Quality of life of postmenopausal women on a regimen of transdermal estradiol therapy: a double-blind placebo-controlled study.

Abstract

The effect of transdermal estradiol and placebo therapy on the quality of life of postmenopausal women was compared in a randomized trial over 12 weeks. Two hundred forty-two women were randomized, and 223 were analyzed for efficacy (n = 112 for estradiol and n = 111 for placebo). The quality of life was assessed by means of a battery of standard questionnaires. Quality of life improved after both therapies, but health-related quality of life (p = 0.0003) and well being (p = 0.003) improved more after transdermal estradiol therapy than after placebo. This was also the case for all specific climacteric aspects, including sexual problems (p < 0.0001) and dysfunction (p = 0.01), at comparison with placebo. Self-rated symptom relief was more pronounced with estrogen therapy than with placebo (p < 0.0001). It was concluded that estradiol therapy was superior to placebo in relieving symptoms and improving quality of life.