Serum levels of soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 are decreased in women receiving oral contraceptives compared with normally menstruating women: Implications in atherosclerosis  Irene Souter, M.D., Carla Janzen, M.D., Otoniel Martinez-Maza, Ph.D., Elizabeth Crabb Breen, Ph.D., Frank Stanczyk, Ph.D., Gautam Chaudhuri, M.D., Ph.D., Lauren Nathan, M.D.  Fertility and Sterility  Volume 83, Issue 5, Pages 1480-1488 (May 2005) DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2004.11.048 Copyright © 2005 American Society for Reproductive Medicine Terms and Conditions

FIGURE 1 Serum levels of sVCAM-1 (ng/mL) and 17β-estradiol (pg/mL) throughout the various phases of the menstrual cycle. Despite the significant rise in 17β-estradiol, no change was noted in the serum concentrations of sVCAM-1. Data are expressed as means ± SEM. *P<.001 vs. the early follicular phase. Fertility and Sterility 2005 83, 1480-1488DOI: (10.1016/j.fertnstert.2004.11.048) Copyright © 2005 American Society for Reproductive Medicine Terms and Conditions

FIGURE 2 Serum levels of sVCAM-1 (ng/mL) in normally menstruating women, throughout the various phases of the menstrual cycle, and those of OC users. Data are expressed s means ± SEM. *P<.01 for OC use vs. early follicular, late follicular, and midluteal phase of the menstrual cycle. Fertility and Sterility 2005 83, 1480-1488DOI: (10.1016/j.fertnstert.2004.11.048) Copyright © 2005 American Society for Reproductive Medicine Terms and Conditions

FIGURE 3 This figure plots the correlation between the levels of TNF-α (pg/mL) and sVCAM-1 (ng/mL) throughout the various phases of the menstrual cycle and in women receiving OCPs. (A, B, and C) depict the correlations in the early follicular, late follicular, and midluteal phase, respectively, and (D) illustrates the correlation in OC users. P<.05 for all three phases of the cycle and for OC use. Fertility and Sterility 2005 83, 1480-1488DOI: (10.1016/j.fertnstert.2004.11.048) Copyright © 2005 American Society for Reproductive Medicine Terms and Conditions

FIGURE 4 Mean serum levels of IL-6 throughout the various phases of the menstrual cycle and in long-term OCP users. *P<0.01 for early follicular vs. late follicular, midluteal phase, and use of OCs. Fertility and Sterility 2005 83, 1480-1488DOI: (10.1016/j.fertnstert.2004.11.048) Copyright © 2005 American Society for Reproductive Medicine Terms and Conditions