Cyclicity of breast tenderness and night-time vasomotor symptoms in mid-life women: information collected using the Daily Perimenopause Diary

Abstract

Objective: The purpose was to explore cyclicity of breast tenderness and vasomotor symptoms in menstruating mid-life women using the Daily Perimenopause Diary.Methods: Untreated mid-lifewomen from a convenience sample completed the Daily Perimenopause Diary for clinical (n = 14) or research (n = 10) assessments. Breast tenderness, sleep disturbance and day and night vasomotorintensity were rated on a 0-4 scale with vasomotor number as a count. Daily oral temperature data were analyzed using the Quantitative Basal Temperature algorithm to assess ovulation and estimate lutealphase length. Analysis of variance tested cyclicity using the mean of three 3-day windows (during flow, at mid-cycle and premenstrually).Results: Ninety-eight complete flow-to-flow diaries (from24 women, mean age 47 years, cycle length 27 ± 6.4 (standard deviation) days) were available, with quantitative temperature data for 60 cycles in 16 women. Of assessed cycles, 90% were ovulatory;25% had luteal phases < 10 days. Breast tenderness was maximal in the premenstrual window overall (p < 0.0001) and in the ovulatory subset. Night sweats were maximal premenstrually (p= 0.0035) except in anovulatory cycles. Daytime flushes were not cyclic (p = 0.1333) except in ovulatory cycles (p = 0.031).Conclusion: Daily Perimenopause Diaries from mid-life womenshow premenstrual increases in breast tenderness and night sweats.