Background: Auricular pressure method is a non-medication method which has been applied for a long time. This method significantly improved the clinical symptoms in premenopausal women. Objectives: to evaluate the effects of auricular pressure method on some hemological and endocrinal indices of the patients with pre-menopausal syndrome. Subjects and methods: 30 patients with menopausal syndrome aged 40- 55 were treated by applying continuously auricular method on Shen men, endocrine, sympathetic nerve points for 30 days. An open-clinical trial was conducted with a comparison of the results before and after treatment. Results: After 30 days of treatment there were no change in hemological indices while serum Estradiol concentration increased to 199,33 \xb1 299,83pnol/l and FSH decreased to 16,33 \xb1 108,70 UL/I compared with those before treatment.The increased levels of estrogen explained partly the improvement of clinical symptoms after treatment. Number of erythrocyte, leukocyte, platelet, haemoglobin, hematocrit did not change. Conclusions: Auricular pressure method produced an influence on the levels of serum Estradiol and FSH. However, it caused no effects on hemological indices in the patients with menopausal syndrome. \r\n', u'\r\n', u'\r\n', u'
Premenopause

Background: Menopause syndrome can occur between the ages of 44 and 55 when menstrual periods have completely stopped for more than 12 months. Objectives: To evaluate the effects of auricular pressure method in the symptoms of menopausal syndrome. Subjects and method: 30 patients at the age of 40 \ufffd?55 years old, suffering from menopausal syndrome, treated by auricular at National Hospital of Traditional Medicine. Pressure method applied on women, sympathetic nerve, endocrine points for 30 days continuously. The method was open-clinical trial with before and after treatment comparison. Results: After 30 days of treatment, the severity of all symptoms had reduced, the difference was to be statistically significant p<0.05. Symptom of hot point had reduced after 30 days of treatment. Mean point reduced from 2.7 \xb1 0.6 to 0.7 \xb1 0.6 point, the difference was to be statistically significant p<0.001. Blatt \ufffd?Kupperman also had reduced after 30 days of treatment. Blatt \ufffd?Kupperman point reduced from 36 \xb1 8.4 to 10.9 \xb1 7.3, the difference was to be statistically significant p<0.001. Stimulation on the auricular points is non-medication method which has been applied for a long time. Clinical syndrome were improved after each therapy course. Good results was 36,7%, moderate were 60% and noresponse 3,3%. Conclusion: Auricular pressure method improved significant the symptom of menopausal syndrome. \r\n', u'\r\n', u'
Premenopause/ physiology

The study was carried out in Hoan Kiem and Soc Son District in Hanoi city. In each area, 160 women were selected and divided into 4 groups: The menopause of 5 years, > 5-10 years, >10 years and group of 25- 39 years. Vein blood were taken for measurement of alkaline phosphatase activity and osteocalcin concentration. Hungry urine was collected was to determine urinary calcium and creatinin levels, calcium/creatinin ratio. The results showed that: - Serum osteocalcin and alkaline phosphatase which were biological markers of bone formation significantly increased in menopausal women and then decreased. Urinary calcium level and calcium/creatinin ratio of the Hoan Kiem women were higher than Soc Son ones.
Premenopause ; Women ; Biological Factors ; Bone and bones

OBJECTIVES: Menopause is a life period that involves various somatic and psychological symptoms. Attitudes toward menopause have been influenced by both time and culture, and play a crucial role in experiencing this period. The purpose of this study was to investigate Korean middle-aged women's attitudes toward menopause and to investigate correlations between attitudes toward menopause and menopausal symptoms. METHODS: Thirty-one gynecological patients, 35 psychiatric patients, and 42 normal controls who were middle aged women(40-59 years old) were selected. The attitudes toward menopause was examined. According to menstrual status, premenopause, perimenopause and postmenopause groups were separated and examined. Then, correlations between sociode-mographic factors and attitudes toward menopause, correlations between attitudes toward menopause and 34 menopausal symptoms, and correlations between sociodemographic factors and menopausal symptoms were examined. RESULTS: 1) Overall attitudes toward menopause was neutral. According to treatment group, normal controls showed more positive attitude than gynecological group and showed no significant differences in negative and neutral attitudes. According to menstrual status, there were no significant differences across premenopause, perimenopause, and postmenopause groups. 2) There was positive correlation between pregnancy number and negative attitude. 3) Both gynecological and psychiatric groups showed more menopausal symptoms than normal controls. Psychiatric group showed significantly more symptoms than normal control in all menopausal symptoms. Psychiatric group showed significantly higher score than gynecological group in anxiety, depressive, sleep, and sexual symptoms. Gynecological group revealed significantly more vasomotor symptoms than normal controls. According to menstrual status, postmenopausal group showed significantly more sexual symptom than premenopause group. 4) Education level had negative correlations with somatic symptoms, anxiety, and sleep problems, and showed positive correlations with depression, vasomotor, and psychological symptoms. There was a positive correlation between self-assessment of health status and all of menopausal symptoms. 5) Negative attitudes toward menopause had positive correlations with somatic, anxiety, depressive, and vasomotor symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that the method to correct women's negative attitudes toward menopause will be helpful to overcome menopause and to improve menopausal symptoms.
Anxiety ; Depression ; Education ; Female ; Humans ; Menopause ; Middle Aged ; Perimenopause ; Postmenopause ; Pregnancy ; Premenopause ; Self-Assessment

The influence of age and menopausal status at diagnosis on the prognosis of patients with primary breast cancer remains controversial. Some studies have found that younger patients have worse clinical outcomes than older patients, others have reported that younger patients have a more favorable outcome, and others have found no relation with age. We analyzed the effects of menopausal status in the survival of patients with operable breast cancer and estimated the correlations between the menopausal status and other established prognostic factors. We reviewed the records of the patients who had been operated on at the Department of Surgery, Hangang Sacred Heart Hospital, College of Medicine, Hallym University during the past 10 years (1985~1996). The results were as follows: 1) The peak age group was the fifth decade (27%), and all of patients, except one, were females. 2) The most common symptom was a palpable breast mass with or without pain (88%). 3) Most patients (72.8%) visited within 6 months of the first appearance of a symptom, and the most frequent tumor size was 2~5 cm in diameter (58.9%). 4) Most of the primary tumors were located in the upper outer quadrant (61%); tumors located in the lower outer quadrant were rare (3%). 5) The most common TNM stage group was stage II (54.1%), and there was no difference of distribution between the premenopause and the postmenopause groups. 6) The common pathologic cancer types were infiltrating ductal cancer (73.8%), medullary cancer (9.3%), mucinous cancer (8.3%). 7) Axillary lymph-node metastasis was present in 58 cases (62.4%). 8) The overall five-year survival rate for all patients was 43.9%. 9) The five-year survival rates of the 38 premenopausal patients and the 38 postmenopausal patients were 42.4% and 35.8%, respectively, but there was no statically significant difference between the two groups. 10) Menopausal status did not significantly correlated with tumor size, tumor location, lymph-node metastasis or TNM stage. In conclusion, the menopausal status may be not correlated with the prognosis in breast cancer However, the effect of menopausal status on the prognosis of patients with breast cancer needs to be investigated for a large papulation of breast cancer patients.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Heart ; Humans ; Mucins ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Postmenopause ; Premenopause ; Prognosis ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to determine the relationship between peak bone density and polymorphism of estrogen receptor gene in Korean premenopausal women. METHOD: We amplified Estrogen receptor by polymerase chain reaction and its digestion pattern of Pvu II and Xba I was examined from the 172 women who were in premenopause. The genetic subtype was classified by its digestion pattern and its combination genotype, e.g. PP, Pp, pp, XX, Xx, xx, PPXX, PPXx, PPxx, PpXx, Ppxx, xxpp. Bone mineral density of each genetic subtype were compared. RESULTS: The genotype distribution was as follows: PP; 16.3%, Pp; 45.9%, pp; 37.8%, XX; 1.2%, Xx; 25.0%, xx; 73.8%, PPXX; 1.1%, PPXx; 8.7%, PPxx; 6.4%, PpXx; 16.3%, Ppxx; 29.7%, ppxx; 37.8%. ER gene polymorphism was associated with bone mineral density at forearm bone mineral density (P<0.05) with the xx genotype having the less BMD than Xx genotype. CONCLUSION: Xba I estrogen receptor gene polymorphism is associated with bone mineral density in premenopausal women. Estrogen receptor gene polymorphism may have a modulatory role in bone metabolism in premenopausal women. And it can be used as predictor of forearm peak bone density.
Bone Density* ; Digestion ; Estrogens* ; Female ; Forearm ; Genotype ; Humans ; Metabolism ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Premenopause

PURPOSE: This study was to investigate the factors influencing quality of life and difference of quality of life in a postmenopausal group compared to premenopausal women. METHOD: The subjects consisted of 213 women from 40 to 64 years old. The data were collected from June 1, 2003 to June 31, 2004 using structured questionnaires which included questions relating to demographic and obstetric background and 4 scales(climacteric symptoms scale, marital satisfaction scale, sex-role attitude scale, quality of life scale). RESULT: Comparing pre- and postmenopausal women, significant statistical differences were demonstrated in climacteric symptoms and sex-role attitude. However, quality of life was not different between pre- and postmenopausal women. In premenopausal women, marital satisfaction(32.7%) and educational level(8.0%) were significant predictors to explain quality of life. Marital satisfaction(12.9%) was significant predictor to explain quality of life in postmenopausal women. CONCLUSION: No difference of quality in life between pre- and postmenopausal women provides information for changing traditional approaches of menopause according to physiological changes as illness. In addition the study showed that it is necessary to use marital satisfaction information when developing nursing interventions to promote the quality of life.
Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Postmenopause/*psychology ; Premenopause/*psychology ; *Quality of Life

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to address the difference menopausal symptoms according to sasang constitution and menopausal status among perimenopausal women. METHODS: Data for this cross-sectional study was collected by administering questionnaires that elicited general information. The menopause rating scale (MRS) and Questionnaire for the Sasang Constitution Classification II (QSCC II) was given to 284 perimenopausal women who met the eligibility criteria and agreed to participate in the study. RESULTS: The study subjects were composed of 27.5% so-yangin, 24.6% so-eumin, 18.7% tae-eumin, and 29.6% undefined category. The total MRS and all subscales were significantly higher for postmenopausal women in comparison to premenopausal women. Especially, so-eumin and tae-eumin displayed significantly higher scores in urogenital symptoms. The MRS score in postmenopausal women who belonged to the group of tae-eumin and so-eumin was significantly higher than those for premenopausal women. However, so-yangin displayed higher scores in psychological and urogenital symptoms than tae-eumin for premenopausal women. So-eumin presented significantly higher scores in urogenital symptoms in comparison to the undefined category for postmenopausal women. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that sasang constitution could be an important factor in understanding the woman's menopausal symptoms and identify the best treatment.
Constitution and Bylaws ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Menopause ; Perimenopause ; Postmenopause ; Premenopause ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the survival, recurrence and prognostic factors of endometrial stromal sarcoma (ESS). METHODS: Twenty three patients who had diagnosed with ESS and managed between June 1989 and December 2004 were included. Clinicopathologic characteristics were evaluated including age, parity, menopause, stage, grade, type of surgery, adjuvant therapy, overall survival, disease free survival. RESULTS: The mean age of the group was 44 years. Eighty two percents of patients were premenopause and the most common symptom was vaginal bleeding. Thirteen patients were in stage I and four patients were in stage II and III. Six patients were not able to determine the stage. Eighteen patients were low grade ESS and five patients were high grade. The median overall survival was 179 months and the median disease free survival was 134 months. Disease had recurred in 6 patients and 2 patients died of the disease. Higher tumor grade was associated with lower overall survival (P=0.047) and disease free survival (P=0.035). CONCLUSION: The prognostic factor of ESS is tumor grade.
Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Humans ; Menopause ; Parity ; Premenopause ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Sarcoma, Endometrial Stromal* ; Uterine Hemorrhage

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relative contribution of fat mass and lean mass on bone mineral density (BMD) in premenopausal healthy women.

METHODSThe BMD at lumbar spine, proximal femur and total body, together with fat mass and lean mass was determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), the body height, weight, waist, and hip circumference were also measured, and body mass index (BMI) and waist-hip ratio were calculated in 282 premenopausal women.

RESULTSFat mass was a major determinant for BMI, BMI and lean mass were positively related with L2-4, proximal femur and total body BMD (P = 0.000 for all), and lean mass were the only independent factor contributing to L2-4 (standardized coefficient beta = 0.282, P = 0.000), proximal femur (beta = 0.336, P = 0.000) and total body BMD (beta = 0.361, P = 0.000) in stepwise regression analysis. The relationship between BMI and BMD was further improved after controlling fat mass, while decreased or even lost when controlling lean mass.

CONCLUSIONSLean mass was an important factor determining BMD in premenopausal women.