Effect of estrogen on depressive disorder of perimenopausal and postmenopausal women

Objective To detect serum levels of estrogen,FSH and LH of perimenopausal and postmenopausal women with depressive disorder and observe clinical therapeutic effect of estrogen therapy(ET) on depressive disorder of the perimenopausal and postmenopausal women.Methods Serum levels of estrogen,FSH and LH of 30 perimenopausal and postmenopausal women with depressive disorder and 30 normal perimenopausal and postmenopausal women were detected by using magnetism-ELISA.44 perimenopausal and postmenopausal women with depressive disorder received 2.5mg/day of tibolone(estrogen) for two weeks and a maintainence dose of 1.25mg/day from the third week for 6 weeks(estrogen alone group),and other 40 perimenopausal and postmenopausal women with depressive disorder received combination of same dose of estrogen and 20mg of paroxitin(an antidepressant) at the same time(combination treatment group).23 women lost in the trail.Hamilton Depression Rating Scale(HDRS) was used to evaluate therapeutic effect for depressive disorder of the women and Kupperman index(KMI) was used to evaluate perimenopausal and postmenopausal symptoms of the women at baseline and the eighth week of treatment(end of the trail).Results The serum level of estrogen of perimenopausal and postmenopausal women with depressive disorder was lower than that of those normal perimenopausal and postmenopausal women(P0.05).No difference was found in FSH and LH between the two groups.All the women in the two groups showed a significant reduction in HDRS and KMI scores at the end of the 8-week trial(both P0.01).In the combined treatment group,HDRS score decrease rate was 70.53% and that in the estrogen alone group was 58.24%,and there was a significant difference between the two groups(P0.05).The total effective rate for depressive disorder in the combined treatment group was 93.33% and that in the estrogen alone group was 80% and there was no significant difference between the two groups(P0.05).In the combined treatment group,KMI score decrease rate was 73.99% and that in the estrogen alone group was 70.66%,and there was no significant difference between the two groups(P0.05),and the total effective rate for perimenopausal and postmenopausal symptoms in the combined treatment group was 93.33% and that in the estrogen alone group was 80% and there was no significant difference between the two groups(P0.05).Conclusion Perimenopausal and postmenopausal depressive disorder is correlated with decreased serum estrogen level of the women.So,estrogen is effective for perimenopausal and postmenopausal women with depressive disorder.Combination of antidepressant and estrogen is the best solution for perimenopausal and postmenopausal depressive disorder,but the treatment should be individualized.