Relation between climacteric symptoms and ovarian hypofunction in middle-aged and older Japanese women.
OBJECTIVE
To gain insight into the characteristics and current status of climacteric symptoms reported by middle-aged and older women in Japan, we surveyed women presenting at our menopause clinic.


METHODS
The participants included 1,069 women, ranging in age from 40 to less than 60 years (mean age, 50.2 y). Climacteric (indefinite) symptoms were objectively assessed with the use of the Keio questionnaire, which grades the severity of 40 types of symptoms classified into 20 subgroups. The total scores obtained for the 40 symptoms were used to calculate symptom prevalence and severity. To evaluate ovarian function, concentrations of estradiol and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in sera were measured.


RESULTS
The most frequent symptom was general fatigue, reported by 88.2% of the women. Shoulder stiffness was the symptom rated to be severe by the highest percentage of women (38.1%). The prevalence and severity of hot flushes (and sweats) were slightly higher in perimenopausal and early postmenopausal women than in premenopausal and late postmenopausal women. The prevalence and severity of hot flushes and sweats were higher in women with estradiol < 25 pg/mL and FSH > 40 mIU/mL than in those with estradiol > or = 25 pg/mL and FSH < or = 40 mIU/mL.


CONCLUSIONS
General fatigue and shoulder stiffness, symptoms with low hormone dependence, are the two most frequent climacteric symptoms in our clinic. Hot flushes and sweats, symptoms with high hormone dependence, are also common symptoms.
Kasuga
Michiko
M
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan.
Makita
Kazuya
K
Ishitani
Ken
K
Takamatsu
Kiyoshi
K
Watanabe
Kenji
K
Plotnikoff
Gregory A
GA
Horiguchi
Fumi
F
Nozawa
Shiro
S
D000328:Adult; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D019584:Hot Flashes / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008593:Menopause; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D004958:Estradiol; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone