A network analysis of core symptoms in menopausal syndrome

BACKGROUND: Menopausal symptoms are common during the menopausal transition and can substantially affect women's physical and psychological health. These symptoms often co-occur and interact, but their complex interrelationships and the symptoms that play central roles within the symptom network remain unclear. OBJECTIVE: Explore the network structure of menopausal syndrome and identify core symptoms. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of 402 perimenopausal women aged 40-60 years in Shanghai, China, November 2023 to April 2024. The Greene scale was used for evaluation. Perform a network analysis to identify core symptoms. RESULTS: Irritability, fatigue and hot flashes were the highest central values in the menopausal symptom network, indicating that they were the core symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Irritability, fatigue and hot flashes were identified as central symptoms in the menopausal symptom network. These findings may inform clinical symptom assessment and future research on symptom management.