The effects of single oral doses of 17β-oestradiol and progesterone on finger skin circulation in healthy women and in women with primary Raynaud's phenomenon

The effects of sex, the menstrual cycle, oral contraceptives, pregnancy, and the menopause on skin perfusion in healthy women and in patients with Raynaud's phenomenon suggest a role of female sex hormones. However, no clear relation between skin blood flow and circulating concentrations of oestrogens or progestogens has yet been found. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of orally administered 17β-oestradiol and progesterone on finger skin blood flow before and during heat and cold challenge in 17 healthy normotensive women and in 12 women with Raynaud's phenomenon.