Case-control study, 2008
Does smoking increase the risk of PMS?
Yes. Current smokers were 2.1 times more likely than never smokers to develop PMS over 2-4 years. Women who started smoking before age 15 had 2.53 times higher risk.
What they did
Case-control study nested in a large US cohort study. 1,057 women who developed PMS and 1,968 who did not were followed from 1991-2001. All were aged 27-44 and had no PMS at the start. Women reported their smoking history at different ages.
What they found
Current smokers had 2.1 times the risk of developing PMS over 2-4 years (95% CI: 1.56, 2.83). Women who started smoking before age 15 had 2.53 times the risk compared to never smokers (95% CI: 1.70, 3.76). Total pack-years of smoking was also independently linked to higher PMS risk.
What it means for you
Smoking, especially in adolescence and early adulthood, appears to increase the risk of developing PMS. This provides another reason for young women to avoid smoking. The study was large and prospective, but it relied on women's memory of past smoking habits.
2.1
Risk increase for current smokers vs never smokers
2.53
Risk increase for those starting smoking before age 15
10 years
Study follow-up period
About the study
- Original title
- Cigarette smoking and the development of premenstrual syndrome
- Authors
- Bertone-Johnson ER, Hankinson SE, Johnson SR et al.
- Journal
- American journal of epidemiology
- Year
- 2008
- Study design
- Case-control study
- What was tested
- Smoking history (exposure examined)
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1093/aje/kwn194
Topics
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