Escitalopram reduces hot flashes in nondepressed menopausal women: A pilot study.
BACKGROUND
Hot flashes are one of the most troubling manifestations of menopause, affecting about 80% of women. Due to recent controversies about hormone replacement therapy, many women seek alternative treatments. The use of antidepressants to treat hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms has been an active area of investigation. However, the majority of past research in this area has included women with significant medical or psychiatric histories that may influence treatment response. This was the first study to examine the impact of escitalopram on hot flashes, mood, sleep, and quality of life in a sample of healthy nondepressed menopausal women.


METHODS
This study enrolled 25 menopausal women who had no significant psychiatric or medical history. All women were treated with escitalopram (10 to 20 mg flexibly dosed) for 8 weeks. The active treatment phase was preceded by a single-blind placebo lead-in period.


RESULTS
Over the course of the study, women reported significant decreases in both hot flash frequency and severity as well as improvements in dysphoria, anxiety, quality of life, and sleep.


CONCLUSIONS
These preliminary findings suggest that escitalopram may be a feasible and effective option for treating hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms in healthy women who might not ordinarily consider antidepressant treatment.
Department of Psychiatry, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ, USA. dobkinro@umdnj.edu
Roseanne
R
Defronzo Dobkin
Matthew
M
Menza
Lesley A
LA
Allen
Humberto
H
Marin
Karina L
KL
Bienfait
Jade
J
Tiu
Jennifer
J
Howarth
D015283:Citalopram / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy; D005260:Female; D019584:Hot Flashes / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D008593:Menopause; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D015283:Citalopram; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors