Concordance between self-reported and sternal skin conductance measures of hot flushes in symptomatic perimenopausal and postmenopausal women

Abstract

Concordance rates were typically lower than early reports of sternal skin conductance measures but were highly variable between studies. Possible measurement error and study conditions might partly explain the discordance and variation in study findings, but further exploration of the effects of symptom perception is warranted. Use of both measures concurrently is likely to achieve more reliable and valid measurement of hot flushes and night sweats than either measure alone.

Menopausal hot flashes and the default mode network

“…Most of the women (85%) were postmenopausal. Nine women reported having hot flashes, yet on physiologic monitoring 15 women showed physiologic hot flashes, a finding that is consistent with prior findings that women tend to under-report hot flashes relative to physiologic monitoring (38). For the sample as a whole, women reported an average of 2 hot flashes/24 hours, and showed 7 hot flashes/24 hours on physiologic monitoring.…”

“…Physiologically monitored hot flashes differ from self-reported hot flashes in several important ways. Like the results observed here, most studies that use physiologic hot flash measures in the ambulatory setting detect more hot flashes than are reported (5, 25, 38). Although these measures merit continued refinement for use in large studies (46), physiologic hot flash measures have the advantage of not relying upon attention, perception of hot flashes, emotional influences on hot flash perceptions, or adherence to reporting (47, 48).…”

The importance of cognitive and behavioral factors in the experience and maintenance of menopausal symptoms

“…However, even when these treatments are Bsuccessful[ as determined using objective physiological measures such as sternal skin conductance, discrepancies exist between subjective measures such as the amount of reported distress women continue to experience. 1 What does this mean then? Why is there a discrepancy?…”

“…As mentioned earlier, there are significant discrepancies between objective physiological measures such as sternal skin conductance and subjective measures such as the amount of reported distress women continue to experience. 1 That is, even though we have learned through objective measures that the treatment that was implemented has objectively improved HF/NS, the distress associated with them does not diminish. Again, why is this?…”

The Hot Flush Behavior Scale

“…1,2 The importance of psychological processes is indicated by discrepancies between subjective experiences of HF/NS and objective physiological measures such as sternal skin conductance. 3 Furthermore, there is evidence that cognitive and emotional factors predict HF/NS distress and problem ratings to a greater extent than HF/NS frequency. 4<6 A cognitive model of menopausal symptoms has been developed, 7 with HF/NS being considered as physiological events moderated by cognitive, emotional, and behavioral processes.…”