Self-assessment of somatic and psychic symptoms during a two months period of hormone replacement therapy in perimenopausal women

Summary

The drastic decrease in sex steroids production at menopause is often related to the development of somatic and psychic symptoms in women. We examined the effects of a two months hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on weekly self-assessments of menopausal symptoms, mood and sleep disturbances. In addition, spatial perception and motor performances abilities were measured before and after 8 weeks of HRT. Twentythree healthy perimenopausal women (mean 50 ± 4.8 years of age) with no previous hormone therapy and a Kuppermann-Index ≥15 were included. Before therapy and in weekly intervals during two months of treatment women reported upon their menopausal symptoms (MENOI), their mood state (POMS) and sleep disturbances (VISM). Psychological examinations were done before HRT and two months later under hormone replacement therapy. All 23 patients showed a significant improvement of the self report of climacteric, affective symptoms and of sleep disturbances, and a tendency to improvement in cognitive performance with respect to pretreatment measures. This indicates that hormone replacement therapy in perimenopausal women is associated with clinical improvement in somatic and psychic symptoms and a cognitive enhancement in some aspects. These benefits of the HRT must play a role in cost-effectiveness analyses of HRT.