title: Paroxetine versus placebo for women in midlife after hormone therapy discontinuation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Concerns about hormone therapy have led many menopausal women to discontinue hormone treatment. This study examines the efficacy of paroxetine controlled-release versus placebo for the treatment of women with vasomotor symptoms after discontinuing hormone therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-four perimenopausal and postmenopausal women without depression or anxiety but reporting vasomotor symptoms after hormone discontinuation entered a 1-week, single-blind, placebo lead-in phase, followed by a 6-week, flexible-dose, double-blind phase with paroxetine controlled-release (12.5-25 mg/d) or placebo. The primary outcome measure was a change in vasomotor symptoms. Other measures included changes in depressive symptoms and overall functioning.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty subjects (paroxetine controlled-release, n=27; placebo, n=23) completed the study. At study entry, subjects had an average of 17 hot flushes per week, had used hormones for more than 5 years (median=66 months, interquartile range=18-120 months), and had discontinued treatment for less than 1 year (median=5 months, interquartile range=2-10 months) before study enrollment. Paroxetine controlled-release was more efficacious than placebo for the alleviation of vasomotor symptoms (mean reduction of 6.1 vs 2.8 hot flashes per week, respectively; P=.03). Depressive symptoms also improved with paroxetine (mean reduction of 3.6 points vs 0.4 points in Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale total scores; P=.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treatment with paroxetine controlled-release may constitute an efficacious alternative for symptomatic perimenopausal and postmenopausal women after menopausal hormone discontinuation.
authors.affiliation: Perinatal and Reproductive Psychiatry Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA. csoares@mcmaster.ca
authors.forename: Claudio N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.forename: Hadine
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Joffe
authors.forename: Adele C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Viguera
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Petrillo
authors.forename: Maya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rydzewski
authors.forename: Revital
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yehezkel
authors.forename: Brittny
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Somley
authors.forename: Lee S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Cohen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy; D005260:Female; D019584:Hot Flashes / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017374:Paroxetine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D017374:Paroxetine; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors