Seasonality of symptoms in women with late luteal phase dysphoric disorder

• Published in: The American journal of psychiatry Vol. 154; no. 10; pp. 1436 - 1441
• Main Authors: MASKALL, D. D, LAM, R. W, MISRI, S, CARTER, D, KUAN, A. J, YATHAM, L. N, ZIS, A. P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Psychiatric Publishing 01-10-1997; American Psychiatric Association
• Subjects: Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Appetite; Biological and medical sciences; Body Weight; Comorbidity; Female; Humans; Luteal Phase; Medical research; Medical sciences; Menstruation; Mental disorders; Miscellaneous; Mood disorders; Phototherapy; Premenstrual syndrome; Premenstrual Syndrome - diagnosis; Premenstrual Syndrome - epidemiology; Premenstrual Syndrome - therapy; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Seasonal Affective Disorder - diagnosis; Seasonal Affective Disorder - epidemiology; Seasonal Affective Disorder - psychology; Seasonal variations; Seasons; Severity of Illness Index; Symptoms; USA; Women; Human; Mood disorder; Symptomatology; Luteal phase; Menstrual cycle; Dysphoric disorder; Seasonal variation; Female
• ISSN: 0002-953X; 1535-7228
• DOI: 10.1176/ajp.154.10.1436

OBJECTIVE: Both late luteal phase dysphoric disorder (LLPDD) and
seasonal affective disorder are cyclical disorders often manifested by
"atypical" depressive features. The goal of this study was to determine
whether patients with LLPDD demonstrate substantial seasonal variation in
symptoms. METHOD: Consecutive female patients attending a subspecialty
clinic in a university teaching hospital were assessed by means of
DSM-III-R criteria. All subjects completed the Seasonal Pattern Assessment
Questionnaire, modified to include items on the seasonality of premenstrual
symptoms. The results were compared with those of a group of female
nonclinical subjects (N = 50). RESULTS: One hundred patients met the
DSM-III-R criteria for LLPDD. Compared to the nonclinical group, the LLPDD
patients had a significantly higher mean global seasonality score (an index
of seasonality of mood and vegetative symptoms) and a significantly higher
rate of seasonal affective disorder (38% versus 8%) as determined by
Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire criteria. Twenty-five percent of
the LLPDD group rated their seasonal variation in premenstrual symptoms as
marked or severe, while 30% considered seasonal changes in overall symptoms
to be a marked or severe problem. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that
patients with LLPDD have substantial seasonal patterns in mood and
premenstrual symptoms. These seasonal patterns have implications for the
clinical assessment and treatment of LLPDD. For example, light therapy may
be beneficial for women with seasonal worsening of LLPDD.