The symptomatology of climacteric syndrome: whether associated with the physical factors or psychological disorder in perimenopausal/postmenopausal patients with anxiety–depression disorder

PURPOSE: To explore whether the symptoms of climacteric syndrome associated with its physical factors or psychological disorder in perimenopausal/postmenopausal patients with anxiety–depression disorder. METHODS: We recruited 78 climacteric patients with anxiety–depression disorder and 72 control participants in perimenopausal/postmenopausal without anxiety–depression disorder for this study. We measured symptoms using the Greene Climacteric Symptom Scale in all cases. We also collected demographic data and tested sexual hormone, blood pressure, bone density, cognitive, estrogen receptor-alpha (ERα) gene polymorphism as physiological factors, using HARS-14 and CHDS assessed psychological disorder degree. RESULTS: C-MMSE scores as well as Estradiol and progesterone levels in the anxiety–depression disorder group were significantly lower compared to the control group (P < 0.01). In addition, the anxiety–depression disorder group had significantly higher Greene Climacteric Scale scores, as well as somatic symptoms compared to controls (P < 0.01). Moreover, the anxiety, depression and somatic symptoms of the Greene Climacteric Scale were positively correlated with HARS-14 and CHDS scores (P < 0.001) and negatively with estrogen level and C-MMSE scores (P < 0.05) in the anxiety–depression disorder group. Greene Climacteric Scale Symptoms were not significantly correlated with blood pressure, bone density or other factors (P > 0.05). There was no significant change in the allele frequency or the estrogen receptor-alpha gene polymorphisms, between the two groups (P > 0.05); however, the Pp genotype was negatively associated with C-MMSE scores (r = appraises, P = 0.033). LIMITATIONS: The sample size was relatively small. CONCLUSIONS: The symptoms of somatic symptoms in patients with climacteric syndrome and anxiety–depression disorder are associated with the emotional disorder but not with a physical disease. The Pp ERα polymorphism Pvu II is associated with a cognitive decrease.