Objectives: We attempted to ascertain the following: (1) the yield of a structured workup in a premenstrual syndrome clinic coordinated by a university-based gynecology department in the southeast, (2) referral patterns and care provided before consultation, and (3) therapeutic outcomes.
Study design: The first 100 women seen prospectively entered a uniform diagnostic and treatment protocol. Data analysis was performed with analysis of variance and confidence interval for a population proportion.
Results: Thirty-eight women (95% confidence interval 28% to 48%) had premenstrual syndrome, 24 had premenstrual magnification syndrome (95% confidence interval 16% to 32%), 13 had an affective or other psychiatric disorder (95% confidence interval 6% to 20%). Only 44% of women previously given a diagnosis of premenstrual syndrome were found to have premenstrual syndrome. Overall, 84% of women with premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual magnification syndrome responded to treatment.
Conclusions: Too many women are still given the diagnosis of premenstrual syndrome without appropriate prospective documentation. Premenstrual magnification represents an important diagnostic category. Therapeutic responses to present treatments are encouraging.