Changes in concentrations of cervicovaginal immune mediators across the menstrual cycle: a systematic review and meta-analysis of individual patient data.
Sean M HughesClaire N LevyRonit KatzErica M LokkenMelis N AnahtarMelissa Barousse HallFrideborg BradleyPhilip E CastleValerie CortezGustavo F DoncelRaina FichorovaPaul L FidelKeith R FowkeSuzanna C FrancisMimi GhoshLoris Y HwangMariel JaisVicky JespersVineet JoagRupert KaulJordan KyongoTimothy LaheyHuiying LiJulia MakindeLyle R McKinnonAnna-Barbara MoscickiRichard M NovakMickey V PatelIntira SriprasertAndrea R ThurmanSergey YegorovNelly Rwamba MugoAlison C RoxbyElizabeth MicksFlorian Hladiknull nullPublished in: BMC medicine (2022)
Despite the variability of cervicovaginal immune mediator measurements, our meta-analyses show clear and consistent changes during the menstrual cycle. Many immune mediators were lower in the luteal phase, including chemokines, antibodies, matrix metalloproteinases, and several interleukins. Only interleukin-1α and beta-defensins were higher in the luteal phase. These cyclical differences may have consequences for immunity, susceptibility to infection, and fertility. Our study emphasizes the need to control for the effect of the menstrual cycle on immune mediators in future studies.