Comparison of low dose versus ultra-low dose hormone therapy in menopausal symptoms and quality of life in perimenopause women

Abstract

The study was to compare the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of low dose versus ultra-low dose hormone therapy (HT) in the management of perimenopause symptoms and quality of life. Retrospective analysis of perimenopause patients prescribed for 25 weeks HT in the outpatient clinic of menopause. A total of 132 perimenopause women were included in two treatment regimens: one with low dose HT (LD-HT) and one with ultra-low dose HT (ULD-HT). Changes in serum levels of follicle-stimulating hormone, estradiol as well as transvaginal ultrasound (TVUS), the 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), the Kupperman Index (KI), and adverse effects were assessed at baseline, 4, 13, and 25 weeks. By the end of 25 weeks of treatment, each score of SF-36 domains for both LD-HT and ULD-HT groups were increased, the KI decreased, and the endometrial thickness increased in both groups and there was no statistical difference between two groups. Both groups have negligible differences in incidence of adverse effects. Low dose and ultra-low dose HT both can serve in improving symptoms of perimenopause, thereby offering a better quality of life with decreased incidence of side effects. Ultra-low dose treatment may have a better advantage on safety and tolerance.

摘要

本研究旨在对低剂量和极低剂量激素治疗（HT）在围绝经期症状和生活质量管理中的疗效、安全性、耐受性进行比较。对绝经门诊中接受了25周HT的围绝经期患者进行回顾性分析。两种治疗方案总共纳入132名围绝经期患者：一组使用低剂量HT（LD-HT）, 一组使用超低剂量HT（ULD-HT）。测定基线水平、治疗4周、13周及25周时的血清卵泡刺激素、雌二醇水平以及经阴道超声（TVUS）、SF-36健康量表（SF-36）、Kupperman评分（KI）变化和不良反应。25周治疗结束时, LD-HT组和ULD-HT组SF-36各维度评分均增加, KI降低, 子宫内膜厚度增加, 两组间无统计学差异。两组间不良反应的发生率无显著差别。低剂量和超低剂量HT都能改善围绝经期症状, 进而改善生活质量且副反应发生率降低。超低剂量治疗可能在安全性和耐受性上更有优势。

The Chinese abstracts are translated by Prof. Dr. Xiangyan Ruan and her team: Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100026, China.

Keywords:

• Perimenopause period
• hormone therapy
• low dose
• ultra-low dose
• quality of life

Acknowledgements

The authors thank all women who took the time to participate in this study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This study was financially supported by The National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 81701368); The Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Grant No.2018FZA7010); The Project for Zhejiang Medical Technology Program (Grant No. WKJ-ZJ-1621).