Longitudinal measurement in the diagnostics of the premenstrual syndrome

In this study 51 women, who had stated that they suffered from premenstrual syndrome (PMS), answered a Dutch adaptation of the Moos' Menstrual Distress Questionnaire (MDQ) every other day for at least two consecutive menstrual cycles. Results showed a clear increase in symptomatology starting about seven days before menstruation and reaching a maximum at the second day of the following cycle. Diagnostic criteria to categorize individual women showed, over 2 years, a substantial decrease of the number of women with PMS in one or both of two menstrual cycles.