title: A large multinational study of vasomotor symptom prevalence, duration, and impact on quality of life in middle-aged women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine vasomotor symptom (VMS) prevalence, duration, and impact on quality of life in middle-aged women using a validated menopausal tool.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) and an itemized questionnaire containing personal sociodemographic data were used to examine 8,373 women aged 40 to 59 years from 22 healthcare centers in 12 Latin American countries.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Less than half (48.8%) of all women studied were postmenopausal, 14.7% used hormone therapy (HT), 54.5% presented VMS of any degree, and 9.6% presented severe/bothersome symptoms. The rate of VMS (any degree) significantly increased from one menopausal stage to the next. HT users presented more VMS (any degree) than did nonusers (58.6% vs 53.8%, P = 0.001). When surgical postmenopausal women were compared, non-HT users displayed a higher prevalence of severe VMS (16.1% vs 9.0%, P = 0.0001). The presence of VMS of any degree was related to a more impaired quality of life (higher total MRS score; odds ratio, 4.7; 95% CI, 4.1-5.3). This effect was even higher among women presenting severe VMS. Logistic regression analysis determined that the presence of severe psychological/urogenital symptoms (MRS), lower educational level, natural perimenopause-postmenopause status, nulliparity, surgical menopause, and living at high altitude were significant risk factors for severe VMS. HT use was related to a lower risk. A second regression model determined that surgical menopause, intense psychological/urogenital symptoms, and a history of psychiatric consultation were factors related to severe VMS persisting into the late postmenopausal stage (5 or more years).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this Latin American middle-aged series, VMS prevalence was high, persisting into the late postmenopausal phase in a high rate and severely impairing quality of life. HT use was related to a lower risk of severe VMS.
authors.affiliation: Collaborative Group for Research of the Climacteric in Latin America.
authors.forename: Juan E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Blümel
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chedraui
authors.forename: German
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Baron
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Belzares
authors.forename: Ascanio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bencosme
authors.forename: Andres
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Calle
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Danckers
authors.forename: Maria T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Espinoza
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Flores
authors.forename: Gustavo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gomez
authors.forename: Jose A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Hernandez-Bueno
authors.forename: Humberto
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Izaguirre
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Leon-Leon
authors.forename: Selva
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mezones-Holguin
authors.forename: Alvaro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Monterrosa
authors.forename: Desire
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mostajo
authors.forename: Daysi
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Navarro
authors.forename: Eliana
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ojeda
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Onatra
authors.forename: Monique
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Royer
authors.forename: Edwin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Soto
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tserotas
authors.forename: Soledad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vallejo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy; D005260:Female; D019584:Hot Flashes / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007843:Latin America / Q000453:epidemiology; D008593:Menopause; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011788:Quality of Life; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D014666:Vasomotor System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016387:Women's Health