Re: RESEARCH - Self-reported flaring varies during menstrual cycle in SLE, RA, and FM

[Guest guest]

Raising my hand here, I get it BAD, finally figured it was related

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> Rheumatology (2011) 50 (4): 703-708.

> doi: 10.1093/rheumatology/keq360

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> Self-reported flaring varies during the menstrual cycle in systemic

> lupus erythematosus compared with rheumatoid arthritis and

> fibromyalgia

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> Kim Colangelo1, Sara Haig2, Bonner3, Caleb Zelenietz1 and Janet Pope1,2

> 1Department of Medicine, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry,

> 2Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, St ph’s Health

> Care, University of Western Ontario, London and 3Department of

> Mathematics and Statistics, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.

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> Abstract

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> Objective. We studied self-reported flares before menses in SLE, RA

> and FM, and determined whether there were differences.

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> Methods. Part 1: women blinded to study hypothesis having menses with

> SLE and RA completed a 100-day diary logging their pain, fatigue and

> disease activity on a 100-mm visual analogue scale (VAS) and menses.

> Part 2: SLE, RA and FM patients were mailed a questionnaire about

> menstrual cycle and disease changes.

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> Results. Part 1: 28 patients with SLE and 21 with RA were included;

> 84% of SLE and 71% of RA patients had regular menses. Patients with

> SLE had higher pain, fatigue and disease activity during menses than

> in the hormonal surge phase. Patients with RA had increased pain,

> fatigue and disease activity during decreasing progesterone. Part 2:

> 498 patients were surveyed, of whom 56% responded (81 SLE, 136 RA and

> 61 FM). Those taking the oral contraceptive pill (OCP) ever since

> diagnosis were 52% with SLE, 41% with RA and 33% with FM (P = 0.1).

> Those who flared before menses when not on OCP were 36% with SLE, 28%

> with RA and 54% with FM (P = 0.08). In SLE patients, the mean VAS

> scores were worse during menses with average scores of 21.0 for pain,

> 26.7 for fatigue and 18.2 for disease activity vs 16.0 (P = 0.04),

> 18.6 (P = 0.004) and 11.4 (P = 0.01) during the surge. In RA, the

> decreasing progesterone phase was different from the increasing

> oestrogen phase for pain (P = 0.06).

>

> Conclusion. There could have been recall bias and participants may

> have confused pre-menstrual syndrome with flares. However, there seem

> to be menstrual cycle flares in SLE, RA and FM.

>

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> http://rheumatology.oxfordjournals.org/content/50/4/703.abstract?etoc

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> Not an MD

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