Factors associated with climacteric symptoms in women around menopause attending menopause clinics in Italy.
OBJECTIVE
To obtain data on correlates of climacteric symptoms in women around menopause attending menopause clinics in Italy.


METHODS
Since 1997 a large cross sectional study has been conducted on the characteristics of women around menopause attending a network of first level menopause outpatient's clinics in Italy. A total of 66,501 (mean age 54.4 years) women are considered in the present paper.


RESULTS
The odds ratios of moderate and severe hot flashes/night sweats were lower in more educated women and (for severe symptoms only) in women reporting regular physical activity. Depression, difficulty to sleep, forgetfulness and irritability tended to be less frequent in more educated women and (depression only) in women reporting regular physical activity. Parous women reported more frequently these symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
This large study confirms in Southern European population that low education, body mass index and low physical activity are associated with climacteric symptoms. Parous women are at greater risk of psychological symptoms.
Di Donato
P
P
Associazione Osterici Ginecologi Italiani Via Abamonti, I Milano 20100, Italy.
Giulini
N A
NA
Bacchi Modena
A
A
Cicchetti
G
G
Comitini
G
G
Gentile
G
G
Cristiani
P
P
Careccia
A
A
Esposito
E
E
Gualdi
F
F
Golinelli
S
S
Bergamini
E
E
Masellis
G
G
Rastelli
S
S
Gigli
C
C
Elia
A
A
Marchesoni
D
D
Sticotti
F
F
Del Frate
G
G
Zompicchiatti
C
C
Marino
L
L
Costa
M R
MR
Pinto
P
P
Dodero
D
D
Storace
A
A
Spinelli
G
G
Quaranta
S
S
Bossi
C M
CM
Ollago
A
A
Omodei
U
U
Vaccari
M
M
Luerti
M
M
Repetti
F
F
Zandonini
G
G
Raspagliesi
F
F
Dolci
F
F
Gambarino
G
G
De Pasquale
B
B
Polizzotti
G
G
Borsellino
G
G
Alpinelli
P
P
Natale
N
N
Colombo
D
D
Belloni
C
C
Viani
A
A
Cecchini
G
G
Vinci
G W
GW
Samaja
B A
BA
Pasinetti
E
E
Penotti
M
M
Ognissanti
F
F
Pesando
P
P
Malanetto
C
C
Gallo
M
M
Dolfin
G
G
Tartaglino
P
P
Mossotto
D
D
Pistoni
A
A
Tarani
A
A
Rattazzi
P D
PD
Rossaro
D
D
Campanella
M
M
Arisi
E
E
Gamper
M
M
Salvatores
D
D
Bocchin
E
E
Stellin
G
G
Meli
G
G
Azzini
V
V
Tirozzi
F
F
Buoso
G
G
Fraioli
R
R
Marsoni
V
V
Cetera
C
C
Sposetti
R
R
Candiotto
E
E
Sposetti
R
R
Candiotto
E
E
Pignalosa
R
R
Del Pup
L
L
Bellati
U
U
Angeloni
C
C
Buonerba
M
M
Garzarelli
S
S
Santilli
C
C
Mucci
M
M
Di Nisio
Q
Q
Cappa
F
F
Pierangeli
I
I
Cordone
A
A
Falasca
L
L
Ferrante
D
D
Cirese
E
E
Todaro
P A
PA
Spagnuolo
L
L
Lanzone
A
A
Donadio
C
C
Fabiani
M
M
Baldaccini
E
E
Votano
S
S
Bellardini
P
P
Favale
W
W
Pietrobattista
V
V
Massacesi
L
L
Donini
G
G
Del Savio
F
F
Palombi
L
L
Procaccioli
P
P
Romani
A
A
Romagnoli
G
G
Genazzani
A R
AR
Gambacciani
M
M
Scarselli
G
G
Curiel
P
P
De Leo
V
V
Melani
A
A
Levi D'Ancona
V
V
Giarrè
G
G
Di Gioia
E
E
Ceccarelli
P
P
Massi
G B
GB
Cosci
S
S
Gacci
G
G
Cascianini
A
A
Donati Sarti
C
C
Bircolotti
S
S
Pupita
P
P
Mincigrucci
M
M
Spadafora
A
A
Santeufemia
G
G
Marongiu
G
G
Lai
G R
GR
Lai
R
R
Dessole
S
S
D'Andrea
S A
SA
Coppola
Chiantera
A
A
De Placido
Arienzo
R
R
Pastore
A R
AR
Tamburrino
A
A
Cardone
A
A
Colacurci
N
N
Izzo
S
S
Tesauro
R
R
Pascarella
A
A
De Silvio
M G
MG
Di Prisco
L
L
Lauda
N
N
Sirimarco
F
F
Agrimi
C
C
Casarella
G
G
Senatore
G
G
Ronzini
S
S
Ruccia
G
G
De Carlo
G
G
Pisaturo
G
G
Carlomagno
F
F
Fasolino
A
A
Fiorillo
F
F
Sorrentino
R
R
Ercolano
V B
VB
Panariello
S
S
Brun
A
A
Tropea
P
P
Stigliano
C M
CM
Amoroso
A
A
Vadalà
P
P
Coco
A
A
Galati
G
G
Barese
G
G
Masciari
G
G
Pirillo
P
P
Gioffrè
T
T
Mastrantonio
P
P
Cardamone
A
A
D'Angelo
N
N
Valentino
G
G
Barretta
R
R
Ferraro
G
G
Ferruccio
C
C
Agostinelli
D
D
Corrado
G
G
Scopelliti
A
A
Schonauer
S
S
Trojano
V
V
Bongiovanni
F
F
Tinelli
F
F
Poddi
E R
ER
Scarpello
F
F
Colonna
L
L
Fischetti
G
G
Doria
R
R
Trombetta
G
G
Cocca
E B
EB
D'Amore
A
A
Di Masi
M
M
Liguori
R
R
Dimaggio
A
A
Laneve
M R
MR
Maolo
M C
MC
Gravina
G
G
Nacci
G
G
Nocera
F
F
Lupo
A
A
Giannola
C
C
Graziano
R
R
Mezzatesta
M
M
Vegna
G
G
Giannone
G
G
Palumbo
G
G
Cancellieri
F
F
Mondo
A
A
Cordopatri
A
A
Carrubba
M
M
Mazzola
V
V
Cincotta
L
L
D'Asta
S
S
Bono
A
A
Li Calsi
L
L
Cavallaro Nigro
S
S
Schilirò
S
S
Repici
A
A
Gullo
D
D
Orlando
A
A
Specchiale
F
F
Papotto
A
A
Angeloni
D'Andrea
Stigliano
Arienzo
Di Donato
Giulini
Gigli
Todaro
Marino
Luerti
Donini
Ferrante
Dolfin
Poddi
Santeufemia
Nocera
Melani
Arisi
Mincigrucci
Salvatores
Bocchin
Massacesi
A
A
Chiantera
A
A
De Aloysio
P
P
Omodei
U
U
Ognissanti
F
F
Campagnoli
C
C
Penotti
M
M
Gambacciani
A
A
Graziottin
A
A
Baldi
C
C
Colacurci
N
N
Tonti
G Corrado
GC
Parazzini
F
F
Chatenoud
L
L
Donati Sarti
C
C
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002979:Climacteric / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D004032:Diet; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000453:epidemiology; D019584:Hot Flashes / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D016015:Logistic Models; D017533:Marital Status; D008593:Menopause / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D017584:Reproductive History; D012907:Smoking