Cyclicity of breast tenderness and night-time vasomotor symptoms in mid-life women: information collected using the Daily Perimenopause Diary

Objective The purpose was to explore cyclicity of breast tenderness and vasomotor women using the Daily Perimenopause Diary. Methods Untreated mid-life women from a convenience sample completed the Daily Perimenopause Diary for clinical (n = 14) or research (n = 10) assessments. Breast tenderness, sleep disturbance and day and night vasomotor intensity were rated on a 0-4 scale with vasomotor number as a count. Daily oral temperature data were analyzed using the Quantitative Basal Temperature algorithm to assess ovulation and estimate luteal phase length. Analysis of variance tested cyclicity using the mean of three 3-day windows (during flow, at mid-cycle and premenstrually). Results Ninety-eight complete flow-to-flow diaries (from 24 women, mean age 47 years, cycle length 27 6.4 (standard deviation) days) were available, with quantitative temperature data for 60 cycles in 16 women. Of assessed cycles, 90% were ovulatory; 25% had luteal phases < 10 days. Breast tenderness was maximal in the premenstrual window overall (p < 0.0001) and in the ovulatory subset. Night sweats were maximal premenstrually (p = 0.0035) except in anovulatory cycles. Daytime flushes were not cyclic (P = 0.1333) except in ovulatory cycles (p = 0.031). Conclusion Daily Perimenopause Diaries from mid-life women show premenstrual increases in breast tenderness and night sweats.