Survey study, 1998
Does the menstrual cycle affect asthma, and is it related to stress?
The study suggests asthma may worsen around menstruation when stress resistance is low, but the evidence is unclear and limited.
What they did
They followed 10 women with moderate asthma for six months, tracking their physical and psychological health, stress levels, and reactions to life events through weekly sessions and questionnaires.
What they found
The study suggests that lower ability to handle stress and lower resistance to infections may be connected to asthma worsening around menstruation.
What it means for you
This very small study hints that stress and immune function might affect menstrual-related asthma. However, the sample is tiny (only 10 women), findings are not clearly described, and the method is unusual. More research is needed.
10
Number of women
6 months
Follow-up duration
About the study
- Original title
- Asthma and menstruation: the relationship between psychological and bronchial hyperreactivity
- Authors
- Mirdal GM, Petersson B, Weeke B et al.
- Journal
- The British journal of medical psychology
- Year
- 1998
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 10
- What was tested
- None
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1111/j.2044-8341.1998.tb01366.x
Topics
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