[Effects of hormonal treatment on the duration of the climacteric syndrome]

The duration of symptoms occurring in vegetative climacteric syndrome in 97 women who refused hormone treatment and served as the control group was 4.5 years. A mean duration of 5.4 years was determined in 85 women treated with oral estrogens, 6.4 years in 20 women treated with a combination of estradiol and prasterone and 12.9 years in 28 women receiving a combination of estradiol and testosterone. All these groups were practically identical as to initiation of therapy and age, as well as to 17 further case history, sociological and clinical characteristics. Hormonal treatment of the climacteric syndrome can therefore lengthen symptomatic problems. This applies particularly to estradiol-testosterone combinations, in which the testosterone assumes decisive significance for the extent of the lengthening. Adjustment to the symptomatic timespan experienced by the control group depends largely on a relatively quick reduction of dosage.