in hypoestrogenic amenorrhoea suggests that estrogens play an important role in regulating both uterine and ovarian blood flow.