Dr Brendan Cheong1, Dr Darshi Cheruvu2, Dr Natassia Rodrigo2,3,4, Dr Lyn March1,4,5, Dr Natasha Ung1
1Department of Rheumatology, Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards, Australia, 2Department of Endocrinology, Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards, Australia, 3The Kolling Institute, St Leonards, Australia, 4Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia, 5Sydney Musculoskeletal Health, Kolling Institute, St Leonards, Australia
Biography:
Dr Natasha Ung is a dual‑trained rheumatologist and general physician whose career spans leading hospitals across New South Wales. She is a staff specialist in the Royal North Shore Hospital’s Complex Menopause Clinic and also practices privately. Dr Ung is the first known Australian rheumatologist to work within a dedicated multidisciplinary menopause team, bringing a unique lens to the intersection of rheumatology, women’s health, and midlife hormonal care.
Aims:
To assess the impact of musculoskeletal (MSK) symptoms on the quality of life (QOL) of women attending a multidisciplinary menopause clinic at Royal North Shore Hospital.
Methods:
Women attending their first appointment in 2025 were assessed using the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (MENQOL). MSK symptom presence and severity were averaged from three MENQOL items: “aching in muscles and joints,” “pain in-back-of head or neck,” and “low backache.” Overall symptom burden was calculated from the average MENQOL score across all domains. Associations pre-and-post menopause clinic management between mean arthralgia and MENQOL scores were assessed using Spearman rank correlation coefficients.
Results:
Among 127 women (mean age 53.4 years) mean arthralgia severity demonstrated positive correlations with total MENQOL score (ρ=0.53, p<0.001), with correlation increasing post clinic management (ρ=0.66, p<0.001). Average arthralgia and MENQOL burden decreased post clinic management (arthralgia mean 5.27 [SD 1.74] to 4.84 [SD 1.76], MENQOL mean 4.90 [SD 1.27] to 3.83 [SD 1.46]).
Conclusions:
The MENQOL questionnaire captures the broader impact of menopause on QOL, yet musculoskeletal pain is often under-addressed. Our findings highlight that menopausal arthralgia influences overall wellbeing, and that targeted treatment can improve both joint symptoms and QOL, supporting integrated MSK care in menopause services.