Randomised trial, 2006
Do women with a history of PMS react differently to hormone therapy after menopause?
Yes. Women with a history of PMS had worse mood symptoms when progestin was added to estrogen, especially those with anxiety-related personality traits.
What they did
An analysis of 106 postmenopausal women who had completed sequential hormone therapy clinical trials. Women received 2 mg estradiol continuously, with 10 mg medroxyprogesterone acetate added for the last 12 days of a 28-day cycle. Researchers compared mood symptoms and personality traits in women with versus without a history of PMS.
What they found
Women with a PMS history reported worse mood when progestin was added. Those with the worst mood during the progestin phase had higher baseline anxiety, lower life satisfaction, more indirect aggression and irritability. Women with prior PMS had higher baseline anxiety, muscular tension, indirect aggression, and lower life satisfaction than women without PMS history.
What it means for you
Women with prior PMS may need careful evaluation before starting hormone therapy after menopause, especially those with anxiety-related personality traits. This was an observational study of past trial data, not a randomized trial, so it cannot prove cause and effect.
106
postmenopausal women studied
2 mg
daily estradiol valerate
10 mg
medroxyprogesterone acetate (12 days)
About the study
- Original title
- Adverse mood effects during postmenopausal hormone treatment in relation to personality traits
- Authors
- Björn I, Bäckström T, Lalos A et al.
- Journal
- Climacteric : the journal of the International Menopause Society
- Year
- 2006
- Study design
- Randomised trial
- Participants
- 106
- What was tested
- Sequential estrogen and progestin (2 mg estradiol continuously, plus 10 mg medroxyprogesterone acetate for 12 days per cycle)
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1080/13697130600865766
Topics
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