August 23, 2004

Volunteers Needed for Study to Evaluate Long-Term Treatment for PMS

(Philadelphia, PA) – Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine are seeking volunteers to participate in a clinical trial to determine the effectiveness of a long-term premenstrual dosing treatment for severe Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD). Participants in the trial must be between 18 and 45 years old and experience regular menstrual cycles. Study evaluations and medications are free, and there is a modest stipend for time and travel. The study is being conducted at the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center and affiliated Penn Health System offices in Radnor, PA and Voorhees, NJ.

Research has shown that up to 90% of all women have experienced some of the discomforts of PMS. Between 30% and 40% of women are thought to have PMS symptoms severe enough to interfere with daily living activities, and 10% are believed to have symptoms so severe that they are considered disabling. The symptoms of PMDD are similar to those of PMS, but are generally more severe and debilitating. Researchers estimate that PMDD affects between three and eight percent of women in their reproductive years.

Studies have found that selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), a type of anti-depressant drug, can relieve irritability, tension, and other common physical and emotional premenstrual symptoms. The trial is funded by a $1.2 million, five-year research grant from the National Institutes of Health.
For additional information, or to schedule an appointment, call the PMS Program at Penn at 1-800-662-4487 or 215-662-3329.

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PENN Medicine is a $2.5 billion enterprise dedicated to the related missions of medical education, biomedical research, and high-quality patient care. PENN Medicine consists of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine (founded in 1765 as the nation’s first medical school) and the University of Pennsylvania Health System (created in 1993 as the nation’s first integrated academic health system).

Penn’s School of Medicine is ranked #3 in the nation for receipt of NIH research funds; and ranked #4 in the nation in U.S. News & World Report’s most recent ranking of top research-oriented medical schools. Supporting 1,400 fulltime faculty and 700 students, the School of Medicine is recognized worldwide for its superior education and training of the next generation of physician-scientists and leaders of academic medicine.

Penn Health System is comprised of: its flagship hospital, the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, consistently rated one of the nation’s “Honor Roll” hospitals by U.S. News & World Report; Pennsylvania Hospital, the nation's first hospital; Presbyterian Medical Center; a faculty practice plan; a primary-care provider network; two multispecialty satellite facilities; and home health care and hospice.

This release is available online at http://www.uphs.upenn.edu/news/News_Releases/aug04/PMSCFV.htm