Fibromyalgia and menopause: an open study on postmenopausal hormone therapy

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Endocrinology
• Pain Management
• Sleep Medicine

Background:

• Fibromyalgia (FM) symptoms often exacerbate during menopause, suggesting a role for estrogen in its pathophysiology.
• Menopausal hormone therapy (HT) is investigated for its potential influence on fibromyalgia.
• This study examines the impact of HT on FM, sleep, and quality of life in postmenopausal women.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effect of postmenopausal hormone therapy (HT) on fibromyalgia.
• To assess the relationship between HT, sleep quality, and fibromyalgia impact.
• To determine changes in quality of life and symptom severity with HT.

Main Methods:

• Prospective analysis of 69 menopausal women, divided into a fibromyalgia group (FMG; N.=32) and a comparison group (CG; N.=28).
• Intervention involved 12 weeks of transdermal estradiol (1.2 mg/g) and oral micronized progesterone (100 mg).
• Validated questionnaires (UQOL, PSQI, FIQ-R, FS) were administered at baseline and after 12 weeks.

Main Results:

• Fibromyalgia patients showed significant improvement in Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire-Revised (FIQ-R) scores (P=0.0001) and fibromyalgia severity (FS) (P<0.0001).
• Both groups experienced significant improvements in quality of life (UQOL: P=0.0001) and sleep quality (PSQI: P<0.0001).
• Sleep quality improvements were more pronounced in the comparison group than the fibromyalgia group (P=0.008).

Conclusions:

• Hormone therapy (HT) effectively improves sleep and quality of life in both menopausal women with and without fibromyalgia.
• Significant clinical improvements in functional status and symptom severity were observed in fibromyalgia patients receiving HT.
• HT demonstrates potential as a therapeutic intervention for managing fibromyalgia symptoms and improving overall well-being in postmenopausal women.