title: Menopause could be involved in the pathogenesis of muscle and joint aches in mid-aged women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Muscle and joint aches (MJA) are frequently observed among menopausal women. They impair quality of life and are a burden to the healthcare system.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the relation between MJA and several variables related to the menopause.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross-sectional study, 8373 healthy women aged 40-59 years, accompanying patients to healthcare centers in 18 cities of 12 Latin American countries, were asked to fill out the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) and a questionnaire containing personal data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean age of the whole sample was 49.1±5.7 years, 48.6% were postmenopausal and 14.7% used hormone therapy (HT). A 63.0% of them presented MJA, with a 15.6% being scored as severe to very severe according to the MRS (scores 3 or 4). Logistic regression model determined that vasomotor symptoms (OR: 6.16; 95% CI, 5.25-7.24), premature menopause (OR: 1.58; 95% CI, 1.02-2.45), postmenopausal status (OR: 1.43; 95% CI, 1.20-1.69), psychiatric consultation (OR: 1.93; 95% CI, 1.60-2.32) and the use of psychotropic drugs (OR: 1.35; 95% CI, 1.08-1.69) were significantly related to the presence of severe-very severe MJA. Other significant variables included: age, tobacco consumption and lower education. Self perception of healthiness (OR: 0.49; 95% CI, 0.41-0.59), private healthcare access (OR: 0.77; 95% CI, 0.67-0.88) and HT use (OR: 0.75; 95% CI, 0.62-0.91) were significantly related to a lower risk for the presence of severe-very severe MJA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this large mid-aged sample the prevalence of MJA was high, which was significantly associated to menopausal variables, especially vasomotor symptoms. This association may suggest a potential role of mid-life female hormonal changes in the pathogenesis of MJA.
authors.affiliation: Collaborative Group for Research of the Climacteric in Latin America (REDLINC).
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: Desiree
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: Maria S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Vallejo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018771:Arthralgia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007843:Latin America / Q000453:epidemiology; D008593:Menopause / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009135:Muscular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D014666:Vasomotor System / Q000502:physiology