Oral contraceptives and menstrual cycle influence autonomic reflex function

Figures

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  Figure 1. Timeline of metaboreflex, mechanoreflex, and chemoreflex trials. Shaded areas indicate where data were averaged for each time point during analysis. The order of trials was randomized

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  Figure 2. Change in cardiorespiratory dynamics in response to PECO. Change from baseline to 3rd minute of postexercise circulatory occlusion (PECO) in heart rate (a; OC LH n = 12; OC HH n = 10), mean arterial pressure (b; OC LH n = 12; OC HH n = 10), cardiac index (Figure 2c; OC LH n = 12; OC HH n = 10), respiration rate (d; OC LH n = 12; OC HH n = 10), tidal volume (Figure 2e; OC LH n = 11; OC HH n = 10), and ventilation (f; OC LH n = 11; OC HH n = 10). NOC, no oral contraceptive group; OC, oral contraceptive group; LH, low hormone phase; HH, high hormone phase. Grey bars are OC users. The line within each box indicates the median, whereas the lower and upper boundaries indicate the 25th and 75th percentile, respectively. Lower and upper whiskers indicate 10th and 90th percentile, respectively. P‐values are indicated. * indicates a significant main effect

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  Figure 3. Change in cardiorespiratory dynamics in response to passive leg movement (PLM). Change from baseline to 1st minute of PLM in heart rate (a), mean arterial pressure (b), cardiac index (c), respiration rate (d), tidal volume (e; NOC LH n = 11; NOC HH n = 11), and ventilation (f; NOC LH n = 11; NOC HH n = 11). NOC, no oral contraceptive group; OC, oral contraceptive group; LH, low hormone phase; HH, high hormone phase. Grey bars are OC users. The line within each box indicates the median, whereas the lower and upper boundaries indicate the 25th and 75th percentile, respectively. Lower and upper whiskers indicate 10th and 90th percentile, respectively. p‐values are indicated. * indicates a significant main effect

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  Figure 4. Change in cardiorespiratory dynamics in response to hypercapnia. Change from baseline to 5th minute of hypercapnia in heart rate (a), mean arterial pressure (b), cardiac index (c), respiration rate (d), tidal volume (e; NOC LH n = 10; OC LH n = 13), and ventilation (f; NOC LH n = 10; OC LH n = 13). NOC, no oral contraceptive group; OC, oral contraceptive group; LH, low hormone phase; HH, high hormone phase. Grey bars are OC users. The line within each box indicates the median, whereas the lower and upper boundaries indicate the 25th and 75th percentile, respectively. Lower and upper whiskers indicate 10th and 90th percentile, respectively. P‐values are indicated. * indicates a significant main effect