Effects of hormone replacement therapy on depressive and anxiety symptoms after oophorectomy

To assess the effect of hormone replacement therapy on postoperative depression and anxiety symptoms.

In observational prospective study 80 women divided into two groups were evaluated: women who received estrogen and androgen replacement therapy after hysterectomy with bilateral oophorectomy before onset of menopause (35-45 years old) and a control group that consisted of perimenipausal women (45-55 years old). Hormone replacement therapy began one week after surgery. The severity of depression and anxiety was evaluated through the use of Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale. Subjects from the study group were interviewed right after the surgical treatment, one, two and three months later. Subjects from the control group were interviewed only once.

The women who underwent surgery had a statistically significantly higher score in Hamilton Depression Scale (p les than 0.001) and Hamilton Anxiety Scale (p=0.002) compared to the control perimenopausal women. There was a significant reduction of depressive and anxiety symptoms during hormone replacement therapy. Statistically significant difference in depressive score was found immediately after one month of hormone replacement therapy (first week/one month later: p=0.0057). Statistically significant difference in anxiety score appeared three months after the introduction of hormone therapy (first week/one month later: p=0.309; first week/two months later: p=0.046; first week/three months later: p les than 0.001). Level of serum luteinizing hormone was in correlation with depressive and anxiety score.

Estrogen-androgen replacement therapy may reduce the risk of psychiatric disorders developing in women with bilateral oophorectomy (indication for hysterectomy with oophorectomy was leiomyomata uteri).