Escitalopram for perimenopausal depression: an open-label pilot study.
Saved in:
| Title: | Escitalopram for perimenopausal depression: an open-label pilot study. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Freeman MP (AUTHOR), Hill R (AUTHOR), Brumbach BH (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Journal of Women's Health (15409996). Sep2006, Vol. 15 Issue 7, p857-861. 5p. |
| Subjects: | Depression in women, Depression in old age, Perimenopause, Somatoform disorders, Hormone therapy for menopause, Drug side effects, Placebos, Vasomotor system, Therapeutics |
| Abstract: | Background: Women have a relatively high risk of experiencing depressive episodes during the perimenopause. Indications for and acceptance of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) are increasingly controversial, and serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressants are an attractive potential treatment option for both the mood and somatic symptoms of perimenopause. Methods: This study is an open-label, 8-week trial of escitalopram for perimenopausal depression and somatic symptoms associated with perimenopause. Twenty women received escitalopram and were serially assessed with the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD, 30-item), the Greene Climacteric Scale (GCS), and the Clinical Global Impression (CGI). Results: There were significant differences between pretest and posttest scores for each measure, as demonstrated in an intent-to-treat analysis: GCS (p < 0.0001), HAM-D30 (p < 0.0001), and CGI (p < 0.0001). Two subjects dropped out prior to the second visit because of drug side effects. In this study, benefits of treatment were observed in several domains of perimenopausal symptoms, including those representative of psychological, vasomotor, and somatic symptoms. The limitations of this study are small sample size and lack of placebo control. Conclusions: Larger, long-term, controlled trials of antidepressants are warranted for the treatment of perimenopausal depression and associated somatic symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Journal of Women's Health (15409996) is the property of Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
Be the first to leave a comment!
