A prospective study of hormonal treatment and anxiety disorders in community-dwelling elderly women (the Esprit Study).
BACKGROUND
The impact of hormone therapy use on late-life anxiety disorder in elderly women has not been evaluated.


METHODS
Anxiety disorders were evaluated in 838 community-dwelling postmenopausal women aged 65 years and over, randomly recruited from electoral rolls. Anxiety disorders were assessed using a standardized psychiatric examination based on DSM-IV criteria, at baseline and as part of the 2- and 4-year follow-up.


RESULTS
Multivariate logistic regression analyses adjusted for socio-demographic variables, measures of physical health and cognitive impairment, as well as current depressive symptomatology indicated no significant association between hormone therapy and anxiety disorders at baseline or after the 4-year follow-up period, regardless of type of treatment. Compared to women who have never taken hormonal therapy, no significant difference was observed for women taking continuously hormone therapy over the follow-up or those who stopped their treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
The use of hormone therapy was not associated with improved anxiety symptomatology in elderly postmenopausal women.
Scali
Jacqueline
J
Inserm, U888, Montpellier, F-34093 France.
Ryan
Joanne
J
Carrière
Isabelle
I
Ritchie
Karen
K
Ancelin
Marie-Laure
ML
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D016015:Logistic Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology