Nobuyuki Yanagihara1, Meikan Seki, Masahiro Nakano, Toru Hachisuga, Yukio Goto. 1. From the 1Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, and 2Department of Nursing of Human Broad Development, School of Health Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Iseigaoka, Yahatanishi-ku, Kitakyushu, Japan; 3Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Junshin Gakuen University, Chikushiogaoka, Minami-ku, Fukuoka, Japan; 4Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Iseigaoka, Yahatanishi-ku, Kitakyushu, Japan; and 5Department of Anesthesiology, Aichi Medical University, School of Medicine, Azakarimata, Ooazaiwasaku, Nagakutecho Aichi-gun, Japan.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Disturbance of autonomic nervous activity has been thought to play a role in the climacteric symptoms of postmenopausal women. This study was therefore designed to investigate the relationship between autonomic nervous activity and climacteric symptoms in postmenopausal Japanese women. METHODS: The autonomic nervous activity of 40 Japanese women with climacteric symptoms and 40 Japanese women without climacteric symptoms was measured by power spectral analysis of heart rate variability using a standard hexagonal radar chart. The scores for climacteric symptoms were determined using the simplified menopausal index. RESULTS: Sympathetic excitability and irritability, as well as the standard deviation of mean R-R intervals in supine position, were significantly (P < 0.01, 0.05, and 0.001, respectively) decreased in women with climacteric symptoms. There was a negative correlation between the standard deviation of mean R-R intervals in supine position and the simplified menopausal index score. The lack of control for potential confounding variables was a limitation of this study. CONCLUSIONS: In climacteric women, the standard deviation of mean R-R intervals in supine position is negatively correlated with the simplified menopausal index score.
OBJECTIVE: Disturbance of autonomic nervous activity has been thought to play a role in the climacteric symptoms of postmenopausal women. This study was therefore designed to investigate the relationship between autonomic nervous activity and climacteric symptoms in postmenopausal Japanese women. METHODS: The autonomic nervous activity of 40 Japanese women with climacteric symptoms and 40 Japanese women without climacteric symptoms was measured by power spectral analysis of heart rate variability using a standard hexagonal radar chart. The scores for climacteric symptoms were determined using the simplified menopausal index. RESULTS: Sympathetic excitability and irritability, as well as the standard deviation of mean R-R intervals in supine position, were significantly (P < 0.01, 0.05, and 0.001, respectively) decreased in women with climacteric symptoms. There was a negative correlation between the standard deviation of mean R-R intervals in supine position and the simplified menopausal index score. The lack of control for potential confounding variables was a limitation of this study. CONCLUSIONS: In climacteric women, the standard deviation of mean R-R intervals in supine position is negatively correlated with the simplified menopausal index score.