A cross-sectional study comparing the inflammatory profile of menstrual effluent vs. peripheral blood
Naseri S, Rosenberg‐Hasson Y, Maecker HT, et al.Health Science Reports · 2023DOI 10.1002/hsr2.1038
In plain language
Sixty-two cytokines were measured with a multiplex bead assay in matched menstrual effluent and peripheral blood from seven healthy donors on day two of menses. Overall correlation was weak (r² = 0.26), 48 of 62 cytokines were higher in menstrual effluent and 35 significantly so, while TGF-β and CCL7 tracked peripheral blood. Menstrual blood is a local inflammatory readout, not a proxy for a venous cytokine panel.
Key numbers
- 62
- Cytokines measured in matched samples
- 48 of 62
- Higher in menstrual effluent
- r² = 0.26
- Overall correlation with peripheral blood
What it means
Menstrual blood carries its own inflammatory signature from the uterus, a readout a venous draw cannot give. It is not a substitute for a blood cytokine panel, and this small study was not done on the Q-Pad.
What it does not show
Seven self-reported healthy women, cup-collected liquid effluent, one day of the cycle; it describes a difference from venous blood and does not link any cytokine to a disease.
How to cite
Naseri S, Rosenberg‐Hasson Y, Maecker HT, Avrutsky MI, Blumenthal PD. A cross-sectional study comparing the inflammatory profile of menstrual effluent vs. peripheral blood. Health Science Reports. 2023;6(1):e1038. doi:10.1002/hsr2.1038