Characteristics of women seeking treatment for premenstrual syndrome in Taiwan.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the characteristics of 150 women who visited a premenstrual syndrome (PMS) clinic in a Taiwanese medical center staffed by both psychiatrists and gynecologists.


METHODS
All subjects were interviewed and assessed for premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) using DSM-IV criteria, a PMS questionnaire, and the structured Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). Where PMDD was suspected, subjects were followed using a daily symptom record.


RESULTS
A total of 110 subjects (73%) met the ICD-10 criteria for PMS. The most common PMS symptoms were minor psychological discomfort, muscular tension, and aches or pains. For 129 subjects (86%), other concurrent psychiatric disorders were diagnosed using the MINI. Of these, 48 (37%) reported premenstrual exacerbation (PME) of a previously diagnosed psychiatric condition.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study indicate that women who complain of PMS may be at a high risk of other psychiatric dysfunction, especially mood disorder. Further, the high proportion of PME cases determined in this study suggests that further investigation is required.
Hsiao
Mei-Chun
MC
Department of Psychiatry, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University School of Medicine, Tao-yuan, Taiwan.
Liu
Chia-Yih
CY
Chen
Kuang-Chao
KC
Hsieh
T'sang-T'ang
TT
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D011293:Premenstrual Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology