Table 1 Participant information. Means ± standard deviations, numbers of participants, or percentages shown

Age at interview

Mean ± s.d.

47.9 ± 5.0

46.9 ± 5.0

47.5 ± 5.0

47.5 ± 5.0

BMI (kg/m²)

Mean ± s.d.

31.3 ± 5.2

30.3 ± 5.8

29.1 ± 5.3

30.6 ± 5.5

SES Index^a

Range 22–39. Mean ± s.d.

32.8 ± 2.4

33.4 ± 2.3

33.4 ± 2.4

33.1 ± 2.4

Education (yrs)

Mean ± s.d.

12.8 ± 4.4

13.8 ± 4.0

13.3 ± 4.4

13.2 ± 4.2

 Pre-menopausal

40.3

47.9

42.5

43.6

 Perimenopausal

20.8

24.0

22.5

22.3

 Post – menopausal

38.9

28.1

35.0

34.1

% cohabiting with husband or partner

59.0

57.0

70.0

59.7

Parity

Mean ± s.d.

2.0 ± 1.1

2.1 ± 1.2

2.0 ± 1.4

2.0 ± 1.2

Smoking (%)

10.4

14.9

12.5

12.5

PSS score

Mean ± s.d. n = 305

1.55 ± 1.6

1.04 ± 0.6

1.58 ± 1.7

1.35 ± 1.3

EBV-Ab level*

Mean ± s.d. n = 162

4.59 ± 1.4

4.06 ± 1.7

3.83 ± 1.6

4.30 ± 1.6

CRP_plasma level

Mean ± s.d. n = 157

16.78 ± 5.2

17.65 ± 5.9

17.95 ± 4.5

17.28 ± 5.4

Total symptom score

(range 0–12, based on 12 most common symptoms)

7.4 ± 3.0

7.4 ± 2.7

6.9 ± 3.1

7.3 ± 2.9

Total symptom intensity score (range 0–33, based on 12 most common symptoms)

10.9 ± 6.4

10.4 ± 6.0

9.3 ± 5.5

10.5 ± 6.0