Pseudocholinesterase and trait anxiety in premenstrual tension syndrome

Volunteers (N=71) with premenstrual syndrome (PMS) were given the Peck-Abraham PMS Questionnaire and separated by resulting scores into mild, moderate, and severe groups. Fourteen subjects were randomly selected from each group. Pseudocholinesterase serum levels were measured on the first day of menses for all group members. Trait anxiety was measured by the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Pseudocholinesterase, a possible marker for trait anxiety, was found elevated in 6 of 14 (43%) of the severe PMS subjects, in 2 of the 14 (14%) moderate PMS subjects, and in none of the mild PMS subjects. Trait anxiety was found in 8 of these subjects. None of the subjects with mild PMS showed trait anxiety, while 25% of those with moderate PMS and 75% of those with severe PMS showed trait anxiety. No subject with mild PMS had trait anxiety. In this study PMS is treated as a trait-dependent form of anxiety.