---
title: Is the 'top-ten' method a valid way to detect PMS? | Niyora
description: Yes. The method successfully identified PMS and ruled out women without symptoms, matching the standard diagnosis criterion.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/a-simple-strategy-to-detect-significant-premenstrual-changes-1993/
---

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- Is the 'top-ten' method a valid way to detect PMS?

Survey study, 1993

# Is the 'top-ten' method a valid way to detect PMS?

Yes. The method successfully identified PMS and ruled out women without symptoms, matching the standard diagnosis criterion.

 Early or limited evidence

202 Dutch women who thought they had PMS

## What they did

They measured 10 common premenstrual symptoms in 202 Dutch women using a 1-to-10 scale from day 12 to day 26 of their menstrual cycles across two cycles. They tested whether symptoms increased by at least 2 points in 5 or more of the 10 symptoms, and compared this to the standard criterion of at least 30% increase from the follicular phase to the luteal phase.

## What they found

The 'top-ten' method successfully identified women with PMS and excluded those without symptoms. The results matched the standard criterion in almost all subjects.

## What it means for you

A simple scoring method can reliably detect PMS. However, this was a cross-sectional study in one country, so the method may need testing in other populations.

202

women studied

2

consecutive menstrual cycles measured

2-point increase

symptom increase on 1-to-10 scale

## About the study

Original title A simple strategy to detect significant premenstrual changes Authors Schagen van Leeuwen JH, te Velde ER, Kop WJ et al. Journal Journal of psychosomatic obstetrics and gynaecology Year 1993 Study design Survey study Participants 202 What was tested The 'top-ten' diagnostic method Read the paper [doi.org/10.3109/01674829309084443](https://doi.org/10.3109/01674829309084443)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)

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