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A woman's menstrual cycle
affects the severity of respiratory symptoms, potentially worsening
conditions such as asthma, a study suggests.
Norwegian researchers studied almost 4,000 women, and found worse symptoms around ovulation.
Writing in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical
Care Medicine, they said it may be possible to adapt women's medication.
Asthma UK said it could help women with asthma manage their condition better.
All the women studied had regular menstrual cycles lasting 28 days or less, and none were taking hormonal contraceptives.
Of those studied, 28.5% were smokers and 8% had been diagnosed with asthma.
Wheezing symptoms were worse between days 10 to 22 of cycles, with a slight dip near the point of ovulation for most.
Shortness of breath was worse on days seven to 21, again with a slight fall around ovulation.
The study found it was not just women diagnosed with asthma who experienced these symptoms and variations.
Coughing was worse following ovulation for those with asthma, those who were overweight and smokers.
'Pronounced' variations
When an individual woman has her period is determined by complex hormonal processes over the course of her cycle.
Throughout, levels of different hormones rise and fall - and body temperature rises around ovulation.
The researchers suggest that these fluctuations may have
direct effects on airways. and indirect effects on inflammatory
responses to infection.
Writing in the journal, the researchers led by Dr Ferenc
Macsali, of the Haukeland University Hospital in Bergen, Norway, said:
"We found that respiratory symptoms varied significantly during the
menstrual cycle.
"There were large changes in symptom incidence through the cycle for all symptoms."
They also found "pronounced" symptom variations during the
menstrual cycle in women with asthma, and say the findings suggest women
might need tailored medication regimes.
"Adjustment of asthma medication to the menstrual cycle may
potentially improve the efficacy of asthma treatment and reduce
disability and health costs related to asthma in women."
Triggers
Dr Macsali added: "Our results point to the potential for
individualising therapy for respiratory diseases according to individual
symptom patterns.
"Adjusting asthma medication, for example, according to a
woman's menstrual cycle might improve its efficacy and help reduce
disability and the costs of care."
Dr Samantha Walker, of Asthma UK, said: "This research is
really interesting, and could help women with asthma to manage their
condition better.
"Asthma can be triggered by many different things, and this
varies from person to person - but we always encourage people with
asthma to be aware of things that trigger their symptoms so that they
can take steps to control them.
"If women with asthma notice that their symptoms are
worsening at key times of the month then they can take preventive
measures such as having inhalers that are within date, working and
contain enough doses of medicine to see them through the times when they
are most affected."
Source:BBC
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