Severity Of Menopausal Symptoms Research Articles

Patterns of sexual health in patients with breast cancer in China: a latent class analysis.

This study aimed to identify unobserved distinct latent classes/subgroups of breast cancer (BC) patients in China with respect to various sexual health measures and examine the association of the latent membership with individual characteristics. In a cross-sectional study, 123 BC patients were analyzed. Their sexual health was measured using the Female Sexual Functioning Index (FSFI). Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to examine the patterns of sexual health in patients. Associations of the latent class membership with individual characteristics were examined using multinomial logistic regression. Three a priori unknown distinct latent classes of patients were identified with respect to the 19 FSFI sexual health measures: 50 patients (41.6%) were classified in class 1 "No Impairment Group," 49 patients (39.4%) in class 2 "Organic Sexual Dysfunction Group," and 24 patients (19.1%) in class 3 "Poor Sexual Health Group." Income and anxiety were positively, whereas disease duration was negatively associated with the likelihood of being in class 2 than in class 1, patients with recurrence of cancer were likely to be in classes 2 and 3. Patients classified in class 3 were more likely to have better prior body image and have more severe menopausal symptoms, whereas less likely to have better post body image and have better partner relationships. The findings revealed the heterogeneity of sexual health among BC patients in China and may guide to identify the high-risk patients and enable early intervention.

Menopausal symptoms in relationship to breast cancer-specific quality of life after adjuvant cytotoxic treatment in young breast cancer survivors

IntroductionsFor young premenopausal breast cancer patients, adjuvant chemotherapy may cause menstrual disruptions and premature menopause, which may in turn impair their quality of life (QoL). In this study among young breast cancer survivors who have undergone adjuvant chemotherapy, the objectives were to assess post-treatment menopausal symptoms and their associated factors, and to correlate these symptoms with breast cancer-specific QoL.MethodsThe study population included premenopausal young Chinese women with early-stage breast cancer who had undergone adjuvant chemotherapy between 3 and 10 years prior to enrolling into this study. At study entry, patients’ characteristics and clinical features were collected; each patient had detail menstrual history collected and each filled in MENQOL and FACT-B + 4 questionnaires.ResultsTwo hundred eighty eligible patients were recruited. For adjuvant chemotherapy, 92% received anthracyclines and 28% received taxanes; 76% received adjuvant tamoxifen. At a median of 5.0 years from initial cancer diagnosis, 49 and 11% had become post- and peri-menopausal respectively. MENQOL at study entry revealed that physical domain score was worse in overweight/obese patients (mean scores for underweight/normal vs overweight/obese: 2.65 vs 2.97, p = 0.0162). Vasomotor domain score was worse in those who received taxanes or tamoxifen (taxane vs non-taxane: 2.91 vs. 2.35, p = 0.0140; tamoxifen vs no tamoxifen: 2.75 vs. 2.34, p = 0.0479). Sexual domain score was worse among those who had become peri/post-menopausal (peri/postmenopausal vs premenopausal: 2.82 vs. 2.29, p = 0.0229). On the other hand, patients who utilized traditional Chinese medicine had significantly worse scores for vasomotor, psychosocial and physical domains. Further, there was a significant association between MENQOL scores and FACT-B + 4 scores; less severe symptoms in the MENQOL domains were associated with better QoL scores in FACT-B + 4 physical, functional, psychosocial and emotional well-being, Breast Cancer Subscale, Arm Subscale and FACT-B total score.ConclusionAmong premenopausal breast cancer women who had undergone adjuvant chemotherapy, those who had received taxanes or tamoxifen, were overweight/obese and utilized traditional Chinese medicine had more severe menopausal symptoms. Patients who experienced worse menopausal symptoms were found to have worse breast cancer-specific QoL. Interventional studies with an aim to alleviate menopausal symptoms are warranted to assess if overall QoL of these patients could be improved.Trial registrationNot applicable.

Prevalence and severity of menopausal symptoms in women with coronary artery disease

Objetivo: Analisar a sintomatologia climatérica em mulheres com doença arterial coronariana. Métodos: Estudo realizado com quarenta (40) mulheres, clientes do Ambulatório de Cardiologia do Hospital da Universidade Federal do Maranhão. Utilizou-se a Escala de Avaliação da Menopausa para identificação e análise dos sintomas climatéricos. A pesquisa foi aprovada pelo Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa da Escola de Enfermagem de Ribeirão Preto da Universidade de São Paulo sob o CAEE 11288913.2.00005393 e a coleta dos dados foi realizada em 2103. Resultados: Os sintomas mais frequentemente relatados pelas mulheres foram a ansiedade (39), mal estar no coração (38), irritabilidade (38), problemas musculares e nas articulações (36), falta de ar (35) suores, calores (35) e esgotamento físico e mental (35), problemas de sono (34), estado de ânimo depressivo (32), problemas sexuais (30), problemas de bexiga (20) e ressecamento vaginal (15). Em relação a intensidade foram os problemas musculares e nas articulações (0,66), ansiedade (0,65), mal estar do coração (0,64), esgotamento físico e mental (0,60), irritabilidade (58) e falta de ar, suores, calores (57), estado de ânimo depressivo (0,55), problemas de sono (0,49), problemas sexuais (0,46), problemas de bexiga (0,29) e o ressecamento vaginal (0,17). A média de escore dos sintomas psicológicos foi 23,8; nos somáticos 23,6 e nos urogenitais 9,2. Conclusão:Os sintomas climatéricos parecem ser confundidos com problemas inerentes à idade e percebidos com mais intensidade na presença de doenças, inclusive a doença cardíaca.

The relationship of menopausal symptoms with the type of menopause and lipid levels.

IntroductionMany postmenopausal women experience hot flashes, night sweats, decreased sexual desire and vaginal dryness. In this study, we aimed to compare the menopause symptom levels of surgical menopause patients and natural menopause patients by using a Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) and investigate whether there is a relationship between lipid levels and menopausal symptoms in surgical menopause patients.Material and methodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted on postmenopausal women who applied to the gynecology outpatient clinic. A total of 187 patients were analyzed. Of these,112 were the surgical menopause group and the remaining 75 were the natural menopause group. Total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides were measured by using an enzymatic color test. In order to evaluate the postmenopausal symptoms of postmenopausal women included in the study, the MRS questionnaire adapted to the Turkish population was used.ResultsConsidering the results of the MRS of the two groups, the results of surgical menopause patients were found to be statistically significantly higher. The results were statistically significantly higher in both the total score and in the two subgroups(somatic and psychological subgroups)in the surgical menopause group. When the MRS results(subgroups and total score)of women in the surgical menopause group were classified as mild and severe, no statistically significant relationship was found between symptom severity and blood lipid levels.ConclusionsIn the surgically induced menopause group, it was shown by this study that menopausal symptoms were more severe than the natural menopause group. Unlike natural menopausal patients, no relationship was found between lipid levels and severity of menopausal symptoms in surgical menopausal patients.

Association of Menopausal Symptoms with Overweight and Obesity among Rural Middle Aged Women in North India: A Population Based Study.

Background:Overweight and obesity are important determinant of increasing morbidity among all age groups, including menopausal women. The symptoms of menopause have a negative impact on the quality of life.Objectives:The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence of overweight and obesity in menopausal women and also to find its association with menopausal symptoms and sociodemographic variables.Materials and Methods:The study was conducted among middle-aged women (40–60 years) from April 2018 to March 2019. The Menopausal Rating Scale was used to assess the severity of menopausal symptoms in 400 women, and data were collected for sociodemographic factors, menstrual history in the past month, and personal history.Results:About 35.5% of menopausal women were overweight/obese (26% overweight and 9.5% obese) with average body mass index of 23.9 ± 4.84 and mean age of 53.65 ± 5.11 years Joint and muscular discomfort (P = 0.001), hypertension (P = 0.014), literacy level (P = 0.009), and socioeconomic status (P = 0.01) were significantly associated with overweight/obesity. With reference to women with no/little somatic and urogenital complaints, the odds of developing obesity was more (adjusted odds) in patients with mild (odds ratio [OR] - 2.8), moderate (OR - 2.1), and severe (2.19) somatic complaints and also higher risk in patients with mild (OR-3.2), moderate (OR - 1.1), and severe (OR - 1.74) urogenital symptoms. The age of menopause was significantly more among overweight than normal-weight women (P = 0.033).Conclusion:Overweight and obesity associated with menopause require increased attention and a multidisciplinary approach to women's health to prevent morbidity in this population group.

Impaired Quality of Life and Its Determinants among Postmenopausal Women of Slum Communities in Bhubaneswar, India.

Background:The severity of menopausal symptoms negatively impacts a woman's quality of life (QoL).Objective:The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of menopause-related impaired QoL and determine its associated factors among postmenopausal women living in slum areas of Bhubaneswar, India.Materials and Methods:This cross-sectional study was conducted among 198 postmenopausal women aged 45–65 years during the year 2016–2017. The Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) was used to assess the prevalence and severity of menopausal symptoms.Results:Joint and muscular discomfort was the most prevalent moderate-to-severe symptom (90.4%), followed by hot flushes (72.8%), irritability (67.2%), and physical and mental exhaustion (64.2%). More than two-third (133, 67.2%) of women had impaired QoL (severe total MRS score ≥17). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that impaired QoL was associated younger age (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 4.6, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.12–9.98), tobacco consumption (AOR: 2.0, 95% CI: 1.05–3.82), not being satisfied in relation with husband (AOR: 3.33, 95% CI: 1.84–6.06), not having autonomy in health-care decision-making in the family (AOR: 2.30, 95% CI: 1.12–4.73), history of reproductive tract infection (AOR: 4.57, 95% CI: 1.71–12.19), and earlier onset of menopause (AOR: 3.26, 95% CI: 1.18–8.96).Conclusion:The point prevalence of menopause-related impaired QOL in postmenopausal women living in slums of Bhubaneswar was high. Incorporating these determinants in the existing strategies can be useful to improve the QoL of these women.

24-hour blood pressure profile analysis and comorbid pathology in postmenopausal female ­patients not receiving antihypertensive therapy

Aim. Assessment of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring data depending on the Charlson comorbidity index in postmenopause.
 Methods. A cross-sectional study included 129 outpatients who did not receive medical treatment for hypertension. Median age was 58.5 (54.062.0) years, postmenopause duration 9 (4.012.0) years. Investigation included medical history registration, physician examination by an internist, anthropometry with measurement of body mass, height with further body mass index calculation. Comorbid conditions were diagnosed according to current clinical guidelines. All females had ambulatory 24-hour blood pressure monitoring. Based on Charlson comorbidity index, the subjects were divided into groups with moderate comorbidity (Charlson index 2, group 1) and high comorbidity (Charlson index 2, group 2).
 Results. Females from group 2 were significantly older, had a longer duration of postmenopause and the severity of menopausal symptoms, higher body mass index values, functional limitations due to osteoarthritis, higher maximum and average 24-hour, average daily and average night systolic blood pressure levels as well as time index. No differences were revealed in the prevalence of females with night increase or absence of sufficient decrease of blood pressure at night. The absence of antihypertensive treatment in multimorbid postmenopausal females was associated with significant menopausal symptoms persistence.
 Conclusion. Blood pressure monitoring in multimorbid females can reveal higher average daily values of systolic and diastolic blood pressure, higher variability during 24 hour of systolic blood pressure and greater index of time of systolic blood pressure, which can be considered as a cardiovascular disease progression predictor; uncontrolled hypertension and persistence of neurovegetative symptoms of menopausal syndrome may be the markers of a higher risk of premature death compared to the assessment by Charlson index score.

Menopausal symptoms are associated with non-adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy in human immunodeficiency virus-infected middle-aged women

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the association between the intensity of menopausal symptoms and highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) adherence in middle-aged women with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 313 Peruvian women with HIV infection (age 40-59 years) were surveyed and classified as adherent or non-adherent to HAART based on the Antiretroviral Treatment Adherence Evaluation Questionnaire. The intensity of menopausal symptoms was assessed with the Menopause Rating Scale, and categorized as none, mild, moderate, and/or severe. Age, sexual orientation, used HAART scheme, time since HIV diagnosis, menopausal status, risk of depression, and presence of comorbidities were also assessed. Poisson generalized linear models with robust variance were performed in order to estimate crude prevalence ratios (PRs) and adjusted PRs using statistical (a1PR) and epidemiological criteria (a2PR).Results: A total of 19.9%, 32.6%, and 15.0% of all women presented mild, moderate, and severe menopausal symptoms, respectively. Overall, 70.6% women were non-adherent to HAART. The probability of non-adherence was higher in women with mild, moderate, and severe symptoms as compared to asymptomatic women in the non-adjusted model (PR: 1.79, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.39–2.29; PR: 1.76, 95% CI: 1.38–2.23; and PR: 2.07, 95% CI: 1.64–2.61, respectively) and the adjusted model.Conclusion: The severity of menopausal symptoms was associated with HAART non-adherence in HIV-infected middle-aged women.

The 17β-oestradiol treatment minimizes the adverse effects of protein restriction on bone parameters in ovariectomized Wistar rats: Relevance to osteoporosis and the menopause.

ObjectivesInsufficient protein ingestion may affect muscle and bone mass, increasing the risk of osteoporotic fractures in the elderly, and especially in postmenopausal women. We evaluated how a low-protein diet affects bone parameters under gonadal hormone deficiency and the improvement led by hormone replacement therapy (HRT) with 17β-oestradiol.MethodsFemale Wistar rats were divided into control (C), ovariectomized (OVX), and 17β-oestradiol-treated ovariectomized (OVX-HRT) groups, which were fed a control or an isocaloric low-protein diet (LP; 6.6% protein; seven animals per group). Morphometric, serum, and body composition parameters were assessed, as well as bone parameters, mechanical resistance, and mineralogy.ResultsThe results showed that protein restriction negatively affected body chemical composition and bone metabolism by the sex hormone deficiency condition in the OVX group. The association between undernutrition and hormone deficiency led to bone and muscle mass loss and increased the fragility of the bone (as well as decreasing relative femoral weight, bone mineral density, femoral elasticity, peak stress, and stress at offset yield). Although protein restriction induced more severe adverse effects compared with the controls, the combination with HRT showed an improvement in minimizing these damaging effects, as it was seen that HRT had some efficacy in maintaining muscle and bone mass, preserving the bone resistance and minimizing some deleterious processes during the menopause.ConclusionProtein restriction has adverse effects on metabolism, leading to more severe menopausal symptoms, and HRT could minimize these effects. Therefore, special attention should be given to a balanced diet during menopause and HRT.Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2019;8:573–581.

Current ecology, not ancestral dispersal patterns, influences menopause symptom severity.

All human females who reach midlife experience menopause, however, it is currently unclear why women experience this period of infertility, and why it is accompanied by many unpleasant symptoms. Using primary data from four ethnic groups in China, we test an existing theory that age of menopause and its symptoms are the result of intragenomic conflict between maternally and paternally inherited genes, with the outcome of such conflict predicted to be contingent on the ancestral postmarital residence pattern of the female (Úbeda, Ohtsuki, & Gardner, Ecology Letters, 17, 2014, 165). The model predicts that being ancestrally patrilocal results in less intragenomic conflict, causing a shorter, less symptomatic perimenopause that terminates in a later menopause. Our findings show no support for this hypothesis and suggest current, rather than ancestral, residence patterns better predict aspects of the menopausal transition. Furthermore, current patrilocality when compared to duolocality is associated with more severe menopause symptoms, which may be due to sexual, rather than intragenomic, conflict.Open Research Badges This article has earned an Open Data Badge for making publicly available the digitally‐shareable data necessary to reproduce the reported results. The data is available at https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.27s8k0p.

Türkiye'de Sağlığı Geliştirme Eğitim ve Danışmanlık Programının kadınlarda menopozal belirtilerin azaltılmasına yönelik etkisi

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the effect of health-promoting lifestyle education given to menopausal women in accordance with Pender’s Health Promoting Model (HPM) on reducing the menopausal symptoms.Materials and Methods: This study is a semi-experimental research with pre-test and post-test control groups. In the first stage of the study, Socio-demographic Information Form (SIF) and Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) were applied to 401 menopausal women to determine the severity of their menopausal symptoms. In the second phase of the study, women with intense menopausal symptoms were randomly divided into two groups. 32 menopausal women in initiative group and 32 menopausal women were in the control group. One group, the experimental group, received Health-Promoting Lifestyle Education (HPLE), while the other group was the control group. Menopause Rating Scale (MRS), Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile II (HPLP II), and Self-Efficacy Scale (SES) were applied as pretests in both groups. Health-promoting lifestyle education was given to the experimental group twice with a one-week break between the sessions and the sessions were completed in four weeks.Results: Statistically significant decreases were found in the total MRS scores and subdimension scores of the menopausal women in experimental group after the education.Conclusion: Health-promoting lifestyle education was found to be effective in reducing the severity of menopausal symptoms.

The Effects of Loneliness on Menopausal Symptoms

Objectives: This study was carried out to investigate the effect of menopausal symptoms on the loneliness of women in the menopausal period.Methods: The study sample consisted of 546 women who applied to the menopause polyclinic of a state hospital in Istanbul and agreed to participate in the study. Data were collected using the Personal Information Form, UCLA Loneliness Scale and Menopausal Symptom Rating Scale (MRS).Results: The mean age of the women included in the study was 52.70 ± 6.39. The mean scores of menopausal symptoms of women included in the study; were found to be higher in women with low education level (p = 0.001), women with big family structure (p = 0,002) and women with low income (p = 0,001). It was determined that women with less education (p = 0,015), women not working (p = 0,001) and women with low income (p = 0,001) were found to have higher mean loneliness scores. Correlation analysis revealed that the mean scores of menopausal symptoms were increased (p = 0,000) as the loneliness level average of women increased. Women with the most severe mean scores of menopausal symptoms were found to have the highest mean level of loneliness (p = 0,000).Conclusion: Women with high levels of loneliness were found to have experienced severe menopausal symptoms. It was determined that as women’s level of loneliness increased, menopausal symptoms increased.

Analysis of the long-term beneficial effects of menopausal hormone therapy on sleep quality and menopausal symptoms.

A large number of menopausal women report sleep disturbances along with psychological, somatic and urogenital menopausal symptoms. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of menopausal hormonal therapy (MHT) in improving subjective sleep quality and the severity of menopausal symptoms. An institutional ethics committee approved this retrospective chart review of 342 women treated with MHT for menopausal symptoms. Standard 28-day MHT consisted of the oral administration of 2 mg estradiol daily for 14 days, followed by 2 mg estradiol and 10 mg dydrogesterone daily for the remaining 14 days. A subgroup of 14 participants with a family history of cancer and mammography scores of 3 and above, received only tibolone 2.5 mg daily. Perceived sleep quality was measured with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), while the assessment of menopausal symptoms was performed using the Kupperman Menopause Index (KMI) and menopause rating scale (MRS). Of the 342 patients, 79 were followed-up for 3 years. Compared to the baseline scores, the mean decrease in PSQI scores was 1.53±0.29 points (P<0.0001) at 1 month, 2.21±0.187 points (P<0.0001) at 2 months and 2.26±0.6 points (P<0.0001) after 3 years of MHT. The KMI scores also decreased by a mean of 6.37±1.59 points (P<0.0001) at 1 month and by 8.73±1.92 points after 3 years (P<0.0001). The MRS scores decreased by a mean of 3.56±1.05 points (P<0.0001) at 1 month and by 4.28±2.01 points (P<0.0001) after 3 years, as compared to the baseline scores. Patients receiving tibolone MHT did not report any improvement in sleep quality (P=0.956). On the whole, the findings of this study indicate that conventional MHT has a rapid and prolonged beneficial effect on self-reported sleep quality and menopausal symptoms in women. However, further clinical studies are warranted to compare the effects of different MHT regimens.

Vegans Report Less Bothersome Sexual Symptoms in Perimenopause and Menopause

OBJECTIVES: To determine if diet choice (vegan vs. omnivore) and specific food consumption are associated with sexual menopausal symptoms and sexual behavior frequency.&#x0D; STUDY DESIGN: In a cross-sectional design, women aged 45 to 80 completed an online survey.&#x0D; MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The main outcome measure was the sexual symptoms subscale of the Menopause Quality of Life Questionnaire. Additionally, 2 sexual frequency variables (masturbation and intercourse) were based on responses to the Menopause Health Questionnaire.&#x0D; RESULTS: Correlations performed on 277 omnivores and 195 vegans in peri- or postmenopause showed that meat, fish, poultry intakes and dairy intake were positively associated with sexual symptom scores while vegetable and high omega-3 plant food intakes were negatively associated with sexual symptom scores. For those with completedata (n= 429)—87 women in perimenopause and 342 in postmenopause—general linear modeling was conducted with age, exercise level, age at menopause, use of hormone replacement therapy, and presence of sex organs as covariates. ere was a significant main effect of diet, with vegans reporting less bothersome sexual symptoms than omnivores, and a significant interaction of diet and menopausal status, with the difference between vegans and omnivores greater in peri- than postmenopausal women. When specific food groups were entered into the second and third steps, vegetable intake and cruciferous vegetable consumption were associated with less severe sexual menopausal symptoms. Diet type was not significantly related to sexual behavior frequency.&#x0D; CONCLUSIONS: Greater plant food and reduced animal food consumption is linked to less severe sexual changes in menopause.

Association between menopausal symptoms and relationship distress

ObjectiveTo determine the association between relationship distress and menopausal symptoms. Study designA retrospective analysis was conducted of questionnaires completed by women 40–65 years of age seeking menopause or sexual health consultation between May, 2015 and May, 2017. Main outcome measuresAssociations between menopausal symptoms assessed using the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) and relationship distress measured on the Kansas Marital Satisfaction Scale (KMSS) were evaluated with two-sample t-tests. Linear regression was used to assess associations after adjusting for potential confounders. ResultsThe sample of 1884 women averaged 53 years of age (SD = 6.1); most were white (95%), employed (66%), married (90%), and well-educated (≥ college graduate, 64%). Women reporting no relationship distress (KMSS ≥ 17) had less severe menopausal symptoms overall compared with women reporting relationship distress (total MRS score 13.1 vs 16.0, P < 0.001), with similar findings in each MRS domain. In multivariable analyses, this relationship persisted for total MRS scores and for psychological symptoms among women with no relationship distress, who scored an estimated 1.15 points (95% CI 0.52–1.78) lower on the total MRS and 0.82 points (95% CI 0.53–1.10) lower in the psychological symptom. ConclusionsThe absence of relationship distress was associated with less severe menopausal symptoms, particularly in the psychological domain, in women presenting to a women’s health clinic. Given the cross = sectional design, the direction of the relationship is unknown.

High Physical Activity Level May Reduce Menopausal Symptoms.

Background and Objectives: Menopause is a normal physiological change occurring at a woman’s mid-life. During this time, women experience vasomotor, physical and physiological problems, which reduce their quality of life. Many women are searching for different, alternative methods to reduce the severity of menopausal symptoms. Physical activity (PA) is one of the recommended methods to reduce menopausal symptoms. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between specific domains (physical activity during leisure time, at work, during transportation and household activities) and the menopausal symptoms. Materials and Methods: We included 305 women aged 40–65 in the study. All participants were divided into three groups according to menopausal status. The research tools used were the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) to assess physical activity level in four domains and the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) to assess the severity of menopausal symptoms. The data analysis was performed by Chi-square test and analysis of variance (ANOVA) with post hoc Tuckey test. Results: Menopausal stage was significantly associated with the total MRS score (p < 0.001) and specifically the urogenital and somato–vegetative subscores (p < 0.001). Physical activity was significantly associated (p < 0.001) with leisure time (according to IPAQ domains). Most postmenopausal women had high PA level (59.66%). Significantly less women with high PA levels had severe urogenital symptoms: 10.82% of participant with a low PA level, 11.15% with a moderate PA level and 4.26% with a high PA level (p = 0.046). Conclusions: Physical activity during leisure time is associated to menopausal symptoms in Polish women. Women with high and moderate PA levels have less severe menopausal symptoms compared to inactive women. Middle-aged women with low PA levels at work suffer from more severe somato–vegetative symptoms.

Menopausal symptoms and related factors among Cambodian women

ABSTRACTThis study analyzed the prevalence and severity of menopausal symptoms and associated factors among Cambodian women. A cross-sectional study was performed with 200 women aged 40–60 years in three provinces and one urban area in Cambodia from July 2017 to August 2017. Three symptom categories: somatic, psychological, and urogenital symptoms (totaling 11 symptoms) related to menopause were assessed using the Khmer version of Menopause Rating Scale (MRS). Over one-fifth (21.5%) of the participants were premenopausal; 22.5% were perimenopausal, and 56% were postmenopausal. Somatic and psychological symptoms occurred more frequently than urogenital symptoms in all three statuses. The three most prevalent symptoms for all women were physical and mental exhaustion (88.1%), irritability (85.9%), and sleep problems (82.5%). The average MRS score was 12.22 ± 5.37 (range 0–44). Postmenopausal women had significantly higher rates of menopausal symptoms than pre- and perimenopausal women. Increased severity of menopausal symptoms was associated with less personal income (≤100 US$), higher parity (>4 children), abortion(s), use of calcium supplements, and history of heart disease and rheumatoid arthritis. This study demonstrated a high prevalence of menopausal symptoms among Cambodian women in Cambodia. A multidisciplinary approach is needed to deal with independent factors associated with these symptoms.

Prevalence of Depression among Postmenopausal Women in National Guard Primary Healthcare Centers, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Background: Reports of prevalence rates of depression in postmenopause show inconsistent results, with some studies demonstrating an increase in depressive symptoms whereas others show a decrease or no difference. Objectives: To estimate the prevalence and define some risk factors of depression in postmenopausal women aged 45-65 years in primary health care settings in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Subjects and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted throughout the period June-August, 2018 at King Abdul Aziz Medical City-National Guard (KAMC-NG) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in three large primary care centers. It included a sample of postmenopausal women who completed at least 12 months of amenorrhea and aged between 45 and 65 years. The Arabic version of PHQ-9 was utilized to detect depression and Menopausal rating scale (MRS) was used to assess the severity of menopausal symptoms. Results: The study included 300 women. The prevalence of major depressive symptoms among them was 29%. More than half (60.7%) of the respondents had moderate social support, three quarters (75%) scored mild to severe symptoms on the menopausal rating scale while 25% were asymptomatic.Women who were: unmarried (84.2%), housewives (79.2%), illiterate (83.2%), menopaused since≥10 years (87.5%), having more than five children (81.4%), underwent oophorectomy (100%), with poor social support (93.9%) and never exercised (82.4%) were more likely to report mild to severe symptoms. Also, significantly higher percentages of participants who have hypertension (81.9%), diabetes (82.1%), Dyslipedemia (88.1%) and hypothyroidism (81.4 %) experienced mild to severe menopausal symptoms, p&lt;0.05. The degree of severity on the PHQ has strong significant (P&lt;0.001) correlation with marital status, employment status, educational level and income. Conclusion: Depression is a relatively common disorder among postmenopausal women in Riyadh. Some sociodemographic indicators were identified. Care should be paid to this important group and further larger studies are recommended.

The Effect of Hypericum Perforatum L. on Severity of Early Menopause Symptoms

Objective: Menopause might lead to physical, mental problems for women and also disruption theirlife quality. Despite the existance of a single treatment to remove the disorders, herbal medicine is referable to chemical one in that they alleviate the related symptoms. The present research study aims to investigate the effect of Hypericum Perforatum L. on severity of early symptoms of menopause. Materials and Method: This double blind clinical trial study was conducted on 70 menopause women (two 35-person groups) picked out by a purposive sampling procedure. The first group received 160 mg Hypericum Perforatum L. (Perforin pill) while the second one received a placebo (ineffective pill). Menopause symptoms of 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks after taking the pill or placebo were recorded in the 'Kupperman index' for menopause symptoms. The gathered data were then analyzed via independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, and repeated measure variance. Significance level was P≤0.05. Results: The age average in the medicine group was 50.49±2.74 and in the placebo group was 50.63±2.87. Body Mass Index (BMI) showed an overweight in both groups (27.29±0.75, 27.23±0.64). Furthermore, comparing the 'Kupperman index'for symptoms between the two groups in 6, 4, and 8 weeks after intervention revealed that the Hypericum Perforatum L. significantly had positive effects on alleviation of eraly menopause symptoms compared to placebo (P≤0.001). Conclusion: The results indicated that Hypericum Perforatum L. might alleviate the severity of early menopause symptoms. Thus, given its being economical and also its slight side effects, it is recommended as a suitable and desirable replacement for counterpart chemical medicine.&#x0D;

Prevalence and Severity of Menopausal Symptoms and the Quality of Life in Middle-aged Women: A Study from Sri Lanka.

Menopausal symptoms and quality of life (QOL) of pre- and postmenopausal women in Sri Lanka have not been studied adequately. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and severity of menopausal symptoms and the QOL of pre- and postmenopausal women in Galle District, Sri Lanka. A cross-sectional study was conducted with a randomly selected sample of premenopausal (n=184) and postmenopausal (n=166) community-dwelling healthy women aged 30-60 years. The mean (SD) ages of pre- and postmenopausal women, respectively, were 46.1(3.7) and 55.8(3.8) years. Menopausal symptoms were evaluated using the menopause rating scale under three subscales: psychological symptoms, somatovegetative symptoms, and urogenital symptoms. The QOL was evaluated using the short form 36 survey under eight domains. Further, sociodemographic status, gynaecologic factors, physical activity pattern (walking, moderate, and vigorous), body mass index, and waist to hip ratio were also evaluated. The prevalence and severity of all the menopausal symptoms were higher among postmenopausal women. In premenopausal women, the most frequently reported menopausal symptoms were mental exhaustion (49.5%), joint and muscular discomforts (48.5%), and irritability (41.3%). Physical and mental exhaustion (53%), irritability (48.2%), depressive mood (43.4%), and hot flushes (42.2%) were the most frequently reported menopausal symptoms in postmenopausal women. The QOL was significantly impaired among postmenopausal women [mean (SD); 57.47(18.83)] compared to premenopausal women [mean (SD); 66.82(17.93)] (p<0.001). Psychological symptoms score and somatovegetative symptoms score were associated with the QOL of premenopausal women (adjusted R2; 0.35). Somatovegetative symptoms score, psychological symptoms score, moderate and vigorous physical activity scores, and monthly income were associated with the QOL in postmenopausal women (adjusted R2; 0.38). The current study showed that the prevalence and severity of menopausal symptoms and impaired QOL were significantly higher among postmenopausal women, compared to premenopausal women. Menopausal symptoms mostly contributed to the poorer QOL in both pre- and postmenopausal women.