Effects of escitalopram on menopause-specific quality of life and pain in healthy menopausal women with hot flashes: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of escitalopram 10-20 mg/day on menopause-related quality of life and pain in healthy menopausal women with hot flashes. STUDY DESIGN A double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized trial of escitalopram 10-20mg/day vs. identical placebo was conducted among 205 women ages 40-62 years with an average of ≥4 daily hot flashes recruited at 4 clinical sites from July 2009 to June 2010. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The primary trial outcomes, reported previously, were the frequency and severity of vasomotor symptoms at 8 weeks. Here, we report on the pre-specified secondary endpoints of total and domain scores from the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (MENQOL) and the pain intensity and interference scale (PEG). RESULTS Outcome data were collected on 97% of randomized women and 87% of women took at least 70% of their study medication. Treatment with escitalopram resulted in significantly greater improvement in total MENQOL scores (mean difference at 8 weeks of -0.41; 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.71 to -0.11; p<0.001), as well as Vasomotor, Psychosocial, and Physical domain scores with the largest difference seen in the Vasomotor domain (mean difference -0.75; 95% CI -1.28 to -0.22; p=0.02). There was no significant treatment group difference for the Sexual Function domain. Escitalopram treatment resulted in statistically significant improvements in PEG scores compared to placebo (mean treatment group difference at 8 weeks of -0.33; 95% CI -0.81 to 0.15; p=0.045). CONCLUSIONS Treatment with escitalopram 10-20mg/day in healthy women with vasomotor symptoms significantly improved menopause-related quality of life and pain.