Diagnostic Persistence and Clinical Variables of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder

Objective: To examine the diagnostic continuity in patients diagnosed with Premenstrual dysphoric disor- der (PMDD) by prospective symptom grading of patients with a provisional diagnosis of PMDD.

Methods: The study included 95 women with a provisional diagnosis of PMDD who applied to Çukurova University Faculty of Medicine Hospital, Department of Mental Health and Diseases Outpatient Clinic, and 64 women with similar sociodemographic characteristics as the control group. Sociodemographic data form, Premenstrual Syndrome Scale, Psychache Scale, and Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3 were applied to the participants. Individual calendars were prepared for those with a provisional diagnosis of PMDD, and they were asked to fill them out for 3 months.

Results: In this study, 65.3% of patients with a provisional diagnosis of PMDD met the criteria for perma- nent PMDD. Psychache scale total score averages of those diagnosed with PMDD were significantly higher than the control group (P < .001). The mean anxiety sensitivity total score and subscales of those with a provisional diagnosis of PMDD were significantly higher than the control group; both the total score (P = .04) and the physical sensitivity subscale (P = .01) were significantly higher in those with a permanent diagnosis of PMDD. Dysmenorrhea was significantly more frequent in those with a provisional diagnosis of PMDD (P = .03); this relationship was not found in those with a permanent diagnosis of PMDD.

Conclusion: Approximately two-thirds of those with a provisional diagnosis of PMDD met the criteria for a permanent diagnosis, indicating that prospective evaluation is necessary for those with a provisional diag- nosis of PMDD. It has been shown that those with higher PMDD severity have more intense psychological pain severity and more severe anxiety sensitivity.