Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0600142 (hot flushes)
 1,242 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

In much of the literature to date, the definition of climacteric symptoms has been based largely upon women who present for medical treatment of symptoms. It is already well recognised that patients (of all ages and both sexes) presenting for medical treatment tend to report themselves as suffering from more life stresses and from more neurotic symptoms than people in the general population. Life stress and adequacy of coping may thus be important factors in the incidence of symptomatology at the climacteric, as at any other time of life. This study therefore investigated the proposal that post-menopausal women who present for treatment at menopause clinics suffer from more life stresses and more neurotic symptoms than post-menopausal women in the general population. It was found that patients did indeed suffer from more psychosocial stress, measured in terms of life events, clinical depression and anxiety scales and a rating scale based on a clinician's judgements of ongoing psychosocial stress, vulnerability and adequacy of coping. Patients also suffered from significantly more symptoms than non-patients, not only psychological, but also hypothalamic and metabolic symptoms. However, the incidence of hot flushes and vaginal atrophy was the same in both groups. The stress/coping rating was the measure which correlated most highly with the psychological symptoms reported by subjects as symptoms of menopause. Life events and clinical stress measures were more consistently related in the non-patient group, indicating possible intervening variables (such as hormone imbalance) in this relationship in the patient group.
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PMID:Psychosocial stress and symptoms of menopause: a comparative study of menopause clinic patients and non-patients. 407 28

This paper investigates if the highly selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor reboxetine leads to a dose-dependent cortisol release and if this response depends on personality dimensions related to clinical depression in healthy volunteers. Twenty-four male subjects received placebo, 2 mg, or 4 mg reboxetine in a balanced, randomized cross-over study. Cortisol was measured in saliva at six different time-points according to the kinetics of the drug. Furthermore, several measurements of cardiovascular parameters, emotional states, and possible side-effects were obtained. Subjects were divided into two groups scoring above or below the median of a depressiveness questionnaire scale [n = 11, low (D-); n = 13, high (D+)]. Results clearly demonstrated, that reboxetine stimulates cortisol release. Whereas blood pressure was not affected, heart rate increased after 2 and 4 mg but not dose dependently. Subjects reported more non-specific arousal while the dimensions of tiredness-wakefulness and positive-negative emotional states were not affected by the drug. Somatic complaints were low and only non-specific complaints were statistically elevated but of negligible amount. Subjects classified as D+ can be characterized as high responders to the drug. This is especially true not only for cortisol increases but also for changes in heart rate and some ratings on physical complaints. Hot flushes, sweating and a throbbing sensation in blood vessels in the head were observed in D+ but only with the 4 mg dose. The results clearly demonstrate that reboxetine stimulates cortisol release and heart rate and that this is particularly pronounced in subjects scoring high on depression-related personality dimensions. Reboxetine, therefore, is a promising tool for investigating neuroendocrine response to noradrenergic challenge tests. The question whether increased responses in D+ are due to an up-regulation of receptor sensitivity as a consequence of low norepinephrine supply is discussed.
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PMID:Reboxetine in a neuroendocrine challenge paradigm: evidence for high cortisol responses in healthy volunteers scoring high on subclinical depression. 1134 96

Women have a higher incidence of depression than men. The lifetime incidence of endogenous depression in women is twice the incidence in males. Because depression in the elderly is an important public health concern, an eventual correlation between menopause and depression is of practical importance. The relevant literature is reviewed. There are suggestive data that estrogen deficiency may increase the susceptibility for depression. Furthermore, here is suggestive evidence from observational studies and a limited number of randomized, controlled trials that estrogen therapy after menopause improves mood and cognition. However, the clinical relevance of estrogen administration is unproved. There are weak data that estrogens might be considered for mild depressive symptoms attributed to hot flushes, sleep disturbances, or other climacteric symptoms. No hard data exist to indicate whether estrogen could be used as adjunct therapy for other depressive disorders during the menopausal transition or postmenopausal period, but newer findings suggest that estrogens may improve the effect of serotonin reuptake inhibitors.
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PMID:Depression, menopause and estrogens: is there a correlation? 1195 89

Abrupt onset of hot flashes poses a significant problem for women treated with chemotherapy for breast cancer. Alternatives to hormone replacement, such as the use of the selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor (SSRI) paroxetine hydrochloride, are being explored as therapies for hot flashes in this patient population. The present study investigated the efficacy of paroxetine for the treatment of hot flashes and associated symptoms in women with breast cancer. This study included 13 patients who were seen in the Psychosocial Clinic at Moffitt Cancer Center. They were referred by their medical oncologist after reporting complaints of significant difficulty with hot flashes. Baseline questionnaires were completed and a structured diagnostic interview for clinical depression was conducted, all of which were repeated 5 weeks after the paroxetine 20 mg daily was started. Significant improvements were seen in the ratings of hot flash severity (P = 0.002). In addition, significant improvements were observed in general, emotional, and mental fatigue. Rates of clinically significant depressive symptomatology also decreased and sleep quality improved significantly as well. Finally, the incidence of clinical depression improved from 39% at baseline to 8% after treatment. These preliminary data suggest that the antidepressant paroxetine can be helpful in the treatment of hot flashes and associated fatigue, sleep disturbance, and depression in women with breast cancer treated with chemotherapy. Further controlled studies are needed to more fully evaluate the efficacy of the SSRIs for hot flashes in women with breast cancer.
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PMID:A pilot trial of paroxetine for the treatment of hot flashes and associated symptoms in women with breast cancer. 1199 3