Research has shown that menopausal women who experience hot flushes and night sweats before menopause have a higher risk of experiencing depressive symptoms.
The research team of Professors Seung-ho Ryu, Yu-soo Jang, and Dr. Hye-rin Choi of the Healthcare Data Center at Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University College of Medicine, analyzed approximately 2,800 pre-menopausal women aged 42 to 52 who visited the hospital’s general health examination center between 2014 and 2018, followed for an average of 6.1 years. It was revealed that the results were as follows.
Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine Kangbuk Samsung Hospital Healthcare Data Center Professor Ryu Seung-ho (from left), Professor Jang Yu-soo, and Dr. Choi Hye-rin.
The study found that women who experienced vasomotor symptoms had a 72% higher risk of developing depressive symptoms compared to women who did not experience vasomotor symptoms. In particular, women who experienced moderate vasomotor symptoms of 3 or more were found to have an 83% increased risk of developing depressive symptoms compared to women without vasomotor symptoms.
Symptoms of facial flushing and night sweats were measured through a questionnaire. Those who responded that they had symptoms and felt distress of 3 or higher on a scale of 1 to 7 were defined as having moderate or higher vasomotor symptoms. Depressive symptoms were assessed by examining the level of depression over the past week through a depression survey and giving a total score of 60. A score of 16 or higher was considered to have significant depressive symptoms.
Professor Seung-ho Ryu said, “Menopausal women experience vasomotor symptoms due to an imbalance in female hormones, and women who experience severe menopausal symptoms before menopause may be more vulnerable to significant depressive symptoms due to imbalanced changes in female hormones. He explained, “This study suggests that comprehensive management, including mental health, as well as the symptoms of hot flashes themselves, is important in menopausal women who experience hot flashes and night sweats before menopause.”
The results of this study were published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, the official journal of the International Association of Mental Disorders.
Reporter Jeong Jin-su [email protected]
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2024-04-10 01:02:12
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