Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32033559›Full record

Observational studyBMC women's health2020

Associations between the menstrual cycle, lifestyle factors and clinical assessment of the ocular surface: a prospective observational study.

Luisa H Colorado, Katie Edwards, Lynne Dinh, Sarah Ha, Danica Liu, Annie Luu, Shona Trang, Tina H Yu-Ting, Katrina L Schmid

Abstract readObservational Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Observational study in BMC women's health, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Sensory processing in medically unexplained pain syndrome. A systematic review.Frontiers in pain research (Lausanne, Switzerland) · 2025
    Review
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Luisa H ColoradoInstitute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, School of Optometry and Vision Science, Queensland University of Technology, Room Q-504, Level 5, Kelvin Grove, Queensland, 4059, Australia. luisa.holguincolorado@qut.edu.au.ORCID 0000-0002-5588-2659
Katie EdwardsInstitute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, School of Optometry and Vision Science, Queensland University of Technology, Room Q-504, Level 5, Kelvin Grove, Queensland, 4059, Australia.
Lynne DinhInstitute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, School of Optometry and Vision Science, Queensland University of Technology, Room Q-504, Level 5, Kelvin Grove, Queensland, 4059, Australia.
Sarah HaInstitute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, School of Optometry and Vision Science, Queensland University of Technology, Room Q-504, Level 5, Kelvin Grove, Queensland, 4059, Australia.
Danica LiuInstitute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, School of Optometry and Vision Science, Queensland University of Technology, Room Q-504, Level 5, Kelvin Grove, Queensland, 4059, Australia.
Annie LuuInstitute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, School of Optometry and Vision Science, Queensland University of Technology, Room Q-504, Level 5, Kelvin Grove, Queensland, 4059, Australia.
Shona TrangInstitute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, School of Optometry and Vision Science, Queensland University of Technology, Room Q-504, Level 5, Kelvin Grove, Queensland, 4059, Australia.
Tina H Yu-TingInstitute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, School of Optometry and Vision Science, Queensland University of Technology, Room Q-504, Level 5, Kelvin Grove, Queensland, 4059, Australia.
Katrina L SchmidInstitute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, School of Optometry and Vision Science, Queensland University of Technology, Room Q-504, Level 5, Kelvin Grove, Queensland, 4059, Australia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundLittle is known about the ocular surface changes over the menstrual cycle in young women and the interactions with lifestyle factors. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the associations between modifiable lifestyle factors and menstrual cycle phases on the ocular signs and symptoms of dry eye in young healthy women.

methodsThis was a prospective 1-month observational study. Thirty young healthy women with regular, 24 to 32-day menstrual cycles were recruited. Participants attended three visits at day 7, 14, and 21 (± 1) of their menstrual cycle. At baseline, general health questionnaire was conducted. At each visit, symptomology was quantified using Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) and overall ocular comfort (OOC, visual analogue scale). Ocular signs were assessed using Efron scales, tear break-up time (TBUT) and phenol red thread (PRT). Pearson's correlation was used to determine associations between variables at each visit.

resultsA total of 26 participants (mean age = 22.3 ± 3.7 years) with an average menstrual cycle of 28.3 ± 1.3 days completed the 3 visits. The interaction between signs/symptoms and lifestyle factors changed over the cycle. At the follicular phase (day 7), lifestyle factors such diet and levels of stress were correlated with PRT and OSDI, (r = - 0.4, p = 0.022; r = 0.4, p = 0.045 respectively). At the ovulation phase (day 14), the general health score was correlated with OOC scores (r = 0.4, p = 0.047). At day 14, exercise frequency correlated with PRT (r = - 0.4, p = 0.028) and caffeine intake was positively correlate with both; TBUT (r = 0.5, p = 0.020) and PRT (r = 0.5, p = 0.014). At the luteal phase (day 21), we found no correlations between lifestyle factors and dry eye signs or symptoms.

conclusionsThe associations between lifestyle factors and objective and subjective ocular surface assessment appeared to be more pronounced during the ovulation phase of the menstrual cycle compared to the follicular and luteal phases. Misalignment of these factors with the ocular health during the luteal phase could be attributed to central sensitization and changes in levels of luteinising hormone. Natural hormonal changes during menstrual cycle should be considered for diagnosis and treatment of dry eye in young healthy women.

Indexed as

Life StyleMenstrual CycleAdultDry Eye SyndromesEyeFemaleFollicular PhaseHumansLuteal PhaseLuteinizing HormoneProspective StudiesTearsYoung AdultLuteinizing HormoneDry eyeLifestyle factorsMenstrual cycle

Identifiers

PMID32033559
PMCPMC7006113

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.