Number Of Menopausal Symptoms Research Articles

Palpitations and Co-Occurring Menopausal Symptoms in Women Prior to Breast Cancer Surgery.

To determine the occurrence rate of palpitations in women prior to breast cancer surgery and evaluate for differences in demographic and clinical characteristics and menopausal symptoms in patients with and without palpitations. Presurgery data on palpitations and menopausal symptoms from 398 patients who underwent breast cancer surgery were analyzed. The Menopausal Symptoms Scale was used to evaluate the occurrence, severity, and distress of 46 symptoms, including palpitations. Parametric and nonparametric tests were used to evaluate for differences between patients with and without palpitations. Women with palpitations had lower annual income, lower functional status, higher comorbidity burden, and higher rates of back pain than women without palpitations. Women with palpitations had twice the number of menopausal symptoms and had higher occurrence rates for 39 of the 45 menopausal symptoms. They reported significantly higher severity scores for difficulty concentrating, dizziness, swollen hands/feet, and wake during the night, and higher distress scores for anxiety, hot flashes, swollen hands/feet, and wake during the night. Clinicians should perform routine assessments of palpitations and make appropriate referrals to a cardiologist.

Serum total bilirubin and new-onset hypertension in perimenopausal women: a cross-sectional study.

Previous studies have shown negative associations between total bilirubin (TBIL) and hypertension. However, the association of TBIL with new-onset hypertension in perimenopausal women is unknown. A total of 196 perimenopausal women were included in this cross-sectional study of which 85 had new-onset hypertension. All participants underwent 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and a clinical assessment including anthropometrics. Sociodemographic, lifestyle, and menopausal symptoms (modified Kupperman Index [mKI]) were measured by questionnaire. A fasting blood sample was taken to measure a wide range of biomarkers and hormone levels. Restricted cubic spline regression was used to investigate potential nonlinearity. Multivariable logistic and robust linear regression analyses adjusting for minimal sufficient adjustment sets based on directed acyclic graphs were performed to test the association of TBIL with hypertension/blood pressure. We examined mKI-stratified analyses and a TBIL-mKI interaction term to explore potential effect modification by number of menopausal symptoms. Hypertensive women had significantly lower TBIL levels than did normotensive women (11.15 vs 12.55 μmol/L, P = 0.046). Univariate restricted cubic spline regression showed nonsignificant nonlinearity ( P value for nonlinearity, 0.339). Multivariable regression analyses adjusted for minimal sufficient adjustment sets revealed that higher TBIL level was associated with lower odds of hypertension (odds ratio, 0.91 per μmol/L TBIL; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.84-0.98; P = 0.019). Total bilirubin showed a significant inverse association with average 24-hour diastolic blood pressure ( β = -0.36 mm Hg per μmol/L TBIL; 95% CI, -0.62 to -0.10; P = 0.008) but not with 24-hour systolic blood pressure ( β = -0.37 mm Hg per μmol/L TBIL; 95% CI, -0.79 to 0.06; P = 0.090). Stratified analyses suggested stronger inverse associations of TBIL with hypertension and 24-hour blood pressure in women with fewer menopausal symptoms (mKI ≤10), although the TBIL-mKI interaction was not significant. In perimenopause, TBIL was inversely associated with diastolic blood pressure and new-onset hypertension, diagnosed using 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring.

Perception of Menopausal Symptoms Among Menopause Women in Basra Southern Iraq: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: To understand the prevalence of postmenopausal symptoms, their order in frequency, as well as the age at onset of menopause in the community is an important step to provide the best quality of care for menopausal women. Objective: The study aims to investigate the prevalence of postmenopausal symptoms, menopausal age of onset and perception of menopause among women in Basra, Southern Iraq. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in two major hospitals in Basra Southern Iraq (Al Mawani Teaching Hospital and Al Shifaa General Hospital), from 1/1/2019 to 1/6/2019. Five hundred participants were interviewed by a questionnaire. Results: The participants` age ranged from 41-65 years. The mean age at menopause was 47.7 ± 2.1 years. The most common complaints were hot flushes (70.8%) followed by back and joint pain (49%), night sweats (32%) and insomnia (25.6%). There was a significant association between age at menopause with body mass index (p=0.00) and the number of menopausal symptoms (p=0.009). While there were no significant relationships between age at menopause and education status (p=0.38), marital status (p=0.133), employment (p=0.86), or income (p=0.12). Conclusion: Despite the fact that the participants were aware of menopause and its natural occurrence, a minority of them sought medical advice or received hormone replacement therapy. Hot flushes are the most common symptom of menopause.

Menopausal symptoms are associated with oral sensory complaints in perimenopausal women: an observational study

BackgroundPerimenopausal women experience a wide variety of systemic symptoms: hot flashes, sweating, mental health concerns and various oral sensory complaints (OSC). OSC in perimenopausal women include xerostomia, taste disturbance and burning mouth. However, the factors associated with these OSC have not been identified. The purpose of this investigation was to elucidate the factors associated with OSC in perimenopausal women.MethodsThe study cohort comprised 43 perimenopausal women aged 45–55 years. Data on medical history, medications, menstrual status, menopausal symptoms, quality of life, xerostomia, taste disturbance and burning mouth were collected. Volumes of unstimulated and stimulated saliva were measured. Tongue coating was evaluated according to a tongue coating index. Univariate analysis was performed to identify factors significantly associated with having xerostomia, taste disturbance, burning mouth and more than two OSC (2OSC). Next, the factors strongly associated with these symptoms were examined by logistic regression analysis.ResultsThe number of menopausal symptoms was significantly higher, and volume of unstimulated saliva was significantly lower in participants with xerostomia, taste disturbance, burning mouth or 2OSC than in those without these characteristics. Agents targeting the central nervous system were more frequently taken by participants with burning mouth and 2OSC than by those without these characteristics. According to logistic regression analysis, the number of menopausal symptoms was an explanatory variable for xerostomia, taste disturbance, burning mouth and 2OSC.ConclusionsOur findings suggested that OSC associated with the number of menopausal symptoms. Management of menopausal symptoms may decrease OSC, leading to improved quality of life of perimenopausal women.

The severity of vasomotor symptoms and number of menopausal symptoms in postmenopausal women and select clinical health outcomes in the Women's Health Initiative Calcium and Vitamin D randomized clinical trial

This study evaluated whether vasomotor symptom (VMS) severity and number of moderate/severe menopausal symptoms (nMS) were associated with health outcomes, and whether calcium and vitamin D (CaD) modified the risks. The Women's Health Initiative CaD study was a double blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, which tested 400 IU of 25-hydroxyvitamin-D and 1,000 mg of calcium per day in women aged 50 to 79 years. This study included 20,050 women (median follow-up of 7 y). The outcomes included hip fracture, colorectal cancer, invasive breast cancer, all-cause mortality, coronary heart disease, stroke, cardiovascular death, and total cardiovascular disease (CVD). MS included: hot flashes, night sweats, dizziness, heart racing, tremors, feeling restless, feeling tired, difficulty concentrating, forgetfulness, mood swings, vaginal dryness, breast tenderness, migraine, and waking up several times at night. Associations between VMS severity and nMS with outcomes were tested. No association between VMS severity and any outcome were found. In contrast, nMS was associated with higher stroke (hazard ratio [HR] 1.40 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.04-1.89 for ≥ 2 MS vs none; HR 1.20 95% CI 0.89-1.63 for 1 MS vs none, P trend = 0.03) and total CVD (HR 1.35, 95% CI, 1.18-1.54 for ≥ 2 MS vs none; HR 0.99, 95% CI, 0.87-1.14 for 1 MS vs none P trend < 0.001). CaD did not modify any association. Severity of VMS was not associated with any outcome. Having ≥2 moderate or severe MS was associated with an increased risk for CVD. The number of moderate/severe MS may be a marker for higher CVD risk. : Video Summary:http://links.lww.com/MENO/A669.

Relationship between sociodemographic, reproductive, and lifestyle factors and the severity of menopausal symptoms among Egyptian women in Alexandria.

During menopause, women often experience some symptoms which may affect their daily activities. Information about menopausal experiences among different racial and ethnic groups is important for healthcare personnel to provide appropriate and specific interventions. The aim of the present study was thus to determine the frequency and determinants of severity of menopausal symptoms among Egyptian women using the Menopause Rating Scale as a screening tool for identification of menopausal symptoms. A total of 540 women (aged 40-65 y) were recruited in this cross-sectional study. Demographic information was collected, and the Menopause Rating Scale questionnaire was administered. Most frequently reported symptoms were joint and muscular discomfort (501, 92.8%) followed by urogenital symptoms (460, 85.2%). A significant association was found between the number of menopausal symptoms and working status of participants (r = 0.504, P = 0.005), number of children (r = 0.474, P = 0.042), and body mass index (r = 0.544, P = 0.006). Women who reported urogenital symptoms and self-perceived general health as poor were more frequently referred to a gynecologist for moderate-to-severe menopausal symptoms. Participant-related information such as working status, which was shown to increase the frequency of psychological symptoms in our ethnic group, should be noted by the physician, and a suitable approach should be adopted to achieve better therapy outcomes. Counseling about the importance of maintaining an ideal body weight and exercise should be emphasized to reduce menopausal symptoms. Appropriate advice and support in improving the overall state of the postmenopausal women is essential.

Study of menopausal symptoms, and perceptions about menopause among women at a rural community in Kerala

Background:Menopausal health demands priority in Indian scenario due to increase in life expectancy and growing population of menopausal women. Most are either unaware or do not pay adequate attention to these symptoms.Aims:To find the prevalence of menopausal symptoms and perceptions regarding menopause among menopausal women of Kerala.Settings and Design:A community based cross-sectional house to house survey was conducted at Anjarakandy a field practice area under Kannur Medical College, Anjarakandy.Materials and Methods:The study was conducted among 106 postmenopausal women staying more than 6 months at Anjarakandy with the help of pretested questionnaire administered by a trained social worker from January to October 2009. Before that a pilot study was conducted and required sample size of 100 was calculated. Random sampling of houses was done.Statistical Analysis:Data was coded, entered, and analyzed using SPSS 15. Chi-square test, proportions, and percentages were used.Results:The mean age of attaining menopause was 48.26 years. Prevalence of symptoms among ladies were emotional problems (crying spells, depression, irritability) 90.7%, headache 72.9%, lethargy 65.4%, dysuria 58.9%, forgetfulness 57%, musculoskeletal problems (joint pain, muscle pain) 53.3%, sexual problems (decreased libido, dyspareunia) 31.8%, genital problems (itching, vaginal dryness) 9.3%, and changes in voice 8.4%. Only 22.4% of women knew the correct cause of menopause.Conclusions:Thus study stated that all the ladies were suffering from one or more number of menopausal symptoms. Ladies should be made aware of these symptoms, their causes and treatment respectively.

Race and health-related quality of life in midlife women in Baltimore, Maryland

Objective Only a few studies have examined the association between race/ethnicity and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) during midlife. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine this association in the context of a population-based study of Caucasian and African-American women aged 45–54 years. Methods Data from 626 pre- and peri-menopausal African-American and Caucasian women aged 45–54 years were analyzed. HRQOL was measured using Cantril's Self-Anchoring Ladder of Life, a validated measure of overall life satisfaction. Body mass index was determined using measured height and weight. Information on race and other variables such as education was based on self-report. Logistic regression models were constructed to examine the unadjusted and adjusted associations between race and low present HRQOL (≤6 on Cantril's Ladder of Life). Results In both the unadjusted and adjusted analyses, race was not significantly associated with low present HRQOL (unadjusted OR 1.57; 95% CI 0.93, 2.65; adjusted OR 0.82; 95% CI 0.42, 1.61). In the fully adjusted model, only the number of menopausal symptoms and self-rated health were significantly associated with present HRQOL. Conclusions Findings from this population-based study suggest that race is not a statistically significant determinant of present HRQOL among midlife women.

Hormone Therapy and Menopausal Symptoms Among Women Participating in a Behavioral Lifestyle Intervention: The Women’s Healthy Lifestyle Project

P91 The decision to take hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is a choice many women encounter when entering menopause. In light of controversy of the benefits and risks of HRT use, an important question to ask is on what basis are women taking HRT, and are they taking hormone therapy because they are at higher risk. The purpose of this study was to examine HRT use in women who are participating in a behavioral lifestyle intervention through the menopause. The Women’s Healthy Lifestyle Project (WHLP) was a 5-year randomized clinical trial designed to examine whether a behavioral lifestyle intervention could decrease the expected rise in cardiovascular risk through the menopause. A sample of 535 healthy premenopausal women, aged 44-50 years (M=47 + 1.9) participated in the study. The intervention was highly successful in buffering risk elevation through the 54-month visit. The control group gained 5.2 lb over the 54 month study and the intervention group remained 0.18 lb below baseline (p=.00). The intervention group’s LDLc increased by 3.5 mg/dl, and the control group’s LDLc increased by 8.9 mg/dl (p=.01). At the 54-month visit, there was no difference between the intervention and control groups in menopausal status, with 34.7% of the women postmenopausal. There was no difference between intervention and control groups with regard to HRT use, with 31.2% of the total sample reporting use of HRT. Further, there was no difference in menopausal symptoms between treatment groups. The women started HRT an average of 6 months after they missed a period. Analysis was done to examine predictors of HRT use in this group of women. Baseline cardiovascular risk factors did not predict HRT use at the 54-month visit. Moreover, the number of menopausal symptoms did not predict HRT use at 54 months. There was little difference between the women who were taking HRT and the women who were not taking HRT. There was a high use of HRT in this group of healthy, well-educated women. But an intensive lifestyle intervention did not change the use of HRT.

Hormone Therapy and Menopausal Symptoms Among Women Participating in a Behavioral Lifestyle Intervention: The Women’s Healthy Lifestyle Project

P91 The decision to take hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is a choice many women encounter when entering menopause. In light of controversy of the benefits and risks of HRT use, an important question to ask is on what basis are women taking HRT, and are they taking hormone therapy because they are at higher risk. The purpose of this study was to examine HRT use in women who are participating in a behavioral lifestyle intervention through the menopause. The Women’s Healthy Lifestyle Project (WHLP) was a 5-year randomized clinical trial designed to examine whether a behavioral lifestyle intervention could decrease the expected rise in cardiovascular risk through the menopause. A sample of 535 healthy premenopausal women, aged 44-50 years (M=47 + 1.9) participated in the study. The intervention was highly successful in buffering risk elevation through the 54-month visit. The control group gained 5.2 lb over the 54 month study and the intervention group remained 0.18 lb below baseline (p=.00). The intervention group’s LDLc increased by 3.5 mg/dl, and the control group’s LDLc increased by 8.9 mg/dl (p=.01). At the 54-month visit, there was no difference between the intervention and control groups in menopausal status, with 34.7% of the women postmenopausal. There was no difference between intervention and control groups with regard to HRT use, with 31.2% of the total sample reporting use of HRT. Further, there was no difference in menopausal symptoms between treatment groups. The women started HRT an average of 6 months after they missed a period. Analysis was done to examine predictors of HRT use in this group of women. Baseline cardiovascular risk factors did not predict HRT use at the 54-month visit. Moreover, the number of menopausal symptoms did not predict HRT use at 54 months. There was little difference between the women who were taking HRT and the women who were not taking HRT. There was a high use of HRT in this group of healthy, well-educated women. But an intensive lifestyle intervention did not change the use of HRT.

Hormone replacement therapy in postmenopausal asthmatic women.

Assessment of mean 24 h oestradiol (E2) and oestrone (E1) concentration and basic FSH secretion in postmenopausal asthmatic women, before and after HRT use, and to identify any connections between changes in hormone concentrations and patients' clinical state. Postmenopausal women (55 asthmatic and 20 healthy, aged 48-60 years). Serum hormone concentration was assessed by radioimmunoassay before HRT and after 6 months of transdermal 17beta-E2 and medroxyprogesterone acetate treatment (cyclical method). Intensification of menopausal symptoms was assessed by Kupperman's index. Secretion of oestrogens was lower in postmenopausal women asthmatic women than in postmenopausal healthy women. HRT caused an increase in oestrogen concentration. The 24-h fluctuations of E1 and E2 in all studied groups before and after HRT did not differ significantly. A statistically significant decrease in the number of menopausal symptoms was found during the course of HRT. During the period of HRT, there was a reduction in the number of patients in whom it was necessary to use oral glucocorticoid therapy during exacerbation of asthma. A greater reduction in oestrogen secretion was found in postmenopausal asthmatic women than in postmenopausal healthy women. HRT resulted in normalization of serum oestrogen concentration in asthmatic women and diminishing psychosomatic symptoms of the menopause and symptoms of asthma.