Differential effectiveness of hormone replacement therapy and relaxation techniques on consequences of menopause vasomotor symptoms

Abstract Background: Vasomotor symptoms are usually accompanied with consequences such as headache, sleep disturbance and other events which can not be exactly attributed to endocrine changes already established in menopausal period. Objective: To compare the effect of hormone replacement therapy and relaxation techniques on consequences of menopause vasomotor symptoms Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study carried out in 2003 in which ninety post-menopausal women with vasomotor symptoms referred to private doctors or midwives in Zanjan (Iran) were selected by convenience method. The subjects were randomly divided into 3 groups marked as HRT, RT and control groups. Data were collected through questionnaires and interviews before and after intervention. Data were further analyzed using T-test, T- Paired, X2 and variance analysis. Findings: Our results demonstrated that RT and HRT both reduced the severity of vasomotor symptoms consequences (headache, sleep disturbance, depression, irritability and anxiety) in post-treatment period compared to pre-treatment stage. The findings were also indicative of a significant difference between RT and HRT groups comparing with control group in post -treatment period. Finally, although RT and HRT both reduced the severity of symptoms, RT found to have greater effect on depression than HRT. Conclusion: Based on results found in present study, RT and HRT both led to significant reduction in consequences of vasomotor symptoms, however, RT showed greater effect on depression than HRT.