Premenstrual syndrome in Turkish medical students and their quality of life

Background Premenstrual disorders usually refer to premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). This study was designed to evaluate health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in a sample of Iranian adolescents with premenstrual disorders. Methods This was a cross sectional study. A sample of adolescent schoolgirls aged between 14 and 19 years were included in the study. Premenstrual disorders were indicated according to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV). Health-related quality of life was measured using the Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). The data were analyzed in a descriptive fashion and were compared among subgroups of the study sample. Results In all 602 female students were studied. All students reported at least one premenstrual symptom. Of these, 224 (37.2%) met the diagnostic criteria for premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). Comparing the SF-36 scores between female students with and without PMDD, it was found that there were significant differences between these two groups in all measures (P < 0.001) except for physical functioning (P = 0.274). These differences were more evident on role emotional, role physical, social functioning and bodily pain. Conclusion The study findings affirm the fact that adolescents with premenstrual disorders suffer from poor health-related quality of life. In order to improve quality of life in female adolescents appropriate support should be provided for this population especially for those who suffer from more severe premenstrual disorders.

Premenstrual disorders (PMD) are characterised by a cluster of somatic and psychological symptoms of varying severity that occur during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle and resolve during menses (Freeman and Sondheimer, Prim Care Companion J Clin Psychiatry 5:30-39, 2003; Halbreich, Gynecol Endocrinol 19:320-334, 2004). Although PMD have been widely recognised for many decades, their precise cause is still unknown and there are no definitive, universally accepted diagnostic criteria. To consider this issue, an international multidisciplinary group of experts met at a face-to-face consensus meeting to review current definitions and diagnostic criteria for PMD. This was followed by extensive correspondence. The consensus group formally became established as the International Society for Premenstrual Disorders (ISPMD). The inaugural meeting of the ISPMD was held in Montreal in September 2008. The primary aim was to provide a unified approach for the diagnostic criteria of PMD, their quantification and guidelines on clinical trial design. This report summarises their recommendations. It is hoped that the criteria proposed here will inform discussions of the next edition of the World Health Organisation's International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11), and the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-V) criteria that are currently under consideration. It is also hoped that the proposed definitions and guidelines could be used by all clinicians and investigators to provide a consistent approach to the diagnosis and treatment of PMD and to aid scientific and clinical research in this field.