Menopause-specific Quality Of Life Research Articles

The Efficacy of Herbal Supplement Danggui Buxue Tang for Relieving Menopausal Symptoms.

ObjectivesThis study aimed to further explore the efficacy and safety of Danggui Buxue Tang (DBT), a simple herbal formula, for improving the quality of life of women suffering from menopausal symptoms.MethodsA third clinical trial to determine the clinical efficacy of high-dose DBT for a period of 12 weeks was carried out. The standard Menopause-Specific Quality of Life (MENQOL) assessment chart was used for the evaluation. Safety was defined as an absence of direct estrogenic effects, serum inflammatory cytokines. Notably, interleukin IL-6, IL-8 and tumor necrosis factor TNF-α, known to be directly related to estrogenic reactions in menopause studies, were monitored.ResultsThe third clinical trial indicated an overall improvement in the four domains of MENQOL, offering further proof of the efficacy of DBT demonstrated in the two previous trials. The serial checks of the three cytokines related to estrogen activities did not show either upward or downward trends. The haphazard behavior reactions of the three cytokines offered indirect indications that DBT improved the MENQOL independently from estrogen activities.ConclusionsThe three clinical trials using DBT to relieve menopausal syndrome have offered solid evidence for its efficacy. The uncertainty regarding whether the “phytoestrogen” contained in DBT had bioactivities similar to estrogen was alleviated through the confirmation that no strict estrogenic bioactivities were observed. The issue of safety was further clarified via laboratory platform studies on DBT, which not only showed the lack of similarity with estrogen actions but also confirmed the value of combining the two herbs in the classic formula.

Community-based appraisal of menopause-specific health problems and quality of life among women of rural Western Maharashtra.

Menopause is an important hormonal transition of women's lifespan which can strike as early as 30-35 years of age. Menopause-specific quality of life (MENQoL) mainly depends upon awareness, frequency, and intensity of menopausal symptoms; sociocultural, lifestyle, and dietary factors; and availability of health services specifically focusing on these issues. As life expectancy increases, women have to spend more years after menopause. So menopause specific quality of life will be a major issue of concern in the near future. The aim of this study was to assess the post-menopausal symptoms and quality of life (QoL) amongst post-menopausal women and their association with various sociodemographic factors. A community-based, descriptive, cross-sectional study was undertaken at Sakuri village among 100 postmenopausal women. Information was collected using MENQoL questionnaire. Unpaired t-test and Chi-squared test were used. The mean age of participants and menopause was 51.8 ± 4.54 years and 46.42 ± 4.13 years, respectively. The major symptoms reported were hot flushes (70%), under accomplishment (100%), bloating (100%), decrease in physical strength (95%), and change in sexual desire (78%). Statistically significant association was found between age and psychosocial domain. QoL was associated with age and educational level. More than half of the participants had poor QoL for all four domains. Awareness about post-menopausal changes and available treatment modalities can improve QoL. Accessible and affordable gynaecological and psychiatric health services through channel of primary health care are necessary to alleviate these complaints.

Quality of Life among Postmenopausal Women: A Community-based Cross-sectional Study

Background: Postmenopausal women have various problems that may affect their quality of life. However, published reports from nearby communities of the capital of province 1 of Nepal are lacking. Hence, we aimed to determine the quality of life of postmenopausal women in selected communities of Morang, Nepal. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from August to October 2021 among 200 postmenopausal women of Budhiganga Rural Municipality. Menopause-specific quality of life (MENQoL) that included vasomotor, psychological, physical, and sexual domains was assessed. Factors that may affect it were also assessed. Results: Majority of the participants had sweating (80.5%), accomplishing less than earlier (95.0%), decrease in physical strength, feeling lack of energy (98.1%), and avoiding intimacy (98.5%) in vasomotor, psychosocial, physical, and sexual domains respectively. The highest mean score was found in the sexual (5.02 ± 0.82) followed by physical (3.43 ± 0.51), vasomotor (3.0 ± 1.08), and psychosocial domain (2.74 ± 0.80). The MENQoL score was 3.48 ± 0.53 with a significant association with age and occupation. The psychosocial domain had a significant association with age, marital status, occupation, history of childbirth, current smoking, and current alcohol use. The physical domain had a significant association with age, religion, marital status, occupation, and history of childbirth. The sexual domain had a significant association with age and current alcohol use. Conclusion: Sexual domain was the most affected in postmenopausal women followed by physical, vasomotor, and psychosocial domain. Age, occupation, marital status, history of childbirth, current smoking, and current alcohol use were the factors associated with MENQoL.

Effectiveness and safety of Bushen Huoxue granules in treatment of premature ovarian insufficiency: study protocol for a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, and multicenter clinical trial

IntroductionPremature ovarian insufficiency (POI) seriously affects the quality of life, endocrine function, and fertility of women of childbearing age. Currently, hormone replacement therapy for POI has some limitations, either with low efficacies or high side effects. Bushen Huoxue (BSHX) plays an important role in alleviating clinical symptoms and improving health status of POI patients. This placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind, and multicenter clinical trial protocol aims to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of BSHX in women with POI.Methods and designWe plan to recruit 150 women with POI from four participating hospitals in China. Participants will be randomized in a 1:1 to receive oral BSHX or BSHX placebo. All participants will be treated for 3 months and will be followed up for another 3 month. The primary outcome is questionnaire scores based on the changes in the total symptoms, which is the Chinese version of the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life (CMS) (Nie G, Yang H, Liu J, Zhao C, Wang X, Menopause 24(5):546–554, 2017). CMS will be measured before the intervention, at 3 months and 6 months after randomization for all participants. The other measurements include serum sex hormone levels, anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels, ovarian peak systolic velocity (PSV; cm/s), and antral follicle count (AFC). In this study, the regulatory effects of traditional Chinese medicine on hormones were evaluated by the changes of serum sex hormone levels, which include serum estradiol (E2), luteinizing hormone (LH), and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). These indicators will be measured before intervention and at 3 months after randomization.Ethics and disseminationThis study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of Jiangsu Province Hospital on Integration of Chinese and Western Medicine (2019LWKY014). All participants will provide written informed consent prior to randomization. The results of this research will be presented to academic conferences and peer-reviewed journals.Trial registrationChiCTR1900028451. Registered on 22 December 2019, https://www.chictr.org.cn/index.aspx.

Menopause-specific quality of life during ovarian aging among Chinese women: A prospective cohort study

ObjectiveTo describe the menopause-specific quality of life of Chinese urban women at midlife. Study designProspective cohort study. Main outcome measuresThis study included 920 natural menopausal midlife Chinese women who were followed up for 10 years. The Menopause-Specific Quality of Life (MENQOL) questionnaire, which has four domains (vasomotor, psychosocial, physical, and sexual functioning symptoms), and other measures of physical and behavioral factors, were administered. Generalized estimating equations were used to assess the associations. ResultsThe mean MENQOL scores in the four domains were 1.75 ± 1.32, 2.13 ± 1.16, 2.33 ± 1.11, and 2.20 ± 1.83, respectively. The occurrence of vasomotor symptoms (VMS) persisted in >50% of women in the perimenopausal and early postmenopausal stages. However, the prevalence of moderate/severe bothersome VMS was relatively low. More than 75% of the women presented with mild physical or psychological symptoms, whereas less than 5% of them had moderate/severe symptoms. Sexual problems were highly frequent and bothersome, and their occurrence increased with advancing menopausal stage and age. The prevalence of bothersome sexual symptoms and moderate/severe sexual symptoms ranged from 31.89 and 1.58% in premenopausal women to 78.09 and 39.35% in late postmenopausal women, respectively. Menopausal status, depressive symptoms, and poor health status were significantly associated with the four menopausal domains. ConclusionVMS are among the menopausal symptoms most frequently rated as severe. Sexual problems become more prevalent with advancing age. Clinicians should have a broad understanding of changes that occur during the transition to maximize women's health.

Patterns of smoking and menopause-specific quality of life: smoking duration matters more

Evidence about the association of quantity of cigarettes smoked and duration of smoking with quality of life in menopause is sparse. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between smoking patterns and menopause-specific quality of life. This cross-sectional study included 513 consecutive midlife women at two primary health care centers in Belgrade, Serbia. Collection of data was carried out from February 2014 to January 2015, using three questionnaires: socio-epidemiologic questionnaire, Menopause-specific Quality of Life questionnaire (MENQOL) and Beck’s Depression Inventory (BDI). Women reported their smoking status (smoker, former smoker, non-smoker), the length of time spent smoking and quantity of cigarettes smoked per day. There was no difference in proportions of ever smokers compared to never smokers. However, there were more women who were current nonsmokers than current smokers. A linear regression model, adjusted for residency district, relationship status, educational level, employment, drinking alcohol, having exercise, age and BDI, showed that longer duration of smoking, but not number of cigarettes smoked per day, was associated with worse Physical domain and total MENQOL score. Receiver Operating Characteristic analysis showed that menopausal symptoms as measured by total MENQOL score were significantly less bothersome for women who smoked less than 10 years and significantly more intense in women who smoked 21 to 30 years. Midlife women should be encouraged to quit smoking as soon as possible, preferably before menopause. Strategies to prevent and quit smoking should be prioritized at all levels of health care delivery for women. Supplemental data for this article is available online at

A Clinical Study of the Effect of Estradiol Valerate on Sleep Disorders, Negative Emotions, and Quality of Life in Perimenopausal Women.

In this prospective study, we randomly divided 100 patients with perimenopausal syndrome equally into the control group (n = 50) receiving conventional treatment and the study group (n = 50) receiving estradiol valerate. The indicators observed were endometrial thickness, uterine volume, and the levels of LH (luteinizing hormone), FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone), and E2 (estradiol) of the patients before and after treatment. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Hamilton Anxiety/Depression Scale (HAMA/HAMD), Kupperman symptom score, and menopause-specific quality of life (MENQOL) were also applied to assess the sleep quality, negative emotions, severity of the condition, and quality of life of all patients, respectively. Our findings were that estradiol valerate is beneficial in improving serum sex hormone levels, sleep disturbances, negative mood, and quality of life in patients with perimenopausal syndrome and that its safety profile is high enough to warrant clinical promotion.

IMPACT OF PILATES TRAINING VERSUS PROGRESSIVE MUSCLE RELAXATION TECHNIQUE ON QUALITY OF LIFE IN MENOPAUSAL WOMEN- A COMPARATIVE STUDY

Menopausal women shows common symptoms which includes night sweats and hot flushes, heart distress, disturbances in sleep, depression, irritability, anxiousness, weight changes, physical and mental fatigue, joint and muscle pain. This affects the Quality Of Life of the Menopausal women. Pilates Training has proven beneficial for enhancing QOL in menopausal women but there is paucity of evidence of effect of Progressive Muscle Relaxation Technique in Menopausal women on QOL. The research is an initiative study that focuses on the effectiveness of PMRT on the various aspects of Quality Of Life of the menopausal women and comparison of the Pilates training and PMRT in order to enhance the QOL of participants. Effect of Pilates training & Progressive Muscle Relaxation Technique on menopausal women’s QOL and comparison of both the technique. Methods: 42 participants aged >45 years will be randomly categorized in two groups: Group A (n= 21) and Group B (n=21). The study duration will be of 6 months. The pre and post Intervention will be taken from both the group and data will be analyzed with the help of main outcome measure which is Menopause specific Quality Of Life. Subject showed significant improvement in physical and psychosocial domain of MENQOL followed by both the intervention and Pilates Training has been seen more effective than PMRT. The study concluded that both the Pilates and Progressive Muscle Relaxation Therapy helped in improving the patients QOL.

Effect of an ashwagandha (Withania Somnifera) root extract on climacteric symptoms in women during perimenopause: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

Perimenopause is the period during which many physiological changes mark the transition into the final menstrual period of a woman and these changes are associated with climacteric symptoms. This study aimed to assess the efficacy and tolerability of an Ashwagandha root extract on the climacteric symptoms, quality of life (QoL), and hormonal parameters in perimenopausal women. In this 8-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 100 women with climacteric symptoms were randomly allocated to take either a placebo or 300 mg of an Ashwagandha root extract twice daily. Outcomes were measured using the menopause rating scale (MRS), menopause-specific QoL (MENQoL), hot flash score, and hormonal changes in estradiol, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and testosterone. Among 100 participants enrolled, 91 participants completed the study. In comparison with the placebo, ashwagandha supplementation was associated with a statistically significant reduction in total MRS score (p < 0.0001), reflected by significant reductions in the psychological (p=0.0003), somato-vegetative (p=0.0152), and urogenital (p < 0.0001) domains. Ashwagandha intake demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in total MENQoL scores (p < 0.0001) and was also associated with a statistically significant increase in serum estradiol (p < 0.0001) and a significant reduction in serum FSH (p < 0.0001) and serum LH (p < 0.05) compared with the placebo. There was no significant between the group differences in the serum testosterone level. These findings suggest that ashwagandha root extract can be a safe and effective option to relieve mild to moderate climacteric symptoms during perimenopause in women.

THE RELATIONSHIP OF DISTANCE TO HEALTH FACILITIES AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES IN RELATION TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN

Quality of menopaused women’s life is influenced by several factors such as age, education level, occupation, and physical activity. Quality of life has concepts such as physical well-being, functional ability, and emotional or social well-being which ultimately lead to changes in individuals. Objective: to analyze factors related to the quality of postmenopausal women’s life. Methods: This observational analytic study used a cross sectional design. The population was all postmenopausal women who filled out online questionnaires using google forms distributed through social media with a sampling technique of convenience sampling with a total of 56 respondents. The instruments used in this study were the MENQoL (Menopause Specific Quality of Life) questionnaire and the husband's support questionnaire. Data were analyzed by using Chi Square Test. Results: This study showed that there was a relationship of physical activity which had a significant value of (p= 0.001) and the distance to health facilities (p= 0.043) to the quality of life of postmenopausal women. Conclusion: Physical activity and distance to health facilities affect the quality of life of postmenopausal women.

Association between quality of life and severity of menopausal symptoms among Saudi women in Al-Ahsa

Background and objective: Menopause is not an illness. It is a normal physiologic process at the time that marks the end of the menstrual cycles. The severity, frequency, duration, and impact of these menopausal symptoms vary from woman to woman according to their age, and they affect the overall quality of life. The aim of this study is to verify the severity of menopausal symptoms experienced by Saudi women in Al Ahsa, and to identify the association between the severity of menopausal symptoms and their effects on the quality of life of Saudi women.Methods: An analytical cross- sectional study involved 427 women aged 45-60 years old. They were randomly collected by researchers who interviewed them in outpatient clinics and obstetrics and gynecology wards from 6 hospitals by using the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) questionnaire and the Menopause Specific Quality of Life (MENQOL) questionnaire between February 15, 2021 and May 15, 2021.Results: The average age of participants was between 45-49. The MRS shows that mild symptoms were found in 47.8% of participants, while severe symptoms were 10.6%. The most common symptoms were physical and somatic. The Menopause Specific Quality of Life shows that 52.2% of the participants suffer from mild bothersome, while 7.5% have extremely bothersome. There was a strong positive association between menopause specific quality of life, and menopausal symptoms.Conclusions: There was a positive correlation between menopausal symptoms and the quality of life of women. Menopausal symptoms have a negative impact on the quality of women's lives. Therefore, the policy makers in the ministry of health could strengthen providing health programmes and health services to women in this age group, besides women in the reproductive age. This can be accomplished by including modules related to the special health needs of menopausal women in the primary center's health programs.

What happens after menopause? (WHAM): A prospective controlled study of vasomotor symptoms and menopause-related quality of life 12 months after premenopausal risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy

ObjectiveTo measure menopausal symptoms and quality of life up to 12 months after risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy (RRSO) and to measure the effects of hormone therapy. MethodsProspective observational study of 95 premenopausal women planning RRSO and a comparison group of 99 who retained their ovaries. Vasomotor symptoms and menopausal-related quality of life (QoL) were measured by the Menopause-Specific QoL Intervention scale at baseline, 3, 6 and 12 months. Chi-square tests measured differences in prevalence of vasomotor symptoms between RRSO vs the comparison group and by hormone therapy use. Change in QoL were examined with multilevel modelling. ResultsThree months after RRSO hot flush prevalence increased from 5.3% to 56.2% and night sweats from 20.2% to 47.2%. Symptoms did not worsen between 3 and 12 months and remained unchanged in the comparison group (p<0.001). After RRSO, 60% commenced hormone therapy. However, 40% of hormone therapy uses continued to experience vasomotor symptoms. After RRSO, 80% of non-hormone therapy users reported vasomotor symptoms. Regardless of hormone therapy use, 86% categorized their vasomotor symptoms as “mild” after RRSO. Following RRSO, Menopause-related QoL deteriorated but was stable in the comparison group (adjusted coefficient = 0.75, 95%CI = 0.55-0.95). After RRSO, QoL was better in hormone therapy users vs non-users (adjusted coefficient = 0.49, 95%CI = 0.20-0.78). ConclusionsVasomotor symptoms increase by 3 months after RRSO but do not worsen over the next 12 months. Hormone Therapy reduces but does not resolve vasomotor symptoms and may improve QoL, but not to pre-oophorectomy levels.

Effect of acupuncture on menopausal hot flashes: Study protocol for a randomized controlled clinical trial: 针刺对围绝经期潮热的影响:一项随机对照临床试验研究方案

BackgroundHot flashes are one of the most common symptoms in menopause and significantly affect the quality of life of 67% of menopausal women. Acupuncture is found to be a low risk treatment in treating hot flashes but the evidence for its effectiveness is inconclusive. We developed an optimized acupuncture treatment protocol and designed a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to assess the efficacy of acupuncture for reducing hot flashes in menopausal women. MethodsThis is a single-site, single-blind, randomized sham-controlled trial with two parallel arms. A total of 60 eligible patients will be recruited and randomly assigned to either the acupuncture group (n = 30) or the sham acupuncture group (n = 30). Treatment will be given twice a week, for 30 min, for six consecutive weeks. The primary outcome is the hot flashes scores, assessed using the validated hot flashes diary at baseline, week 3, week 6 and week 10. The secondary outcome will be measured by menopause-specific quality of life (MENQOL) at baseline, week 6, and week 10. Meanwhile, any adverse events will be recorded. DiscussionIf the outcome of this study confirms acupuncture to be an effective therapy to reduce hot flashes in menopausal women, we expect this study to inspire further investigations and provide useful information in forming an optimal acupuncture treatment protocol for clinic. Trial registrationChinese Clinical Trial Registry identifier: ChiCTR1800018638, Date of registration: 30th September 2018.URL: http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=31462

MENOPAUSAL SYMPTOMS ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE AMONG YEMENI WOMEN IN SANA’A CITY

Background: Menopause is a physiological phenomenon that can strongly affect the quality of life (QOL) of women. Objectives: To analyzes the menopausal associated symptoms among contributors and their effect on quality of life. To also investigate sociodemographic factors affecting QOL. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 188 perimenopause and menopausal Yemeni women selected randomly from outpatient clinics of the main public hospitals in Sana'a, Yemen. Data was acquired using the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life (MENQOL) questionnaire. Results: The mean age at menopause was found to be 47±3.4. The majority of participants were postmenopausal (71.27 %), and (71.80 %) were married. The most prevalent symptoms were aching muscles and joints (55%), dissatisfaction with personal life (37.7%), night sweat (35%) and avoidance of intimacy (30%). The total scores of menopausal quality of life for each MENQOL domain revealed that the maximum mean score was recorded for physical domain (42.81± 17.87), followed by psychosocial (14.11±5.72), then sexual (6.93±2.46), and finally vasomotor domain (4.78±3.10). Conclusion: The physical and psychosocial domains had upper mean MENQOL scores than vasomotor and sexual domains. There is a need to educate women about menopause and its symptoms and the need to seek medical advice from specialists and find a center for that. Peer Review History: Received: 1 May 2021; Revised: 12 June; Accepted: 28 June, Available online: 15 July 2021 Academic Editor: Ahmad Najib, Universitas Muslim Indonesia, Makassar, Indonesia, ahmad.najib@umi.ac.id UJPR follows the most transparent and toughest ‘Advanced OPEN peer review’ system. The identity of the authors and, reviewers will be known to each other. This transparent process will help to eradicate any possible malicious/purposeful interference by any person (publishing staff, reviewer, editor, author, etc) during peer review. As a result of this unique system, all reviewers will get their due recognition and respect, once their names are published in the papers. We expect that, by publishing peer review reports with published papers, will be helpful to many authors for drafting their article according to the specifications. Auhors will remove any error of their article and they will improve their article(s) according to the previous reports displayed with published article(s). The main purpose of it is ‘to improve the quality of a candidate manuscript’. Our reviewers check the ‘strength and weakness of a manuscript honestly’. There will increase in the perfection, and transparency. Received file: Reviewer's Comments: Average Peer review marks at initial stage: 6.0/10 Average Peer review marks at publication stage: 7.5/10 Reviewers: Dr. Gulam Mohammed Husain, National Research Institute of Unani Medicine for Skin Disorders, Hyderabad, India, gmhusain@gmail.com Dr. Salfarina Ramli, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 42300 Puncak Alam, Selangor, Malaysia. salfarina2892@uitm.edu.my Dr. Vanina Doris Edo’o, University of Yaounde I, Yaounde, Cameroun, vanina_edoo@yahoo.com Dr. Ahmed Mohammed Al-Haddad, Department of Medical Laboratories, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Hadhramout University, Al-Mukalla, Yemen, alhaddadster@gmail.com alhaddadster@gmail.com Similar Articles: PREVALENCE OF RUBELLA IGG ANTIBODIES AMONG PRODUCTIVE-AGE ‎WOMEN IN AL-MAHWEET GOVERNORATE, YEMEN THE ASSOCIATION OF ADULT MALE AND FEMALE INFERTILITY WITH CELIAC DISEASE PATIENTS IN YEMEN

The effect of wet-cupping therapy on menopause specific quality of life: A randomized-controlled trial

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of wet-cupping therapy (CT) on menopause specific quality of life (MENQOL). Methods: This study was conducted with randomized controlled pretest, and posttest method between July 2015 and July 2016 at a Gynecology Outpatient Clinic of University Hospital in Ankara, Turkey. Intervention group (n=30) received wet CT while control group (n=30) did not receive any therapy. Both groups were measured quality of life using MENQOL scale before and two weeks after wet CT. Results: The women’s age ranged from 45 to 60 years. Baseline characteristics were similar in the both groups. Women treated with wet CT showed significant improvements in their vasomotor, physical and sexual symptoms (p&lt;0.001). No significant effect was found for pshysco-social area (p&gt;0.05). No adverse effects were recorded after treatment. Conclusion: Wet CT can be considered as an effective method for reducing of menopausal symptoms. In conclusion, this study provides preliminary data on the effectiveness of various symptoms in postmenopausal period. However, further with larger sample size evidence-based trials are needed in order to confirm these results for improving MENQOL.

Muscle Sympathetic Nerve Activity is Elevated in Females with Physical Menopause Symptoms

Introduction Multiple symptoms accompany menopause, including vasomotor symptoms (VMS), physical symptoms, psychosocial symptoms and sexual dysfunction. Previous studies show that experiencing VMS may increase the risks for hypertension and cardiovascular disease (CVD); however, it is unclear whether physical menopausal symptoms, such as weight gain, lack of energy, or reduced muscular strength, contribute to CVD risk. Furthermore, muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) is elevated with CVD, but the relationship between menopause symptoms and MSNA is unknown. Thus, the aim of our study was to determine if physical menopausal symptoms are correlated with MSNA in postmenopausal females. Methods Eight postmenopausal females (age 63±1yr; menopause age 53±2yr) attended two study visits. The first visit included written informed consent, completion of the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life (MENQOL) and Minnesota Leisure Time Physical Activity (MLTPAQ) Questionnaires, and blood draws to measure sex hormone levels. The MENQOL asks participants to rate how bothered they feel in four areas of symptoms: vasomotor (i.e., VMS), psychosocial, physical, and sexual. The absence of a symptom corresponds with a score of 1 point, whereas a present symptom is rated according to how bothersome it is and is scored from 2-8 points. The MLTPAQ estimates caloric expenditure based on reported habitual physical activity. The second visit was conducted in the morning after an overnight fast and abstinence of alcohol, caffeine and exercise for 12 hours and included measurements of continuous noninvasive BP, heart rate via a 3-lead electrocardiography (ADInstruments, Colorado Springs, CO) and MSNA of the peroneal nerve via microneurography during a 10-minute period of quiet rest. Results Total MENQOL scores ranged from 1.3-2.4 on a 1-8 scale; physical symptom scores ranged from 1.1 to 3.4; and VMS ranged from 1.0-1.7. Body mass index (BMI, kg/m2) was 24±2. Levels of estradiol, total estrogens, testosterone, total estrogens: testosterone ratio, and MLTPAQ were not different between the females. Average mean arterial pressure was (101±5mmHg) and MSNA burst frequency was 29 bursts/min). In addition, MSNA burst frequency correlated with the MENQOL scores for physical symptoms (r=0.73, p=0.04), but not other menopausal symptoms, including VMS (p>0.05), indicating that females with more severe physical symptoms had greater MSNA. Conclusion Although females with VMS have greater CVD risk than those without VMS, data from this small sample of females suggests that reported physical symptoms rather than VMS were elevated with resting MSNA and were strongly associated with MSNA. These findings suggest that females who experience physical menopause symptoms may demonstrate autonomic dysregulation which could contribute to CVD risk.

Dose spouses’ coping skills promote qol and dyadic coping of menopausal women?

ABSTRACT Lack of menopausal knowledge damages the quality of life (QoL) and couples’ relationships. A new approach to prevent marital distress based upon stress and coping has introduced Couples Coping Enhancement Training (CCET). The present study assessed the effect of menopause care training using CCET approach on QoL and coping in menopausal women. This educational interventional study was conducted in 2019 on 80 postmenopausal women and their spouses. The couples were randomly selected from health care centers using the cluster random sampling method and were divided into control and intervention groups. Four training sessions were held for the intervention group. Data were collected using The Menopause-Specific Quality of Life (MENQOL) questionnaire, menopausal knowledge questionnaire, and Dyadic Coping Inventory (DCI) and were analyzed using independent Sample t-test, Paired Sample T-Test, and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) in SPSS version 25 and Amos version 21 software. At the beginning of the study, there was no significant difference in menopausal knowledge, QoL, and dyadic coping between the two groups. However, the CCET approach significantly increased menopausal knowledge, coping in couples and women’s QoL in the intervention group compared to the control group. CCET can help couples to cope with menopausal symptoms more efficiently.

A study of mindfulness-based stress-reduction training effects on menopause-specific quality of life in postmenopausal women: A randomized controlled trial

ObjectivesPhysical and psychological changes in most postmenopausal women tend to lower their quality of life. Various medical/psychological interventions have been applied to improve the postmenopausal quality of life. This study set out to investigate the effect of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) training on the Menopause-specific quality of life (MENQOL). MethodsThis RCT was conducted on 66 postmenopausal women aged 47–62 in Iran. Participants were randomly assigned to either the MBSR or the control group. The menopause--specific quality of life was assessed in two groups via MENQOL questionnaire prior to, immediately and three months after the intervention. ResultsThe findings revealed a significant improvements in MENQOL (P < 0.001),as well as physical(P = 0.001), psychosocial(P = 0.001) and sexual(P < 0.001)dimensions of the intervention groups compared to the control group, immediately and 3 months after the intervention. ConclusionMBSR program can be safely applied to improve menopausal women's quality of life and curb the postmenopausal symptoms. Trial registration numberIRCT2015072523344N1.

Traditional Korean medicine treatment for tamoxifen associated adverse events of breast cancer patient: A CARE – Compliant case report

BackgroundAdverse events of endocrine therapy reduce the breast cancer patient's quality of life and adversely affect treatment compliance. MethodA 50-year-old breast cancer patient complained of several symptoms such as hot flush, hyperhidrosis, urinary frequency, and depression. These symptoms occurred after taking tamoxifen. The adverse events induced by tamoxifen were assessed using both World Health Organization-Uppsala Monitoring Centre (WHO-UMC) causality categories and the Naranjo probability scale. Traditional Korean herbal medicine was used to treat vasomotor symptoms and vulvovaginal symptoms. And acupuncture was used to manage musculoskeletal symptoms. ResultsAs a result of traditional Korean medicine treatment for 25 days, symptoms and quality of life improved significantly, and improvement was estimated in the Menopause Rating Scale and Menopause-Specific Quality of Life. ConclusionThis case report suggests that traditional Korean medicine interventions might have improved the adverse events of tamoxifen in breast cancer patients.

The effect of nursing approaches applied according to Meleis’ Transition Theory on menopause-specific quality of life

This is a randomized controlled experimental study aimed to determine the effect of nursing approaches applied according to Meleis’ Transition Theory on menopause-specific quality of life. The study participants consisted of 64 women. A personal information form and the menopause-specific quality-of-life (MENQOL) questionnaire were used to collect data. The MENQOL pretest mean score was 4.61 ± 1.00 in the experimental group and 4.57 ± 1.18 in the control group; post-test scores were 3.88 ± 1.10 and 4.81 ± 1.10, respectively. The nursing approaches applied in this study significantly reduced the MENQOL scores of women in the experimental group.