Impact of symptomatic menopausal transition on the occurrence of depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders: A real-world multi-site study

Abstract Background The menopause transition is a vulnerable period that can be associated with changes in mood and cognition. The present study aimed to investigate whether a symptomatic menopausal transition increases the risks of depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders. Methods This populati...

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Main Authors: Dong Yun Lee, Carmen Andreescu, Howard Aizenstein, Helmet Karim, Akiko Mizuno, Antonija Kolobaric, Seokyoung Yoon, Yerim Kim, Jaegyun Lim, Ein Jeong Hwang, Yung-Taek Ouh, Hyung Hoi Kim, Sang Joon Son, Rae Woong Park
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press 2023-01-01
Series:European Psychiatry
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Online Access:https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933823024392/type/journal_article
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Summary:Abstract Background The menopause transition is a vulnerable period that can be associated with changes in mood and cognition. The present study aimed to investigate whether a symptomatic menopausal transition increases the risks of depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders. Methods This population-based, retrospective cohort study analysed data from five electronic health record databases in South Korea. Women aged 45–64 years with and without symptomatic menopausal transition were matched 1:1 using propensity-score matching. Subgroup analyses were conducted according to age and use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT). A primary analysis of 5-year follow-up data was conducted, and an intention-to-treat analysis was performed to identify different risk windows over 5 or 10 years. The primary outcome was first-time diagnosis of depression, anxiety, and sleep disorder. We used Cox proportional hazard models and a meta-analysis to calculate the summary hazard ratio (HR) estimates across the databases. Results Propensity-score matching resulted in a sample of 17,098 women. Summary HRs for depression (2.10; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.63–2.71), anxiety (1.64; 95% CI 1.01–2.66), and sleep disorders (1.47; 95% CI 1.16–1.88) were higher in the symptomatic menopausal transition group. In the subgroup analysis, the use of HRT was associated with an increased risk of depression (2.21; 95% CI 1.07–4.55) and sleep disorders (2.51; 95% CI 1.25–5.04) when compared with non-use of HRT. Conclusions Our findings suggest that women with symptomatic menopausal transition exhibit an increased risk of developing depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders. Therefore, women experiencing a symptomatic menopausal transition should be monitored closely so that interventions can be applied early.
ISSN:0924-9338
1778-3585