Premenstrual disorders harm quality of life

Premenstrual disorders, especially premenstrual dysphoric disorder, are associated with reduced quality of life (QOL) in women, according to a cross-sectional study from Sweden.

Researchers looked at 17,284 women (mean age 32.4 years) from the LifeGene cohort. Premenstrual disorders were identified using a modified Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool, supplemented by diagnoses recorded in Swedish healthcare registers.

QOL was assessed using the EuroQol 5-Dimensions 3-Levels (EQ-5D-3L) scale covering the following dimensions: mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain or discomfort, and anxiety or depression. The primary outcome was the total QOL score, with additional analyses excluding the anxiety or depression and pain or discomfort dimensions.

Of the women, 1,813 (10.5 percent) met the criteria for premenstrual disorders. These women had significantly lower QOL compared with those who had no premenstrual disorders (mean z score difference, 0.21, 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 0.17–0.26). This association persisted in the prospective analysis (mean z score difference, 0.34, 95 percent CI, 0.24–0.45) or after excluding the anxiety or depression and pain or discomfort dimension of the EQ-5D-3L scale. Notably, premenstrual dysphoric disorder strongly correlated with reduced QOL.

When individual QOL dimensions were analysed, premenstrual disorders showed a pronounced association with endorsing anxiety or depression (prevalence ratio [PR], 1.31, 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 1.25–1.37) and pain or discomfort (PR, 1.14, 95 percent CI, 1.08–1.21).