Emily A Parker, Kyle R Duchman, Alex M Meyer, Brian R Wolf, Robert W Westermann
{"title":"Menstrual Cycle Hormone Relaxin and ACL Injuries in Female Athletes: A Systematic Review.","authors":"Emily A Parker, Kyle R Duchman, Alex M Meyer, Brian R Wolf, Robert W Westermann","doi":"","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Female athletes are at increased risk for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries. The influence of hormonal variation on female ACL injury risk remains ill-defined. Recent data suggests that the collagen-degrading menstrual hormone relaxin may cyclically impact female ACL tissue quality. This review aims to identify any correlation between menstrual relaxin peaks and rates of female ACL injury.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A systematic review was performed, utilizing the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CINAHL databases. Included studies had to directly address relaxin/female ACL interactions. The primary outcome variable was relaxin proteolysis of the ACL, at cellular, tissue, joint, and whole-organism levels. The secondary outcome variable was any discussed method of moderating relaxin levels, and the clinical results if available.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>AllThe numerous relaxin receptors on female ACLs upregulate local collagenolysis and suppress local collagen production. Peak serum relaxin concentrations (SRC) occur during menstrual cycle days 21-24; a time phase associated with greater risk of ACL injury. Oral contraceptives (OCPs) reduce SRC, with a potential ACLprotective effect.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>A reasonable correlative and plausible causative relationship exists between peak relaxin levels and increased risk of ACL injury in females, and further investigation is warranted. <b>Level of Evidence: III</b>.</p>","PeriodicalId":94233,"journal":{"name":"The Iowa orthopaedic journal","volume":"44 1","pages":"113-123"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0000,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11195904/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"The Iowa orthopaedic journal","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"","JCRName":"","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: Female athletes are at increased risk for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries. The influence of hormonal variation on female ACL injury risk remains ill-defined. Recent data suggests that the collagen-degrading menstrual hormone relaxin may cyclically impact female ACL tissue quality. This review aims to identify any correlation between menstrual relaxin peaks and rates of female ACL injury.
Methods: A systematic review was performed, utilizing the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CINAHL databases. Included studies had to directly address relaxin/female ACL interactions. The primary outcome variable was relaxin proteolysis of the ACL, at cellular, tissue, joint, and whole-organism levels. The secondary outcome variable was any discussed method of moderating relaxin levels, and the clinical results if available.
Results: AllThe numerous relaxin receptors on female ACLs upregulate local collagenolysis and suppress local collagen production. Peak serum relaxin concentrations (SRC) occur during menstrual cycle days 21-24; a time phase associated with greater risk of ACL injury. Oral contraceptives (OCPs) reduce SRC, with a potential ACLprotective effect.
Conclusion: A reasonable correlative and plausible causative relationship exists between peak relaxin levels and increased risk of ACL injury in females, and further investigation is warranted. Level of Evidence: III.