Cohort study, 2026
Does premenstrual syndrome severity affect blood sugar control in women with type 1 diabetes?
PMS symptoms increased during the luteal phase, but symptom severity was not linked to worse blood sugar control. Changes in blood sugar appeared to be driven by menstrual cycle hormones rather than PMS symptoms.
What they did
Prospective study of 21 women with type 1 diabetes using insulin pumps. Researchers measured blood sugar continuously every 5 minutes, assessed PMS symptoms every 48 hours using the Premenstrual Syndrome Questionnaire, and tracked hormone levels from first-morning urine samples every 48 hours across the menstrual cycle.
What they found
PMS symptom scores increased significantly toward the luteal phase (P<0.001). Time in blood sugar range 70-180 was lower during the periovulatory and luteal phases compared to early follicular phase (80-81% vs 86%; P=0.005 and P=0.026). When women were grouped by PMS severity score tertiles, those with higher severity showed no significant differences in blood sugar control.
What it means for you
Although menstrual cycle hormones affect blood sugar in women with type 1 diabetes, having more severe PMS symptoms doesn't necessarily predict worse blood sugar control. Future insulin pump settings might be adjusted by cycle phase rather than severity. Main limits: small sample of 21 women and preliminary nature.
21
women studied
34 ± 10
mean age, years
86% vs 80%
blood sugar time in target range
About the study
- Original title
- 1883-P: Impact of Premenstrual Syndrome on Glycemic Control in Women with Type 1 Diabetes Using Automated Insulin Delivery Systems: Preliminary Results from the DIABETEXX/1 Study
- Authors
- Lía Nattero‐Chávez, MARÍA ESTHER DE LA CALLE DE LA VILLA, Iván Sala-Mira et al.
- Journal
- Diabetes
- Year
- 2026
- Study design
- Cohort study
- Participants
- 21
- What was tested
- None - observational cohort study
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.2337/db26-1883-p