Can estrogen influence the response to noxious stimuli?

Study Objective: To evaluate estrogen-induced alternations in noxious stimuli response. Design: Randomized, prospective, double-blind study. Setting: Tertiary-care academic medical center. Patients: 40 ASA physical status I and II women at the beginning and conclusion of an in vitro fertilization stimulation cycle. Interventions: Stimuli were applied to the fingers of the dominant hand via a Basile Analgesy-Meter, which applied increasing pressure (g/cm(2)) in a continuous fashion, and ice water immersion. Measurements: Serum hormonal concentrations and responses to noxious (pressure and cold thermal) stimuli were studied. Main Results: Estrogen and progesterone concentrations changed from 377 +/- 323.42 pg/mL to 2078.05 +/- 1175.92 pg/mL (p < 0.001) and 1.20 +/- 0.56 to 1.03 +/- 0.35 ng/mL (p = NS), respectively. Although no significant difference was noted in the response to pressure (16.92 +/- 4.41 to 17.85 +/- 4.95 g.cm(2)), a significant reduction in the tolerance to ice water immersion (34.18 +/- 28.29 to 24.05 +/- 23.02 s) was observed. Conclusions: High estrogen concentrations are associated with significantly lower tolerance to cold. but not pressure stimuli. (C) 2001 by Elsevier Science Inc.