Cohort study, 2010
Does asthma or airway reactivity change around menstruation?
Yes. Airway reactivity significantly increased in the days around menstruation in women not taking birth control (odds ratio 2.3), but birth control pills appeared protective and prevented this increase.
What they did
Population-based cohort study of 571 premenopausal women aged 28-58 without hormonal treatment. Researchers tested airway reactivity using methacholine challenge at different points in the menstrual cycle. 143 women were tested during the window 3 days before or after menstruation started. A separate group of 130 women taking birth control was also studied.
What they found
Among the 143 women tested during the risk window around menstruation, airway reactivity was significantly higher (odds ratio 2.3). In women taking birth control, the odds ratio was less than 1, showing a protective effect. Overall, 13% of all 571 women had bronchial hyperreactivity and 6% had asthma. A cyclic pattern was confirmed mathematically.
What it means for you
Hormones appear to affect how easily airways tighten during the menstrual cycle, and birth control pills may protect against this. This matters for timing asthma treatment. However, only 143 of the 571 women happened to be tested during the relevant part of the cycle, which limits confidence in the results.
143
women tested during menstrual risk window
2.3
odds ratio for increased airway reactivity around menstruation
13%
had bronchial hyperreactivity
About the study
- Original title
- Perimenstrual increase in bronchial hyperreactivity in premenopausal women: results from the population-based SAPALDIA 2 cohort
- Authors
- Dratva J, Schindler C, Curjuric I et al.
- Journal
- The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology
- Year
- 2010
- Study design
- Cohort study
- Participants
- 143
- What was tested
- None; observational study measuring airway reactivity at different menstrual phases
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/j.jaci.2009.12.938
Topics
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