Researchers have found a potential explanation for the increased pain that women with sickle cell disease may suffer during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle.
The researchers at the University of Pennsylvania say they are the first to conduct a detailed study of the link between menstrual cycles and inflammation.
The research, published in Blood Vessels, Thrombosis & Hemostasis, shows that C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker linked to inflammation, can increase significantly during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle.
The researchers compared 13 samples from female patients and 18 from male patients. The study found a strong cycle of changes in CRP levels during the follicular and luteal phase of the menstrual cycle.
The researchers suggest that patients might help avoid these pain crises by using contraceptives to manage the menstrual cycle.
Study leader Dr Andrea Roe said: “The menstrual cycle is often overlooked in research and clinical care, but can interact with health in important ways, as we are seeing in sickle cell disease.”
First author of the study, Dr Jessica Wu, said: “The amount of inflammation is significantly elevated in the follicular phase, or first half, of the menstrual cycle in female patients with sickle cell disease. This observation correlates with what we see in the literature, that this is the time in which this patient population has the most vaso-occlusive events.”
Source: Wu J, Bochenek V, Gollomp K, Roe AH. (2025) “C-reactive protein and the menstrual cycle in females with sickle cell disease.” Blood Vessels, Thrombosis & Hemostasis, 9 April 2025, doi: 10.1016/j.bvth.2025.100067.
Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950327225000245
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