[Epidemiological investigation of perimenopausal women in Shanghai].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the cognitive level and the mental status of the patients suffering from perimenopausal syndrome in Shanghai, and to identify the traditional Chinese medicine syndrome distribution feature of perimenopausal syndrome.


METHODS
The cognitive level of the perimenopausal women was evaluated by using general living problem questionnaire. The mental status of the perimenopausal women was evaluated by using self-rating depressive scale. The traditional Chinese medicine syndrome distribution feature of perimenopausal syndrome was identified by using traditional Chinese medical symptoms questionnaire.


RESULTS
A total of 634 perimenopausal women finished the investigation. There were 74.76% (474/634) patients who knew little about the perimenopausal syndrome; 77.29% (490/634) patients had a depressive tendency; 8.36% (53/634) patients had depressive disorder. There were 72.40% (459/634) patients who had the symptoms such as susceptibility to anger and restlessness, restless sleep at night, thirst with dry throat and bitter taste, and all these symptoms could be classified into hyperactivity of heart and liver fire syndrome.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients suffering from perimenopausal syndrome know little about this disease and mostly have depressive tendency, and the major traditional Chinese medicine syndrome pattern is hyperactivity of heart and liver fire based on the chief clinical manifestations of the patients.
Zheng
Jin
J
Department of Gynecology, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200032, China. Zhengj718@sohu.com
Li
Ji
J
Zhang
Li
L
Hu
Guo-hua
GH
Yu
Chao-qin
CQ
Zhang
Zhao-fen
ZF
Ni
Shuang
S
Wei
Mei-juan
MJ
D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D008875:Middle Aged; D047648:Perimenopause / Q000523:psychology*; D013577:Syndrome