Menopausal symptoms and symptom clustering in Chinese women

Ho, Suzanne C.; Chan, Sieu Gaen; Yip, Y. B.; Cheng, Anna; Yi, Qilong; Chan, Cangel Pui-yee

doi:10.1016/s0378-5122(99)00056-0

Cited by 126 publications

(75 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…This showed that the women from the lower socio-economic status had attained menopause at earlier ages. The frequencies of the menopausal symptoms in our study population were much higher than those which were found in several other studies [11][12][13]. A study which was conducted in Pune showed a loss of interest (in 93% women), pressure/tightness in the head (in 83% women), weight gain (in 67% women) and hot flushes (in 54% women) as the common symptoms in decreasing frequency [14].…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 58%

The Quality of Life During and After Menopause Among Rural Women

Arounassalame¹

2013

JCDR

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Introduction:The overall health and well-being of middle-aged women has become a major public health concern around the world. More than 80% of the women experience physical or psychological symptoms in the years when they approach menopause, with various distresses and disturbances in their lives, leading to a decrease in the quality of life. The aim of our study was to assess the quality of life and the impact of hormonal changes in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women and to correlate the prevalence of the symptoms with their duration since menopause. Material and Methods:A cross-sectional study was done at Sri Manakula Vinayagar Medical College and Hospital, Puducherry, from January 2012 to April 2012. Five hundred women who were in the age group of 40-65 years, who came from rural areas to our hospital, were included in the study. The women who were receiving hormonal treatment and those who refused to participate in the study were excluded. The data such as the socio-demographic information and the menstruation status, which were based on the reported length of time since the last menstrual period and the experience of the symptoms, as were tested in the Menopause Specific Quality of Life (MENQOL) questionnaire, were collected from each patient. The women who were included in the study were divided into three groups as the menopause transition, early postmenopausal and the late postmenopausal groups. All the data which were gathered were analyzed by using SAS 9.2. The Chi square test and the relative risk and the confidence interval calculations were applied to compare the frequencies of the symptoms among the women with different menopausal statuses. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results:Mean menopausal age in the study group was 45 years. The most common symptom within study subjects were low back ache (79%) and muscle-joint pain (77.2%). The least frequent symptoms were increase in facial hair (15%) and feeling of dryness during intimacy (10.8%). Scores of vasomotor domain were significantly more in menopause transition group. Scores of physical domain were significantly more in late postmenopausal group. Conclusion:The menopause related symptoms had a negative effect on the quality of life of the perimenopausal and the postmenopausal women. Such regional studies can help in creating awareness and in educating women on the early identification of the common menopausal symptoms.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 58%

The Quality of Life During and After Menopause Among Rural Women

Arounassalame¹

2013

JCDR

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“…They were recruited from the local community-based population during 1996 17 and 1999-2000. [18][19][20] Inclusion in the study required that subjects be ambulatory with no medical conditions known to affect bone health.…”

Section: Subjectsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For the first cohort, 2125 women were identified and interviewed through telephone dialing of a random sample of the numbers listed in the Hong Kong residents' telephone directory (whole region). 17 Of them, 437 (271 pre-, 62 peri-and 104 postmenopausal) Chinese women aged 41-55 years completed bone scanning. There was no significant difference in the characteristics (i.e., age, BMI, menopausal status, education level, etc.)…”

Section: Subjectsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Validity of body mass index and waist circumference in the classification of obesity as compared to percent body fat in Chinese middle-aged women

Chen

Lam

et al. 2006

Int J Obes

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Objective: To evaluate the validity of currently recommended obesity cutoffs of body mass index (BMI, in kg/m 2 ) and waist circumference (WC, in cm) for Asians by the WHO/IASO/IOTF and for Chinese by the Working Group on Obesity in China (WGOC) using the percentage body fat (%BF)-obesity criteria. Design: A cross-sectional study. Subjects: A total of 1122 community-based Hong Kong Chinese women aged between 41 and 63 years. Measurements: Total %BF and percent truncal fat (%TF) were measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Anthropometric indices were measured using standard methods. Results: Regression analyses showed that the BMI cutoffs of 23, 24, 25, and 28 kg/m 2 corresponded to the %BF of 34.8, 35.9, 36.9 and 39.5%, and the 80 cm WC corresponded to 34% TF, respectively. Compared with the %BF obesity cutoff (X40%), the WHO/IASO/IOTF BMI-obesity criterion (X25) shows a good sensitivity (75%) and specificity (71%); and the WGOC criterion (BMIX28) had a low sensitivity (41%) but an excellent specificity (93%), respectively. Corresponding to the BMI cutoffs of 23, 24, 25 and 28 kg/m 2 , the %BF cutoffs associated with peak k statistic were 33, 34, 35 and 40%, and the relevant %TF linked with 80 cm WC was 33%, respectively. Conclusion: BMI and WC have a good accuracy in the prediction of obesity. Our findings suggest that the WGOC BMI cutoffs are appropriate, but 80 cm of WC is a very rigorous cutoff for this population when using the criteria of 34 and 40% of body fat or truncal fat for overweight and obesity.

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“…Arthralgias are the predominant somatic symptom of menopause in parts of Asia. For example, among 1,900 women ages 45-55 in Hong Kong, backache or generalized aches and joint stiffness were the most common symptoms reported (more prevalent than hot flashes), and the aches and joint stiffness were more prevalent in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women than in premenopausal women of the same age (32). Although arthralgias have not been reported prominently among menopausal symptoms in non-Asian women, their occurrence has not been well studied.…”

Section: Natural Menopause Estrogen Replacement Therapy and Arthralgiamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Adipose tissue is a major source of estradiol in postmenopausal women, and the higher estradiol levels in Caucasians may be due, in part, to the greater adiposity of Caucasian women (32,33).…”

Section: Natural Menopause Estrogen Replacement Therapy and Arthralgiamentioning

confidence: 99%