Oligomenorrhoea in adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus: relationship to glycaemic control.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate oligomenorrhoea in adolescents with type 1 diabetes and the possible relationship with glycaemic control.


METHODS
The study group consisted of 81 female adolescents with type 1 diabetes whose mean age was 15.0 years (range 12-18). The control group consisted of 205 healthy adolescents with a mean age of 15.5 years (range 12-18). Data on menstruation were collected by two parallel self-administered questionnaires. Oligomenorrhoea was defined as having a menstrual cycle longer than 36 days throughout the past year (5-6/year). The metabolic control of diabetes was evaluated by calculating the mean value of HbA1c during the past year.


RESULTS
Age of menarche was greater for adolescents with type 1 diabetes (12.2 ± 1.4 vs. 11.7 ± 1.2, p < 0.000) compared to healthy age-matched controls. Logistic regression analysis with oligomenorrhoea as the dependent binary variable revealed an odds ratio equal to 7.8 (95% CI 3.411-17.853) for adolescents with type 1 diabetes (p < 0.000). Finally, a second logistic regression analysis, concerning only adolescents with type 1 diabetes and with the same binary variable, estimated an odds ratio of 4.8 (95% CI 1.784-13.057, p < 0.002) for HbA1c, and an odds ratio of 5.3 (95% CI 1.821-15.130, p < 0.002) for the frequency of hypoglycaemia.


CONCLUSIONS
In adolescents with type 1 diabetes, menarche occurs later and oligomenorrhoea is more frequent. The relative risk of having oligomenorrhoea is greater when there is an increased value of HbA1c or when hypoglycaemia is more frequent.
Deltsidou
Anna
A
School of Nursing Studies, Technological Educational Institute, Lamia 35100, Greece. deltsidou@teilam.gr
Lemonidou
Chryssoula
C
Zarikas
Vasilios
V
Matziou
Vassiliki
V
Bartsocas
Christos S
CS
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D009839:Oligomenorrhea / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence
D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; C517652:hemoglobin A1c protein, human