QUALITY-OF-LIFE AFTER THE MENOPAUSE - INFLUENCE OF HORMONAL REPLACEMENT THERAPY

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to demonstrate the clinical efficacy and ef fect of hormone replacement therapy in menopause on quality of life. S TUDY DESIGN: A randomized, open, and month comparison of hormone repla cement therapy (estradiol transdermal system [Estraderm TTS] plus chlo rmadinone) and symptomatic treatment (verapipride) was performed. Anal ysis was by intention to treat. RESULTS: In 499 postmenopausal women w ith moderate and severe symptoms enrolled by 101 physicians, hormone r eplacement therapy was superior to symptomatic treatment on all assess ments of quality of life and clinical efficacy. The effects were indep endent of the incidence of hot flushes. CONCLUSION: The effect of horm one replacement therapy on the quality of life of postmenopausal women was significantly superior to symptomatic treatment.