Association Between Premenstrual Syndrome and Depression

Sir: We read with great interest the article by Roca and colleagues focusing on the follow-up of women with a previous diagnosis of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Roca and colleagues demonstrated that PMS seems to be a stable diagnosis over time (5- to 12-year follow-up) by confirming previous diagnosis using 2 prospective cycles of daily ratings (visual analogue scale) and a retrospective evaluation (DSM-IV criteria for premenstrual dysphoric disorder [PMDD]). Despite the fact that only 7 (26%) of 27 former PMS patients and 11 (52%) of 21 controls completed 2 cycles of daily ratings, the revalidation of the PMS diagnosis was remarkable, and all PMS patients met DSM-IV criteria for PMDD. Thus, the stability of the diagnosis seen over time appears to strengthen the validity of PMDD as a distinct syndrome.