Postmenopausal Estrogen Therapy and Depressive Symptoms in Older Women

BACKGROUND: Evidence regarding the effect of postmenopausal estrogen therapy on mood is limited. METHODS: To determine whether postmenopausal estrogen therapy is associated with fewer depressive symptoms in elderly women, we conducted a cross-sectional study of 6,602 white women ages 71 years or older who were recruited from population-based listings in Baltimore, Md; Minneapolis, Minn; Portland, Ore; and the Monongahela Valley, Pa. Use of estrogen and progestin was determined by interview. Participants completed the Geriatric Depression Scale short form (GDS) and were considered depressed if they reported 6 or more of 15 possible symptoms of depression. RESULTS: A total of 6.3% (72/1,150) of current estrogen users, 7.2% (142/1,964) of past estrogen users, and 9.0% (313/3,488) of never users reported 6 or more symptoms of depression (P = .004). Current estrogen users had a decreased risk of reporting 6 or more depressive symptoms, compared with not current (past or never) users of estrogen (odds ratio [OR], 0.7; 95% CI, 0.5 to 0.9; P = .01], adjusted for living alone, bilateral oophorectomy, current smoking, physical activity, social network, self-perceived health, cognitive function, functional status, and antidepressant use. However, excluding women who use estrogen or progestin alone, we were unable to find an association between current use of combined estrogen plus progestin therapy and depressive symptoms (adjusted OR, 0.8; 95% CI, 0.5 to 1.4; P = .5). CONCLUSIONS: This cross-sectional study found that current use of unopposed estrogen was associated with a decreased risk of depressive symptoms in older women. Additional studies are needed to understand the effect of combined estrogen and progestin therapy on the prevalence of depressive symptoms in older women

Associação entre Transtorno Disfórico Pré-menstrual e Transtornos Depressivos

O Transtorno Disfórico Pré-menstrual (TDPM) é caracterizado por uma constelação de sintomas emocionais e alterações comportamentais, que se manifesta com um padrão temporal cíclico em associação com o período pré-menstrual. A validade de uma categoria diagnóstica psiquiátrica distinta para TDPM ainda é uma questão controversa. Entretanto, inúmeros estudos têm documentado uma associação específica entre mudanças pré-menstruais e transtornos depressivos. A presente revisão tem como objetivo sintetizar os resultados a respeito da semelhança dos sintomas depressivos no TDPM e nos transtornos depressivos, co-morbidade, história familiar e variáveis biológicas. Evidências de que os sintomas pré-menstruais seriam expressão de vulnerabilidade ao desenvolvimento de estados disfóricos (depressão e ansiedade), assim como as implicações diagnósticas dessa proposta são comentados.<br>Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) is characterised by a myriad of emotional symptoms and behavioural alterations, which occur with a cyclic temporal pattern associated with the pre-menstrual period. The validity of an isolated psychiatric diagnostic category for PMDD remains controversial. However, research results have been showing a specific association between pre-menstrual changes and depressive disorder. The present review has as objective to sintethise the results on similarity between depressive symptoms in PMDD and in the depressive disorders, comorbidity, family history and biological variables. Evidences suggesting that the pre-menstrual symptoms would be expression of a vulnerability to the development of dysphoric states (depression and anxiety) as well as diagnostic implications of such proposals are discussed