PMDD More Prevalent in RA, Leading to Worsened Mental Health | ACR Convergence
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder is considered a psychiatric disorder and is associated with moderate to severe physical, affective, and behavioral symptoms.
Women with rheumatoid arthritis have higher rates of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) compared with women without rheumatoid arthritis, according to research presented at ACR Convergence 2024.1
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder is considered a psychiatric disorder and is associated with moderate to severe physical, affective, and behavioral symptoms. | Image credit: lenets_tan - stock.adobe.com
PMDD is a severe form of premenstrual syndrome, considered a psychiatric disorder that is characterized by moderate to severe physical, affective, or behavioral symptoms frequently impairing daily activities and quality of life. Because rheumatoid arthritis is known to have systemic effects—including on mental health—researchers sought to evaluate PMDD in a population of women with rheumatoid arthritis using the validated Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool (PSST).
This cross-sectional, comparative study included cisgender women aged 18 years or older with and without validated rheumatoid arthritis (per the American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism 2010 Classification criteria) who had 2 or more menstrual periods in the previous year. Using the PSST, investigators evaluated the severity of PMDD, its interference with daily activity, and somatic and affective symptoms.
A total of 59 patients with rheumatoid arthritis were evaluated, with each patient with RA matched to a control patient of the same age (mean age, 41.48±7.6 years). Common medications included methotrexate, hydroxychloroquine, leflunomide, sulfasalazine, JAK inhibitors, rituximab, glucocorticoids, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
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After evaluation, 7 women in the rheumatoid arthritis were determined to have PMDD, vs 2 patients in the non-rheumatoid arthritis group. Because PMDD is characterized by its interference with performance of daily activities, 52.54% of patients in the rheumatoid arthritis group experienced moderate to severe symptoms of functional limitation, compared with 35.6% in the non-rheumatoid arthritis group; 8 and 2 patients in each group, respectively, experienced severe symptoms of functional impairment. Of note, more patients in the non-rheumatoid arthritis group reported moderate to severe somatic and affective symptoms; investigators attributed this to the possibility that patients with rheumatoid arthritis “are more familiar with somatic pain.”
“Addressing mental health issues in reproductive-age women, such as PMDD, is essential for comprehensive patient care, given that PMDD can interfere with daily functioning,” the researchers concluded.
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