• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.57-65
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• 2015

Objectives:Within the normal reproductive cycles of women, dramatic fluctuations of sexual hormones occur in the premenstrual and menopausal periods. In both periods, women are vulnerable to mood disturbances and show several somatic complaints. Based on these common clinical profiles and physiological changes, a relationship between vasomotor symptoms and the premenstrual syndrome has been suggested. However, attempts to establish such a link have yielded inconclusive results. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between histories of premenstrual syndrome and menopausal vasomotor symptoms within different menopausal stages. Methods:This cross-sectional study recruited Korean women aged 45-64 years who were perimenopausal and postmenopausal from 16 branch offices of the Korean Association of Health Promotion. All subjects completed self-report questionnaires that asked about a history of premenstrual syndromes, vasomotor symptoms, and several other variables. Results:A total of 1054 participants(361 perimenopausal women and 693 postmenopausal women) completed the study. Severity of premenstrual symptoms significantly correlated with postmenopausal vasomotor symptoms, only in late perimenopausal(r=0.213, p=0.010) and early postmenopausal women(r=0.246, p<0.001). After adjusting for several factors related to vasomotor symptoms, a history of premenstrual syndrome was a significant predictor of moderate to very severe vasomotor symptoms in late perimenopausal(OR=5.197, p=0.005) and early postmenopausal women(OR=3.017, p=0.010). Conclusions:This study suggests that a history of premenstrual syndrome/premenstrual dysphoric disorder is differentially associated with vasomotor symptoms in the menopausal stage. Prospective studies with larger population are needed to confirm these findings

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.7
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• pp.1100-1106
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of Hatha Yoga exercise on serum leptin and metabolic syndrome factors in obese and menopausal middle-aged women. The subjects were 26 obese women divided into the Hatha Yoga exercise group (n=13), which trained for 16 weeks, and the Control group (n=13). Variables of body composition, serum leptin and metabolic syndrome factors were measured in all the subjects before and after the 16-week Hatha Yoga training. The results of the study in the Hatha Yoga group were as follows: body weight, % fat, BMI, WC, WHR and VFA had significantly decreased, but SMM had increased. HDL-C had significantly increased, but leptin, TC, TG, LDL-C, insulin, glucose and HOMA-IR had decreased. The main variables affecting changes in VFA were % body fat, BMI, WHR, TC, LDL-C, glucose, and HOMA-IR. Therefore, regular and continuous Hatha Yoga exercise was effective in improving body composition, visceral fat and serum lipids. Consequently, Hatha Yoga exercise will be effective in preventing cardiovascular disease caused by obesity in obesew and menopausal middle-age women.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.87-98
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• 2011

Objectives: To evaluate the clinical use of Kupperman's Index, Menopausespecific quality of life questionnaire(MENQOL), Menopause Rating Scale(MRS) by comparison with the Subjective measures of hot flush. Methods: The participants were 107 women (45-60 yr) who were not currently on hormone therapy, and had reached hot flash scores of 10 or higher. The evaluating indexes of this trial are hot flush score, hot flush VAS, Hot flush consistence time, sweating VAS, Kupperman`s Index, Menopause-specific quality of life questionnaire (MENQOL), Menopause Rating Scale(MRS). Results: 1. The hot flush score, hot flush VAS, sweating VAS were significantly correlated with each other, but the Hot flush consistence time with no special relationship was found on Subjective measures of hot flush 2. The Kupperman's Index, Menopause-specific quality of life questionnaire (MENQOL) and Menopause Rating Scale(MRS) were significantly correlated with each other. 3. There was significant correlation between Subjective measures of hot flush and Menopause-specific quality of life questionnaire(MENQOL), Thus Menopausespecific quality of life questionnaire(MENQOL) is considered the most suitable on hot flush related research. Conclusions: There was significant correlation between Subjective measures of hot flush and Menopausal scale, thus the use of various indicators are needed for the assessment of climacteric symptoms.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.178-186
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• 2020

Licorice (Glycyrrhiza uralensis) contains several compounds that have been reported to alleviate menopausal symptoms via interacting with estrogen receptors (ERs). The compounds exist mainly in the form of glycosides, which exhibit low bioavailability and function. To bioconvert liquiritin and isoliquiritin, the major estrogenic compounds, to the corresponding deglycosylated liquiritigenin and isoliquiritigenin, respectively, licorice was fermented with Monascus, which has been demonstrated to deglycosylate other substances. The contents of liquiritigenin and isoliquiritigenin in Monascus-fermented licorice increased by 10.46-fold (from 38.03 μM to 379.75 μM) and 12.50-fold (from 5.53 μM to 69.14 μM), respectively, compared with their contents in non-fermented licorice. Monascus-fermented licorice exhibited 82.5% of the ERβ binding activity of that observed in the positive control (17 β-estradiol), whereas the non-fermented licorice exhibited 54.1% of the binding activity in an in vivo ER binding assay. The increase in the ERβ binding activity was associated with increases in liquiritigenin and isoliquiritigenin contents. Liquiritigenin acts as a selective ligand for ERβ, which alleviates menopausal symptoms with fewer side effects, such as heart disease and hypertension, compared with a ligand for ERα. In addition, Monascus-fermented licorice contained 731 mg/kg of monacolin K, one of the metabolites produced by Monascus that reduces serum cholesterol. Therefore, Monascus-fermented licorice is a promising material for the prevention and treatment of menopausal syndrome with fewer side effects.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.95-104
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• 2011

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between the degree of menopausal symptom and granulocyte/lymphocyte ratio, and heart rate varibility(HRV). Methods: From 11th April 2011 to 20th May 2011, a total 30 female subjects (age 41-60) was recruited. We evaluated the degree of menopausal symptoms by Kupperman' s index and measured subject's WBC differential count and HRV. The data were analyzed by Kruskal-Wallis test and Spearman correlation test using SPSS/PC ver 13.0 program. Results: 1. There was no statistically significant difference in granulocyte/lymphocyte ratio and HRV among 4 classified groups according to Kupperman's index.- Mild, Moderate, Severe and Urgent. 2. Granulocyte ratio and general symptom score(within Kupperman's index) significantly showed negative correlation coefficient(r=-0.499, p=0.005), and Lymphocyte ratio and general symptom score significantly showed positive correlation coefficient (r=0.374, p=0.042). 3. Granulocyte/lymphocyte ratio and HRV showed no significant correlation. Conclusions: There was no significant relation among the degree of menopausal symptoms and granulocyte/lymphocyte ratio, and HRV. But furthermore large scale study is required.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.31-39
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• 2017

Objectives : Menopausal symptoms are characteristic symptoms which are occur in women before and after menopause. In Western medicine, hormone therapies are mainly used but patients show reluctance because they exhibit serious side effects. In Oriental medicine, there are also limits to the treatment. So I tried to find a new easily accessible treatment. I performed the experiments to verify the effect of natural dyed apparel with Indigo and Schisandra fruit. Methods : This experiment was performed on 30 women who were experiencing menopausal symptoms. We checked the participant's general condition through questionnaire and physical condition with inbody test and made natural-dyed living suit style dresses. We asked the women to wear the apparel for four weeks. They checked for changes in symptoms weekly with kupperman's index. Results : The main symptoms of participants are sweating, hot flushes, joint pain. After wearing of the apparel, there were decreased hot flushes, sleep improvement, psychological stability etc. According to the kupperman's index, patients with mild symptoms were 13.3% at first week to start the experiment but four weeks later, patients with mild symptoms were increased to 50%. On the other hand, patients with severe symptoms were decreased 33.3% to 6.7%. In the test results, there was a significant decrease in 1, 2 and 3 weeks, there was a decrease in 4 weeks but no significance in the figure Conclusion : Natural dyed apprel with Indigo and Schisandra fruit was effective on treating women who were experiencing menopausal symptoms.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.318-323
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• 2015

The aim of this study was to assess the association of metabolic syndrome and Vitamin D in Korean adults. The study subjects were Korean menopausal woman (n=4,340) who participated in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2010~2012. After adjusting for factors such as age, body mass index, total cholesterol, smoking, and regular exercise, the mean 25(OH)D levels ($M{\pm}SE$) decreased with increasing metabolic syndrome score (MSS) (MSS 0, $18.18{\pm}0.29ng/Ml$; MSS 1, $18.09{\pm}0.21ng/mL$; MSS 2, $18.07{\pm}0.19ng/mL$; MSS 3, $18.04{\pm}0.21ng/mL$; MSS ${\geq}4$, $17.27{\pm}0.23ng/mL$), and the mean 25(OH)D level ($M{\pm}SE$) for metabolic syndrome ($17.66{\pm}0.16ng/mL$) decreased in comparison to non-metabolic syndrome ($18.11{\pm}0.14ng/mL$). In conclusion, our results suggest that an increase in metabolic syndrome score or metabolic syndrome are inversely associated with the vitamin D levels.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.70-86
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• 2022

Objectives: This study attempted to provide prescriptions that can be used according to the classification of menopausal disorders in order to increase the clinical utilization of CaPSPI (Diagnostic System for Climacteric and Postmenopausal Syndrome Pattern Identification). Methods: Delphi method survey was conducted for expert consensus on the Pattern Identification that could be used for each prescription by selecting frequent prescriptions based on the literature researched on the prescription of Korean medicine used for women with menopausal disorders. 11 experts participated in the questionnaire for posterity and 7 experts for sasang constitution. The survey was divided into the main prescription that can be mainly used for the patterns and the minor prescription that can be used although the suitability is somewhat low. Expert consensus was obtained through the second survey, and the pattern classification of prescriptions that were not confirmed here was confirmed through a face-to-face meeting. Results: There were 56 prescriptions mainly used for treatment for menopause, 45 for posterity and 11 for Sasang constitution. There were 69 identifications of 45 posterity prescriptions and 17 classifications of 11 Sasang constitutional prescriptions including major and minor patterns. By pattern identifications, the number of major/minor prescriptions was as follows. 肝鬱 14/5, 腎陰虛 8/2, 腎陽虛 4/1, 肝腎陰虛 2/7, 腎陰陽兩虛 3/1, 心腎不交 6/3, 心脾兩虛 15/2, 心火 7/6. Conclusions: In the future, by accumulating and analyzing the data on the diagnosis and treatment using CaPSPI, the clinical status of Korean medicine for menopausal disorders can be reviewed, and it can be used as the basis for the clinical practice guidelines for menopausal disorders. In addition, it is thought that analyzing the results of the diagnosis of pattern identifications and the prescription of Sasang constitution can be helpful in research on the posterity and Sasang constitution.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.225-231
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• 2008

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with various metabolic abnormalities, including central obesity, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, and high blood pressure. This suggests that NAFLD may represent the hepatic manifestation of the metabolic syndrome. In this study, we investigated unfavorable effects NAFLD on components of metabolic syndrome in post-menopause women. Eight hundred sixty-nine postmenopausal women were recruited for this study. The diagnosis of fatty liver was based on the results of abdominal ultrasonography. Serum levels of fasting glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride, and HDL-cholesterol were measured. The prevalence of component of metabolic syndrome such as hypertension, hyperglycemia, hypertriglyceridemia, and low-HDL-cholesterol was significantly higher in subjects with NAFLD as compared with those without NAFLD. The moderate to severe grade of NAFLD presented higher levels of serum fasting glucose, fasting insulin, HOMA-IR, total cholesterol, and triglycerides than the mild NAFLD and the normal group. In conclusion, metabolic syndrome risk was increased in post-menopause women with NAFLD as compared with those without NAFLD. The severity of NAFLD affected metabolic syndrome risk factors. The optimal strategy for the treatment of NAFLD is likely to include lifestyle modifications and therapy to improve insulin resistance.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.120-123
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• 1996

Regarding menopause as a turning point in woman's lift, the author reviewed the psychosocial aspects of menopause. Seeing menstruation as the symbolic meaning of female sexuality, psychoanalysts argue that menopause, the loss of symbolic meaning of female sexuality, may bring a mourning reaction to woman. It is reported that the high ratio of depression does not have a serious relationship with the menopause syndrome, and that depression cannot be viewed as a different symptoms. It is also proved that most women successfully recover themselves from temporary menopause symptom. Research data shows that some women have a negative thought on the meaning of menopause. Others, however, have a positive concept on the meaning of menopause because of the feeling of release and freedom. In sum, the author suggests that psychosocial consideration is very important as much as bilogical consideration in considering the meaning of menopausal syndrome.