Figure 3

Saliva and serum levels of estrogen (E2) and progesterone (P4) in the pre- and postmenopausal control groups and during APSCT (autologous peripheral stem cell transplantation). (A) Serum and salivary E2 levels in the control groups. Serum E2 decreased significantly (p = 0.004) in the postmenopausal group compared to the premenopausal group. There was no significant difference (p = 0.069) in salivary E2 levels. (B) Serum and salivary P4 levels in the control groups. Both in serum and saliva P4 levels were significantly decreased in the postmenopausals compared to the premenopausals (p = 0.017, p = 0.004). (C) Serum P4 levels in the postmenopausal control group compared to the transplantated patients. Significant difference was observed at day + 7 (0.026). (D) Salivary P4 levels in the postmenopausal control group and in the transplantated group. A tendency for increase was observed at days + 7 and + 14. (E) Salivary P4 levels in the premenopausal control group and in the transplantated patients. Physiological significant decreased was observed in remission (day − 3/ − 7) and day 0, and a tendency for elevation at days + 7 and + 14 compared to the premenopausal controls. On the X axis C is for premenopausal control group and A is for postmenopausal control group. Values are expressed as sample means; error bars represent the estimates of standard deviations calculated from three parallel measurements (*p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001). Statistical analysis: Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, Mann–Whitney test, Wilcoxon test.