title: Early menarche and chronic widespread musculoskeletal complaints--Results from the HUNT study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is a predominance of chronic widespread musculoskeletal complaints (WMSC) among women. Previous studies suggest an association between hormonal factors and pain. However, it is not known whether earlier age at menarche is associated with higher prevalence of chronic WMSC. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between age at menarche and chronic WMSC.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from a cross-sectional study of inhabitants ≥20 years in Nord-Trøndelag County (Helseundersøkelsen i Nord-Trøndelag -HUNT), conducted in 1995-1997 (HUNT 2) were used. The study population comprised 32,673 women with valid information of age at menarche (exposure) and chronic WMSC (outcome data).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 8986 (27.5%) women reported WMSC. The overall prevalence of WMSC was 29.7% among those with menarche ≤12 years and 26.7% among those with menarche >12 years. The prevalence of chronic WMSC was consistently higher for those with early age at menarche in all age groups. The crude odds ratio for chronic WMSC, when comparing women with age at menarche ≤12 years to women with age at menarche >12 years, was 1.16 (95% CI: 1.10-1.22). The corresponding odds ratio was 1.26 (95% CI: 1.19-1.34) when adjusted for age, education, body mass index (BMI), smoking, alcohol consumption, depression, systolic blood pressure (SBP) and parity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this cross-sectional study, there was an association between early age at menarche and chronic WMSC later in life, but the difference in absolute risk was low (3%).
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.|Department of Neurology and FORMI, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kvalheim
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sandvik
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.|Department of Neurology and FORMI, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Winsvold
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.|Norwegian National Headache Centre, Section of Neurology, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hagen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.|Department of Neurology and FORMI, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: J-A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Zwart
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008572:Menarche; D008875:Middle Aged; D059352:Musculoskeletal Pain / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D010298:Parity; D011247:Pregnancy; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult