Physical symptom cyclicity in women with and without the premenstrual syndrome

A daily record of five physical symptoms was kept by 44 women self-selected as having the premenstrual syndrome (PMS+ group, 133 menstrual cycles) and 48 women self-selected as not having PMS (PMS- group, 100 cycles). Symptoms were analysed after fitting the first five terms of a Fourier series. PMS+ women differed significantly from PMS- women in (i) the incidence of significant physical symptom swings (present in 81.2% vs 33.0% of cycles), (ii) the incidence of significant physical symptoms in the premenstruum (PMT: present in 80.5% vs 24.0% of cycles), and (iii) PMT severity (mean +/- SE, 1.37 +/- 0.08 vs 0.27 +/- 0.04). Pregnanediol excretion and the distribution of stomach cramps were similar in the two groups. The small but significant symptom increase observed in the premenstruum of PMS-women is consistent with the view that premenstrual physical symptoms, unlike premenstrual psychological symptoms, may be associated with the normal menstrual cycle. For confirmation more evidence is required.