The purpose was to explore cyclicity of breast tenderness and vasomotor symptoms in menstruating mid-life women using the Daily Perimenopause Diary.
Methods
Untreated mid-life women from a convenience sample completed the Daily Perimenopause Diary for clinical (n = 14) or research (n = 10) assessments. Breast tenderness, sleep disturbance and day and night vasomotor intensity were rated on a 0-4 scale with vasomotor number as a count. Daily oral temperature data were analyzed using the Quantitative Basal Temperature algorithm to assess ovulation and estimate luteal phase length. Analysis of variance tested cyclicity using the mean of three 3-day windows (during flow, at mid-cycle and premenstrually).
Results
Ninety-eight complete flow-to-flow diaries (from 24 women, mean age 47 years, cycle length 27 +/- 6.4 (standard deviation) days) were available, with quantitative temperature data for 60 cycles in 16 women. Of assessed cycles, 90% were ovulatory; 25% had luteal phases < 10 days. Breast tenderness was maximal in the premenstrual window overall (p < 0.0001) and in the ovulatory subset. Night sweats were maximal premenstrually (p = 0.0035) except in anovulatory cycles. Daytime flushes were not cyclic (p = 0.1333) except in ovulatory cycles (p = 0.031).
Conclusion
Daily Perimenopause Diaries from mid-life women show premenstrual increases in breast tenderness and night sweats.
Prior JC perimenopause breast tenderness cyclicity, night vasomotor symptoms mid-life menstruating women, Daily Perimenopause Diary symptom tracking, luteal phase length perimenopausal ovulation assessment, premenstrual night sweats perimenopause ovulatory cycles, quantitative basal temperature algorithm ovulation detection, short luteal phase perimenopause breast tenderness, anovulatory cycles vasomotor symptoms perimenopause, Hale Hitchcock Prior perimenopause diary study, mid-life women cyclic symptoms hot flashes breast tenderness
Cite this article
Hale, G. E., Hitchcock, C. L., Williams, L. A., Vigna, Y. M., & Prior, J. C. (2003). Cyclicity of breast tenderness and night-time vasomotor symptoms in mid-life women: information collected using the Daily Perimenopause Diary. Climacteric : the journal of the International Menopause Society, 6(2), 128-139.
Hale GE, Hitchcock CL, Williams LA, Vigna YM, Prior JC. Cyclicity of breast tenderness and night-time vasomotor symptoms in mid-life women: information collected using the Daily Perimenopause Diary. Climacteric. 2003;6(2):128-139.
Hale, G. E., et al. "Cyclicity of breast tenderness and night-time vasomotor symptoms in mid-life women: information collected using the Daily Perimenopause Diary." Climacteric : the journal of the International Menopause Society, vol. 6, no. 2, 2003, pp. 128-139.
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