Some women with asthma will regularly have asthmatic symptoms before menstruation.
Synonyms: menstrual-linked asthma (MLA), premenstrual asthma (PMA)
Clinical features:
(1) woman with history of asthma
(2) exacerbation of asthma before the menses
Matsuo et al hypothesized that a drop in serum progresterone during the late luteal phase was the triggering event.
High-dose progresterone therapy can be effective but is associated with troubling side effects.
Long-term use of an oral contraceptive capable of suppressing ovulation may provide effective control of asthma symptoms.
