Clinical characteristics of women with menstrual-linked asthma.
BACKGROUND
Menstrual-linked asthma (MLA) is described in pre-menopausal women who experience a deterioration of asthma control peri-menstrually. The clinical characteristics of MLA remain incompletely defined. Our objective was to define the characteristics of MLA in a large female asthma cohort.


METHODS
Cross-sectional population survey. A comprehensive health questionnaire that included questions about MLA was administered to 1260 consecutive female asthma patients aged 12-55 years. Univariate and multivariate analyses were completed.


RESULTS
The survey response rate was 43% (540/1260). The prevalence of self-reported MLA was 11% (60/540). Univariate: women with MLA compared to women without MLA had more urgent/emergent asthma-related healthcare visits/year, 6.18 (SD = ± 6.67) vs. 4.71 (SD = ± 5.91) (p=0.033), more emergency room visits, 1.50 (SD = ± 3.57) vs. 0.88 (SD = ± 2.27) (p=0.035), higher asthma-related absenteeism, 33/60 (57%) vs. 170/471 (37%) (p=0.003), and used almost twice the number of B(2)-agonist rescue doses/day, 1.13 (SD = ± 1.70) vs. 0.68 (SD = ± 1.32) (p=0.015). Multivariate: statistical significance was retained for absenteeism (p=0.016) and B(2)-agonist use (p=0.007) but lost for urgent healthcare visits (p=0.150) and emergency room visits (p=0.068).


CONCLUSIONS
Self-reported MLA is common. Women with MLA in our population had a greater frequency of urgent healthcare visits, a higher rate of absenteeism, and used significantly more B(2)-agonist rescue than women without MLA. The association of increased health services use was not confirmed on multivariate analysis indicating that baseline characteristics associated with MLA in our population affected this outcome. MLA should be considered by healthcare providers when developing an asthma management plan.
Fowler Kennedy Sport Medicine Clinic, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond Street, London, Ontario N6A3K7, Canada. jane.s.thornton@gmail.com
Jane
J
Thornton
Jim
J
Lewis
Constance M
CM
Lebrun
Christopher J
CJ
Licskai
D000041:Absenteeism; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume / Q000502:physiology; D006295:Health Resources / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008599:Menstruation Disturbances / Q000150:complications*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014797:Vital Capacity / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents