Prevalence and predictors of night sweats, day sweats, and hot flashes in older primary care patients: an OKPRN study.
OBJECTIVE
We wanted to estimate the prevalence of night sweats, day sweats, and hot flashes in older primary care patients and identify associated factors.


METHODS
We undertook a cross-sectional study of patients older than 64 years recruited from the practices of 23 family physicians. Variables included sociodemographic information, health habits, chronic medical problems, symptoms, quality of life, and the degree to which patients were bothered by night sweats, daytime sweating, and hot flashes.


RESULTS
Among the 795 patients, 10% reported being bothered by night sweats, 9% by day sweats, and 8% by hot flashes. Eighteen percent reported at least 1 of these symptoms. The 3 symptoms were strongly correlated. Factors associated with night sweats in the multivariate models were age (odds ratio [OR] 0.94/y; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.89-0.98), fever (OR 12.60; 95% CI, 6.58-24.14), muscle cramps (OR 2.84; 95% CI, 1.53-5.24), numbness of hands and feet (OR 3.34; 95% CI, 1.92-5.81), impaired vision (OR 2.45; 95% CI, 1.41-4.27), and hearing loss (OR 1.84; 95% CI, 1.03-3.27). Day sweats were associated with fever (OR 4.10; 95% CI, 2.14-7.87), restless legs (OR 3.22; 95% CI, 1.76-5.89), lightheadedness (OR 2.24; 95% CI, 1.30-3.88), and diabetes (OR 2.19; 95% CI, 1.22-3.92). Hot flashes were associated with nonwhite race (OR 3.10; 95% CI, 1.60-5.98), fever (OR 3.98; 95% CI, 1.97-8.04), bone pain (OR 2.31; CI 95%: 1.30-4.08), impaired vision (OR 2.12; 95% CI, 1.19-3.79), and nervous spells (OR 1.87; 95% CI, 1.01-3.46). All 3 symptoms were associated with reduced quality of life.


CONCLUSIONS
Many older patients are bothered by night sweats, day sweats, and hot flashes. Though these symptoms are similar and related, they have somewhat different associations with other variables. Clinical evaluation should include questions about febrile illnesses, sensory deficits, anxiety, depression, pain, muscle cramps, and restless legs syndrome.
Mold
James W
JW
Oklahoma Center for Family Medicine Research, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Okla 73104, USA. james-mold@ouhsc.edu
Roberts
Michelle
M
Aboshady
Hesham M
HM
D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D019584:Hot Flashes / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D006945:Hyperhidrosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008593:Menopause; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009825:Oklahoma / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution