title: Effects of escitalopram on menopause-specific quality of life and pain in healthy menopausal women with hot flashes: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effects of escitalopram 10-20 mg/day on menopause-related quality of life and pain in healthy menopausal women with hot flashes.
  
  
  METHODS
  A double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized trial of escitalopram 10-20mg/day vs. identical placebo was conducted among 205 women ages 40-62 years with an average of ≥4 daily hot flashes recruited at 4 clinical sites from July 2009 to June 2010.
  
  
  METHODS
  The primary trial outcomes, reported previously, were the frequency and severity of vasomotor symptoms at 8 weeks. Here, we report on the pre-specified secondary endpoints of total and domain scores from the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (MENQOL) and the pain intensity and interference scale (PEG).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Outcome data were collected on 97% of randomized women and 87% of women took at least 70% of their study medication. Treatment with escitalopram resulted in significantly greater improvement in total MENQOL scores (mean difference at 8 weeks of -0.41; 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.71 to -0.11; p<0.001), as well as Vasomotor, Psychosocial, and Physical domain scores with the largest difference seen in the Vasomotor domain (mean difference -0.75; 95% CI -1.28 to -0.22; p=0.02). There was no significant treatment group difference for the Sexual Function domain. Escitalopram treatment resulted in statistically significant improvements in PEG scores compared to placebo (mean treatment group difference at 8 weeks of -0.33; 95% CI -0.81 to 0.15; p=0.045).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treatment with escitalopram 10-20mg/day in healthy women with vasomotor symptoms significantly improved menopause-related quality of life and pain.
authors.affiliation: Public Health Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109-1024, USA. alacroix@whi.org
authors.forename: Andrea Z
authors.initials: AZ
authors.lastname: LaCroix
authors.forename: Ellen W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Freeman
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Larson
authors.forename: Janet S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Carpenter
authors.forename: Hadine
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Joffe
authors.forename: Susan D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Reed
authors.forename: Katherine M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Newton
authors.forename: Rebecca A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Seguin
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sternfeld
authors.forename: Lee
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: Kristine E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Ensrud
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015283:Citalopram / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D019584:Hot Flashes / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008593:Menopause / Q000187:drug effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000187:drug effects; D010919:Placebos; D011788:Quality of Life; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D015283:Citalopram; D010919:Placebos; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors