IS SEXUAL LIFE INFLUENCED BY TRANSDERMAL ESTROGEN THERAPY - A DOUBLE-BLIND PLACEBO-CONTROLLED STUDY IN POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN

Two hundred and forty-two postmenopausal women between 45 and 65 years of age requiring hormone replacement therapy for climacteric symptoms were blindly and randomly allocated to treatment either with transder mal estradiol therapy (Estraderm(R) 50 mug/24 h) (E) or placebo (P). T he patches were changed twice a week and treatment continued for 12 we eks. No progestogen supplement therapy was given during the study. No previous hormone replacement therapy had been given for the last six m onths and the women had had their last menstruation more than six mont hs ago. As a part of a larger study assessing women's quality of life, a Swedish version of 'McCoy's Sex Scale Questionnaire' was administer ed at the start of treatment and after 12 weeks. This questionnaire co ntains nine items regarding different aspects of sexual life. The diff erence between the scorings at the start of treatment and after 12 wee ks were calculated for each item and the values of the E and the P gro ups were compared. Items regarding 'satisfaction with frequency of sex ual activity, sexual fantasies, degree of enjoyment, vaginal lubricati on and pain during intercourse' were positively influenced in the E gr oup compared to the P group. Items not affected were 'frequency of org asm and sexual arousal'. A correlation between improved sexual life an d quality of life was also found when the results from the McCoy scale were compared with a battery of quality of life questionnaires.