TY - JOUR
T1 - Heavy menstrual bleeding in adolescents
T2 - incidence, diagnostics, and management practices in primary care
AU - Van ‘t Klooster, Stella J.
AU - de Vaan, Anne
AU - van Leeuwen, Jeanette
AU - Pekel, Lynnda
AU - van Rijn-van Kortenhof, Nathalie M.
AU - Engelen, Eveline T.
AU - van Greevenbroek, Willie
AU - Huisman, Albert
AU - Fischer, Kathelijn
AU - Schutgens, Roger E.G.
AU - van Galen, Karin P.M.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Author(s)
PY - 2023/10
Y1 - 2023/10
N2 - Background: Heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB), self-reported by 37% of adolescents, can be the first sign of a bleeding disorder (BD) during adolescence. The Dutch general practitioner (GP) guideline demands laboratory diagnostics and referral for patients at risk for a BD. How often adolescents consult the GP for HMB and which diagnostic and management strategies are used are unknown. Objectives: This study aims to estimate the incidence of HMB in adolescents in primary care and to identify diagnostic and management practices for HMB, considering the HMB GP guideline. Methods: Retrospective analyses of a GP network database containing over 200 Dutch GPs were performed. Adolescents aged 10 to 21 years, with a new diagnosis of HMB between 2010 and 2020, and a 6-month follow-up were eligible. The incidence rate and diagnostic and therapeutic strategy data were extracted. Results: We identified 1879 new diagnoses of HMB in adolescents. The average incidence rate was 7.91 per 1000 person-years. No diagnostic studies were performed in 67%. Laboratory studies were mainly restricted to hemoglobin levels (31%). Full coagulation screening occurred in 1.3%, and ferritin levels in 10%. Medication was prescribed in 65%; mostly hormonal treatment (56%) and/or nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (18%). The referral rate was higher after >2 follow-up visits (6.7%) vs after 1 GP visit for HMB (1.6%; Odds ratio: 8.8; 95% CI: 5.1-15), mostly to gynecologists (>85%). Conclusion: According to this GP database study, few adolescents visit their GP with HMB despite its high self-reported incidence. Most adolescents were prescribed hormonal contraception without further diagnostics. Referral was rare and mostly occurred after multiple follow-up visits.
AB - Background: Heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB), self-reported by 37% of adolescents, can be the first sign of a bleeding disorder (BD) during adolescence. The Dutch general practitioner (GP) guideline demands laboratory diagnostics and referral for patients at risk for a BD. How often adolescents consult the GP for HMB and which diagnostic and management strategies are used are unknown. Objectives: This study aims to estimate the incidence of HMB in adolescents in primary care and to identify diagnostic and management practices for HMB, considering the HMB GP guideline. Methods: Retrospective analyses of a GP network database containing over 200 Dutch GPs were performed. Adolescents aged 10 to 21 years, with a new diagnosis of HMB between 2010 and 2020, and a 6-month follow-up were eligible. The incidence rate and diagnostic and therapeutic strategy data were extracted. Results: We identified 1879 new diagnoses of HMB in adolescents. The average incidence rate was 7.91 per 1000 person-years. No diagnostic studies were performed in 67%. Laboratory studies were mainly restricted to hemoglobin levels (31%). Full coagulation screening occurred in 1.3%, and ferritin levels in 10%. Medication was prescribed in 65%; mostly hormonal treatment (56%) and/or nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (18%). The referral rate was higher after >2 follow-up visits (6.7%) vs after 1 GP visit for HMB (1.6%; Odds ratio: 8.8; 95% CI: 5.1-15), mostly to gynecologists (>85%). Conclusion: According to this GP database study, few adolescents visit their GP with HMB despite its high self-reported incidence. Most adolescents were prescribed hormonal contraception without further diagnostics. Referral was rare and mostly occurred after multiple follow-up visits.
KW - adolescent
KW - diagnostic tests
KW - heavy menstrual bleeding
KW - primary health care
KW - referral and consultation
KW - von Willebrand disease
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85175855998&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.rpth.2023.102229
DO - 10.1016/j.rpth.2023.102229
M3 - Article
C2 - 38077824
AN - SCOPUS:85175855998
SN - 2475-0379
VL - 7
JO - Research and practice in thrombosis and haemostasis
JF - Research and practice in thrombosis and haemostasis
IS - 7
M1 - 102229
ER -