Substance use and psychotherapeutic medications: a likely contributor to menstrual disorders in women who are seropositive for human immunodeficiency virus.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of substance use and psychotherapeutic medications on menstrual characteristics in women who are human immunodeficiency virus seropositive and seronegative.


METHODS
Menstrual calendars were prospectively collected for 1075 women who were human immunodeficiency virus seropositive and seronegative and who were enrolled in the Women's Interagency Human Immunodeficiency Virus Study or the Human Immunodeficiency Virus Epidemiology Research Study; several of the women were substance users or recipients of psychotherapeutic medications.


RESULTS
Women who received methadone maintenance and who used injection drugs had substantially increased odds of a cycle of >or=90 days (odds ratio, 2.28; 95% CI, 1.23-4.22; and odds ratio, 3.87; 95% CI, 2.16-6.95, respectively). The use of psychotherapeutic medications increased the odds of having very short cycles, <18 days, and cycles of >or=90 days (odds ratio, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.16-2.45; and odds ratio, 1.86; 95% CI, 1.03-3.36, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Clinicians should evaluate substance use, participation in methadone maintenance programs, and the use of psychotherapeutic medications and consider the neuroendocrinologic effects of these medications as a potential cause of menstrual disruptions.
Harlow
Siobán D
SD
Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA.
Cohen
Mardge
M
Ohmit
Suzanne E
SE
Schuman
Paula
P
Cu-Uvin
Susan
S
Lin
Xihong
X
Greenblatt
Ruth
R
Gurtman
Alejandra
A
Khalsa
Ann
A
Minkoff
Howard
H
Young
Mary A
MA
Klein
Robert S
RS
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D018023:HIV Seronegativity; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008599:Menstruation Disturbances / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008691:Methadone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D009294:Narcotics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D013997:Time Factors
D009294:Narcotics; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs; D008691:Methadone