Yamada Noriko, Yoshimura Hiroyuki
Health Science Laboratory, Faculty of Nursing and Health Sciences, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Shitsukawa, Toon-city, 791-0295, Japan.
Nihon Shinkei Seishin Yakurigaku Zasshi. 2009 Nov;29(5-6):171-9.
Chilliness is a common complaint among menopausal women. Increasing evidence indicates that young women also suffer from chilliness, resulting in decreased learning, motivation, and concentration. Neither diagnostic criteria nor drug therapies exist for chilliness, and thus, young women suffer from insomnia, fatigue, and mood disturbance. Because chilliness is correlated with hormonal changes observed during premenstrual, postpartum, and menopausal periods, reproductive hormones are likely involved. Recently, we elucidated methodological issues related to identifying young women with chilliness. We used a new questionnaire to determine complaint severity with regard to chills and assessed physical parameters (BMI, body fat ratio, basal metabolism, blood pressure), peripheral circulation, and recovery of skin surface temperature after mild cold-water finger immersion. Using a discriminant analysis (hit ratio, 84.5%), we demonstrated that four parameters (blood flow, difference between underarm and surface temperature, recovery rate after mild cold exposure, and score for chilliness-related complaints) were important determinants of chilliness. Among traditional candidate substances for alleviating chilliness, Piper longum and royal jelly showed significant effects. Additionally, we investigated seasonal change in the experience of chilliness and found that young women suffer from chilliness during the summer. These findings have important implications for understanding chilliness in women.
畏寒是更年期女性常见的主诉。越来越多的证据表明，年轻女性也会遭受畏寒之苦，这会导致学习能力、动力和注意力下降。目前既没有畏寒的诊断标准，也没有相应的药物疗法，因此，年轻女性会出现失眠、疲劳和情绪紊乱等症状。由于畏寒与经前、产后和更年期期间观察到的激素变化相关，生殖激素可能与之有关。最近，我们阐明了与识别畏寒年轻女性相关的方法学问题。我们使用一份新问卷来确定畏寒相关症状的严重程度，并评估了身体参数（体重指数、体脂率、基础代谢、血压）、外周循环以及轻度冷水浸泡手指后皮肤表面温度的恢复情况。通过判别分析（命中率为84.5%），我们证明有四个参数（血流量、腋下温度与体表温度之差、轻度冷暴露后的恢复率以及畏寒相关症状评分）是畏寒的重要决定因素。在传统的缓解畏寒的候选物质中，荜茇和蜂王浆显示出显著效果。此外，我们调查了畏寒体验的季节变化，发现年轻女性在夏季也会遭受畏寒之苦。这些发现对于理解女性的畏寒症状具有重要意义。
