Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry

Aon-off study was designed to evaluate the effects of addition of transdermal esrtradiol to tricyclic antidepressants on depression level, vasomotor symptom(hot flush), sexual functions and hormonal status, plasma 5-hydroxyindoleascetic acid(5-HIAA) level in postmenopausal women with depression. Plasma level of estradiol, progesterone, LH, FSH, proloctin and 5-HIAA was measured by Time-resalved fluoroimmunoassay and HPIC(High performance Liquid Chromotogrolhy). To asses their symptoms, the BDI(Beck Depression Inventory) and modified symptom scale, extracted from women;s health questionnaire were use. Depression score, sexual lunction score were decreased by the last 4-weeks of addition of transdermal estradiol to antidepressant treatment, not significont, but vasomotor wymptom(hot flushes) score was decreased significontly(p<0.05) by the last 4-weeks of the given treatment. Thus, during addition of transdermal estradiol to antidepressants treatment, only vasomotor wymptom(hot flushes) was improve significantly, but depression level was not changed in postmenopausal women with depression. Plasma FSH, estrodiol and prolacin level was not changed in postmenopausal wopmen with depression. Plasma FSH, estrodiol and prolactin levels were increased by the last 4-weeks of the treatment. There were not significant correlations between clinical symptoms and plasma hormonal status and 5-HIAA level in boseline. Afer the last 4-weeks of transdermal estradiol treatment, the change of depression score was correlated significantly with change of serum prolactin and 5-HIAA level and the change of vasomotor symptom score was correlated significantly with the change of plasma proloction level.

Keywords Postmenopause;Depression;Estradiol;Gonadal hormone;5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid;Plasma.