A prospective study of hormonal treatment and anxiety disorders in community-dwelling elderly women (the Esprit Study).

BACKGROUND

The impact of hormone therapy use on late-life anxiety disorder in elderly women has not been evaluated.

METHODS

Anxiety disorders were evaluated in 838 community-dwelling postmenopausal women aged 65 years and over, randomly recruited from electoral rolls. Anxiety disorders were assessed using a standardized psychiatric examination based on DSM-IV criteria, at baseline and as part of the 2- and 4-year follow-up.

RESULTS

Multivariate logistic regression analyses adjusted for socio-demographic variables, measures of physical health and cognitive impairment, as well as current depressive symptomatology indicated no significant association between hormone therapy and anxiety disorders at baseline or after the 4-year follow-up period, regardless of type of treatment. Compared to women who have never taken hormonal therapy, no significant difference was observed for women taking continuously hormone therapy over the follow-up or those who stopped their treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of hormone therapy was not associated with improved anxiety symptomatology in elderly postmenopausal women.