Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) encompasses a variety of symptoms appearing during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. Although PMS is widely recognized, the etiology remains unclear and it lacks definitive, universally accepted diagnostic criteria. To address these issues an international multidisciplinary group of experts evaluated the current definitions and diagnostic criteria of PMS and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). Following extensive correspondence, a consensus meeting was held with the aim of producing updated diagnostic criteria for PMS and guidelines for clinical and research applications. This report presents the conclusions and recommendations of the group. It is hoped that the criteria proposed by the group will become widely accepted and eventually be incorporated into the next edition of the World Health Organization's International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11). It is also hoped that the proposed guidelines for quantification of criteria will be used by clinicians and investigators to facilitate diagnostic uniformity in the field as well as adequate treatment modalities when warranted.

Sexual dysfunction is defined as a disturbance of the processes that characterise the sexual response cycle or as pain associated with sexual intercourse. The objective of this epidemiological study, conducted in a representative sample of the population of women aged 20 and older in Casablanca, Morocco, is to determine the prevalence of sexual dysfunction in women. Criteria of sexual dysfunction followed classification by DSM-IV. The mean age of the sample (n = 728) was 36.76 +/- 12.67 years; 29% had no education, 78% pursued no professional activity; and 58% were married. The main results were that 26.6% had sexual dysfunction always or often during the 6 months before the study. The most common finding was hypoactive sexual desire disorder, and age, financial dependency, number of children, and sexual harassment were positively associated. The prevalence of remaining disorders resembled that found in the literature. Even though these women were aware about their disorder and its negative impact on their lives, only 17% of them asked for help.

The validation of mini international neuropsychiatric interview (MINI) into Moroccan Colloquial Arabic language demonstrated good psychometric properties. The concordance between translated MINI's and expert diagnoses was good with kappa values greater than 0.80. The reliability inter-rater and test-retest were excellent with kappa values above 0.80 and 0.90, respectively.

Irritability was significantly higher in smokers than in nonsmokers before the beginning of Ramadan. It was higher in both groups during the Ramadan month. Irritability increased continuously during Ramadan and reached its peak at the end of the month. Consumption of psychostimulants (coffee and tea) and anxiety level followed the same pattern. Smokers and nonsmokers had a similar pattern of irritability over time, but irritability increased more in smokers than in nonsmokers.

To obtain data on the prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED) and its correlates, along with helpseeking behaviour, 655 randomly selected men at least 25 y old, residing in Casablanca, Morocco, were recruited. They responded to a questionnaire administered by five trained sociologist interviewers. Information on demographics, concomitant diseases, drugs, and sexual activity was collected. ED was prevalent in 54%, increased noticeably with age, and was highly prevalent between both the illiterate and those employed. Risk factors were diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and smoking. Limited sexual satisfaction, low frequency of intercourse, and a disturbed psychological state with depressed mood had negative effects on erectile function. Given its prevalence in our country, ED should be considered an important medical problem with a multifactorial aetiology, making the cooperation of a multidisciplinary management team highly recommended.