[Differential effectiveness of hormone replacement therapy and relaxation techniques on consequences of menopause vasomotor symptoms]

ABSTRACT

Vasomotor symptoms are usually accompanied with consequences such as headache, sleep disturbance and other events which can not be exactly attributed to endocrine changes already established in menopausal period. To compare the effect of hormone replacement therapy and relaxation techniques on consequences of menopause vasomotor symptoms. This was a quasi-experimental study carried out in 2003 in which ninety postmenopausal women with vasomotor symptoms referred to private doctors or midwives in Zanjan [Iran] were selected by convenience method. The subjects were randomly divided into 3 groups marked a HRT, RT and control groups. Data were collected through questionnaires and interviews before and after intervention. Data were further analyzed using T-test, T-Paired, X[2] and variance analysis. Our results demonstrated that RT and HRT both reduced the severity of vasomotor symptoms consequences [headache, sleep disturbance, depression, irritability and anxiety] in post-treatment period compared to pre-treatment stage. The findings were also indicative of a treatment period. Finally, although RT and HRT both reduced the severity of symptoms, RT found to have greater effect on depression than HRT. Based on results found in present study, RT and HRT both led to significant reduction in consequences of vasomotor symptoms however, RT showed greater effect on depression than HRT