This moderate to large effect size , showing lower ratings of depressed mood in treated patients compared with controls , implicated HRT as a potential treatment of or prophylactic for depression in menopausal women .
One can generalize from the studies review ed here only with great caution , but there is little evidence to support the use of estradiol to improve mood in nondepressed patients ( not surprisingly ) and some evidence to support the antidepressant efficacy of estradiol in perimenopausal but not postmenopausal women
BACKGROUND Controversy regarding the antidepressant efficacy of hormone replacement therapy ( HRT ) stems almost from its inception and reflects the same method ological inconsistencies that have compromised efforts to determine whether the perimenopause is accompanied by an increase in mood symptoms or depression .
Since this publication , multiple studies have aim ed to discern the relationship between HRT and menopausal mood .
METHODS The purpose of this systematic review is to examine the findings and quality of the evidence amassed since Zweifel and O'Brien 's meta- analysis .
A prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled study of the dose effect of oral oestradiol on menopausal symptoms, psychological well being, and quality of life in postmenopausal Chinese women.
OBJECTIVES Hypoestrogenism occurring in association with the menopause may result in the development of vasomotor symptoms and it may also have a detrimental effect on psychological well being and quality of life ( QOL ) . The aims of this study were to measure menopausal symptoms , mood and QOL in postmenopausal Chinese women and to assess the effect of different doses of oestrogen on these outcome indicators . METHODS A prospect i ve , r and omized , placebo-controlled study of the effect of 1 and 2 mg oestradiol on menopausal symptoms , anxiety and depressive symptoms , and QOL in 152 postmenopausal women over a 12 month study period .  Menopausal symptoms were measured using a modified Kupperman 's scale . Anxiety and depressive symptoms and QOL were measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scales and a modification of the World Health Organization Quality of Life question naire , respectively . RESULTS Baseline scoring of vasomotor symptoms in our population was low whilst QOL scoring was relatively high . Over 12 months , after adjustment for differences in baseline scoring , there was a significant reduction in menopausal symptom scores in the 2 mg oestradiol group compared with placebo but not in the 1 mg group . There were no statistically significant changes in levels of anxiety and depression or QOL in either the 1 or the 2 mg group compared with placebo . CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that relatively few Chinese women will be expected to benefit from hormone replacement in terms of either QOL or mood . In addition , the overall benefit of treatment for vasomotor symptoms will be less for a given number of Chinese women than for Caucasians . Therefore , when considering the reasons for prescribing hormone replacement therapy in this population , protection against osteoporosis will for most women be the prime consideration
This moderate to large effect size , showing lower ratings of depressed mood in treated patients compared with controls , implicated HRT as a potential treatment of or prophylactic for depression in menopausal women .
One can generalize from the studies review ed here only with great caution , but there is little evidence to support the use of estradiol to improve mood in nondepressed patients ( not surprisingly ) and some evidence to support the antidepressant efficacy of estradiol in perimenopausal but not postmenopausal women
BACKGROUND Controversy regarding the antidepressant efficacy of hormone replacement therapy ( HRT ) stems almost from its inception and reflects the same method ological inconsistencies that have compromised efforts to determine whether the perimenopause is accompanied by an increase in mood symptoms or depression .
Since this publication , multiple studies have aim ed to discern the relationship between HRT and menopausal mood .
METHODS The purpose of this systematic review is to examine the findings and quality of the evidence amassed since Zweifel and O'Brien 's meta- analysis .