EFFECT OF BODY MASS INDEX ON PREMENSTRUAL SYNDROME SYMPTOMATOLOGY

BACKGROUND: Premenstrual syndrome refers distressing somatic and psychological symptoms, inthe absence of organic or underlying psychiatric diseases, which regularly occurs in the luteal phase ofmenstrual (ovarian) cycle and which disappears or significantly regresses by the end of menstruation.OBJECTIVE: To find out the frequency of psychological, social and physical symptoms in relation tobody mass index, in patients with premenstrual syndrome.MATERIAL & METHODS: It was a cross sectional, prospective, observational study conducted fromMay 2010 to April 2011, in Out Patient Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Post GraduateMedical Institute, Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar. By purposive non-probability sampling technique,150 subjects were selected among attendants of regular patients, after fulfilling inclusion criterion ofreproductive age women, in age group of 15-40years. Body Mass Index (kg/m2) was recorded andcategorized, as low (<18.5), normal (18.5 and <25), over weight (25 and <30) and obese (>30).Premenstrual symptoms were recorded through Quantification of severity of psychological, social andphysical symptoms, for two consecutive symptomatic cycles. SPSS 16.0 was used to analyze the data.Mean±SD, frequency and percentages were used for numerical and categorical variables, respectively.Chi-Square test was used to compare the proportion of premenstrual syndrome at different BMIs. Pvalue < 0.05 was taken as significant between pairs of variables.RESULTS: A total of 150 female patients were included in the study. Mean age was 26±6.2 years (15-45). About 61% (n=91) were unmarried, 38% (n=57) were married, and one case each of widow anddivorced. Mean body mass index was 24.5±3.6 kg/m . About 10% (n=15) subjects had low BMI, 52%(n=79) had normal BMI, while 30% (n=45) were overweight and 7% (n= l 1) were obese. Psychologicalsymptoms were present in 45% (n=68) of patients, followed by 42% (n=64) and 59% (n=89), of patientshaving social and physical symptoms, respectively. There was a general trend of more psychologicalsymptoms in overweight and obese group, with no statistically significant difference. Those patientswith low to normal BMI has less chances of having social symptoms. Physical symptoms were morefrequently observed in obese group, with no statistically significant difference.CONCLUSION: There was no statistically significant difference in the frequency of symptomatologyof premenstrual syndrome among the studied categories of Body Mass Index.KEY WORDS: Premenstural syndrome, Body Mass Index