Menopause: new therapies

Hormone replacement therapy in hypopituitarism

Hypopituitarism is a disease complex characterised by varying pituitary hormonal deficiencies. The causes and manifestations of hypopituitarism are diverse, the most common being the presence of or treatment of a pituitary adenoma. Pressure effects from the tumour itself on normal pituitary tissue, together with the effects of surgical resection, results in variable degrees of hypopituitarism. The latter precipitates end-organ failure leading to a variety of symptoms and signs, which are often nonspecific and vague. The broad aims of managing patients with hypopituitarism are to provide amelioration of the symptomatology associated with the condition, to avoid potentially acute life-threatening complications and to protect against long-term sequelae that may include osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease. This is achieved through lifelong therapeutic replacement of target hormonal deficiencies, such as corticosteroids or sex hormones, or replacement of the pituitary hormones themselves (i.e., growth hormone and vasopressin). Although the general principle of replacing missing hormones seems straightforward, in reality, existing hormonal therapeutic regimes often result in unphysiological replacement. Furthermore, there may be problems associated with their administration and routine monitoring. There is now little doubt that the hypopituitary state is associated with increased cardiovascular mortality. However, the precise underlying mechanisms responsible have not been fully elucidated, but probably include untreated growth hormone deficiency and/or unphysiological replacement of other target hormones. An effective strategy of tailoring hormonal replacement regimes to individual needs remains a challenge but is imperative if the increased morbidity and mortality associated with hypopituitarism is to be addressed.

A randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover study of tibolone (Livial) on menopause symptoms, psychological well-being, and dyadic relationship of postmenopausal Chinese women and their spouses

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effects of 6-month treatment of tibolone on menopause symptoms, psychological well-being, and the dyadic relationship of postmenopausal Chinese women and their spouses.

DESIGN

A randomized, double-blind, crossover study was conducted in 100 postmenopausal Hong Kong Chinese women who received tibolone (2.5mg/day) and placebo. At baseline, 6-month and 13-month visits, the women filled in the Greene Climacteric Scale (GCS), 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) and Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS), and their spouses completed GHQ and DAS.

RESULTS

Both tibolone and placebo treatment were associated with a significant reduction in the GCS total scores after the first 6-month interventional period (95% CI: -8.0 to -2.5 for tibolone, and -5.7 to -0.7 for placebo). After the correction for placebo response, tibolone treatment was associated with a significant reduction in the GCS somatic subscore (-1.1 +/- 0.4 for tibolone group versus 0.6 +/- 0.5 for placebo group, P < 0.05). There were no significant changes in the GHQ and DAS total scores of the women and their spouses after tibolone treatment, both with and without the correction for placebo response.

CONCLUSIONS

Tibolone treatment had a significant beneficial effect on the somatic menopause symptoms but had no effect on the psychological well-being or marital relationship of the postmenopausal Chinese women and their spouses.