Characterizing Women Who Seek Treatment for Late Luteal Phase Dysphoric Disorder (LLPDD)

Eighty-nine women seeking a diagnostic evaluation for premenstrual syndrome provided daily symptom ratings for two or more menstrual cycles. Three scoring methods were used for assessing symptom change associated with the late luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. Diagnoses of late luteal phase dysphoric disorder (LLPDD) were considered using the DSM-III-R (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) criteria. Lifetime mental history data were collected using the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia-Lifetime (SADS-L). We sought to determine whether women seeking evaluation for premenstrual complaints, but who did not meet the criteria for LLPDD, in fact displayed a higher incidence of psychiatric disorders or symptomatology. Depending on the criteria for scoring symptom severity, 13–28% of the women met criteria for LLPDD. A present or past episode of a psychiatric disorder was present in 45% of the women. Psychiatric diagnosis was not significantly associated with the presence or absence of LLPDD. Specific symptoms of the various psychiatric disorders were not significantly associated with the report of similar LLPDD symptoms.