Menstrual cycle and respiratory symptoms in a general nordic-baltic population
Journal
American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine : an official journal of the American Thoracic Society
Volume
187
Number
4
Pages / Article-Number
366-73
Keywords
menstrual cycle, RHINE, respiratory symptoms, asthma, sex hormones
Abstract
RATIONALE: There is little knowledge of variations in respiratory symptoms during the menstrual cycle in a general population, and no investigation of potential modifying factors. OBJECTIVE: To investigate menstrual cycle variation in respiratory symptoms in a large general population, using chronobiology methodology, and stratifying by BMI, smoking and asthma status. METHODS: 3926 women with regular cycles
/=23kg/m2 and smokers, or just prior to ovulation and menses onset for low symptomatic subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: Respiratory symptoms varied significantly during the menstrual cycle and were most frequent from the mid-luteal to mid-follicular stages, often with a dip near the time of ovulation. The patterns varied by BMI, smoking and asthma status. These relations link respiratory symptoms with hormonal changes through the menstrual cycle and imply a potential for individualized chronotherapy for respiratory diseases