Background

Sex hormonal variations and age have an influence in the course of the disease. MS patients are getting older and MS and menopausal symptoms could be overlapped and reduce the quality of life of the patients. Therefore is a great need to study the impact of menopause in MS patients.

Objectives

To study menopausal symptoms in MS women, the overlap with the MS symptoms and the influence of the menopause in the disease evolution and the quality of life.

Methods

Retrospective study. MS women with perimenopause and menopause (no more than 5 years) were recruited from our center. We collected demographic information, menarche, DMTs, quality of life, MS and menopause symptoms.

Results

30 patients were included, 15 in perimenopause (mean age 48) and 15 in menopause (mean age 49). 40% of all patients have a decrease of quality of life and increase of depressive symptoms, 50% reported worsening of the disease comparing with the non menopause period.

Most frequent symptoms in menopause MS patients were: Hot flashes (85%), vaginal dryness (70%), weight increase (60%) and adverse mood (60%). 85% of patients have no changes in fatigue, pain, spasticity and urinary symptoms. 31% of patients with menopause reported a worsening of the disease progression. Differences in number of children, menarche, obesity and smoking status have no correlation with an increase of menopausal symptoms. No association between DMTs and worsening or improving menopausal symptoms.

Conclusions

As stated above there is no increase in typical MS symptoms in these patients , however menopausal symptoms are present in most of them, leading to report a worsening in the disease and their well-being. Therefore, it is important to recognize the menopausal symptoms and to treat them to improve the quality of life and well being of our patients.