Cyclicity of breast tenderness and night-time vasomotor symptoms in mid-life women: information collected using the Daily Perimenopause Diary.
OBJECTIVE
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).


CONCLUSIONS
Daily Perimenopause Diaries from mid-life women show premenstrual increases in breast tenderness and night sweats.
Hale
G E
GE
University of Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Hitchcock
C L
CL
Williams
L A
LA
Vigna
Y M
YM
Prior
J C
JC
D000328:Adult; D001831:Body Temperature; D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D001955:British Columbia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D002979:Climacteric; D005260:Female; D019584:Hot Flashes / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008597:Menstrual Cycle; D008875:Middle Aged; D009517:New South Wales / Q000453:epidemiology; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014904:Western Australia