Avis N E, Crawford S L, McKinlay S M
New England Research Institutes, Watertown, MA 02172, USA.
Womens Health. 1997 Summer;3(2):103-20.
Despite wide variation in the reporting of hot flashes and night sweats among menopausal women, what differentiates symptomatic from asymptomatic women is not well understood. In this article, we use longitudinal data from a large cohort of initially premenopausal women to address premenopausal factors predictive of length of the perimenopause, frequency of hot flash/night sweat (HF/NS) reporting, bothersomeness of HF/NS, and treatment seeking during menopause. The sample for analysis consists of 454 women from the Massachusetts Women's Health Study who were premenopausal at baseline and postmenopausal by the sixth and last study follow-up. Each of the four study outcomes was modeled as a function of premenopausal characteristics using logistic regression. Results confirm a wide range of symptom reporting, with 23% of women not reporting HF/NS at any of the six interviews. Variables related to greater frequency of HF/NS reporting included a longer perimenopause, more psychological and physical symptoms prior to menopause, lower education, and more negative attitudes toward menopause prior to menopause. Symptom bothersomeness was related to greater frequency of HF/NS reporting, smoking, and being divorced. Variables that predicted medical doctor consultation were greater frequency and bothersomeness of symptoms, higher education, and greater health care utilization. We conclude that general symptom reporting, attitudes toward menopause, and lifestyle factors can explain some of the individual variation in symptom reporting.
尽管更年期女性潮热和盗汗的报告存在很大差异，但有症状和无症状女性之间的区别仍未得到很好的理解。在本文中，我们使用来自一大群最初处于绝经前的女性的纵向数据，来探讨预测围绝经期长度、潮热/盗汗（HF/NS）报告频率、HF/NS的困扰程度以及更年期期间寻求治疗的绝经前因素。分析样本包括来自马萨诸塞州女性健康研究的454名女性，她们在基线时处于绝经前状态，在第六次也是最后一次研究随访时处于绝经后状态。使用逻辑回归将四项研究结果中的每一项都建模为绝经前特征的函数。结果证实症状报告范围广泛，23%的女性在六次访谈中的任何一次都未报告HF/NS。与HF/NS报告频率较高相关的变量包括围绝经期较长、绝经前更多的心理和身体症状、较低的教育程度以及绝经前对更年期更消极的态度。症状困扰与HF/NS报告频率较高、吸烟和离婚有关。预测向医生咨询的变量是症状频率和困扰程度较高、教育程度较高以及医疗保健利用率较高。我们得出结论，一般症状报告、对更年期的态度和生活方式因素可以解释症状报告中一些个体差异。
