The British Journal of Psychiatry 138: 399-405 (1981)
© 1981 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
The assessment of the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome and their response to therapy
GA Sampson and P Prescott
The symptoms of premenstrual syndrome should be rated daily, or at frequent
intervals throughout the menstrual cycle. Self-rating is usually most
feasible and separate rating of differing symptom groups is important, as
symptoms differ in their response to therapy. Daily scores should be
analysed to assess periodicity, either by subdividing the cycle into phases
or by using the least mean square method of fitting sine waves.
Standardized scores enable data to be compared across cycles. In a clinical
trial it is important to include an untreated cycle to assess whether the
subject has premenstrual syndrome and as a baseline with which to compare
treated cycles. Allowance should be made for a carry-over effect and for
high placebo response. One solution is to use a change-over design balanced
for carry-over effects. The criteria used to define a patient should be
stated.
