title: Evidence for prolonged and unique amenorrhea-related symptoms in women with premature ovarian failure/primary ovarian insufficiency.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to describe premature ovarian failure (POF)/primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) symptoms experienced by women from a non-clinic-based sample of members of a POF/POI-specific support group.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred ninety women were surveyed for 6 weeks. The survey included demographics, health history, and a validated menopause-related quality-of-life questionnaire. Symptom prevalence was described.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred sixty (55%) women aged 18 to 63 years (mean [SD], 39.3 [7.3] y) responded. Age at diagnosis ranged from 10 to 39 years (median [interquartile range], 30 [24-35] y). Most respondents were white (87%), college educated (76%), and employed full time (61%). Among women reporting a history of depression (43%), 26% reported that depression occurred more than 5 years before POF/POI diagnosis. Of 29 commonly assessed menopausal symptoms, women reported a mean (SD) of 14.7 (7.4) symptoms; symptom scores did not substantially decrease with time since diagnosis, and relationship with age at diagnosis was negligible. Other common symptoms included mood swings and mental fog (>75%); hair loss, dry eyes, cold intolerance, and joint clicking (>50%); tingling in limbs and low blood pressure (∼33%); hypothyroidism (17%); hypoglycemia (16%); and gluten allergies (10%). Ninety unique symptoms were written in as free text.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Symptom checklists created for age-appropriate postmenopausal women do not adequately capture the scope of symptoms observed in this sample. Menopausal symptoms do not seem to diminish across time in women with POF/POI, in contrast to women with age-appropriate menopause. Depression is very commonly reported in this sample, with some women clearly experiencing depression well before their diagnosis of POF/POI. Hypothyroidism in this sample is more than three times the population mean.
authors.affiliation: From the 1Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, School of Public Health, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, CO; 2International Premature Ovarian Failure Association Inc, Alexandria, VA; and 3Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, CO.
authors.forename: Amanda A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Allshouse
authors.forename: Amy L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Semple
authors.forename: Nanette F
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Santoro
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000568:Amenorrhea / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008593:Menopause / Q000502:physiology; D008594:Menopause, Premature / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D016649:Primary Ovarian Insufficiency / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult