Table 1.
Baseline clinical characteristics in women with perimenopausal depression (n = 20) and control women (n = 20)
| Asymptomatic controls (n = 20) | Perimenopausal depression (n = 20) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median (IQR) | Mean (SD) | Median (IQR) | Mean (SD) | P | |
| Age, y | 50.5 (50.0-52.2) | 51.3 (2.3) | 50.5 (47.7-53.0) | 50.4 (3.4) | .34 |
| BMI | 24.5 (22.4-27.6) | 25.8 (5.7) | 25.6 (23.8-29.2) | 26.4 (4.3) | .34 |
| Duration of MT, mo | 24.0 (12.0-35.2) | 23.5 (11.5) | 24.0 (12.0-36.0) | 24.8 (12.4) | .74 |
| GAF | 90.0 (90.0-95.0) | 91.5 (3.1) | 61 (60.0-65.0) | 62.4 (5.7) | .001 |
| BDI | 0.0 (0.0-2.0) | 1.2 (1.9) | 17.5 (12.7-20.0) | 18.3 (9.0) | .001 |
| CESD | 0.0 (0.0-2.0) | 1.2 (1.8) | 25.0 (15.0-36.0) | 26.2 (11.8) | .001 |
| CTQ | 29.5 (28.0-32.7) | 31.4 (6.4) | 44.0 (35.0-51.0) | 45.5 (18.7) | .01 |
| Plasma FSH, IU/L | 48.5 (40.2-73.9) | 54.9 (27.7) | 52.6 (28.9-73.2) | 51.2 (24.7) | .86 |
| Plasma estradiol, pg/mL | 41.8 (9.0-84.7) | 56.0 (57.0) | 45.2 (28.9-85.8) | 68.5 (61.4) | .40 |
| Plasma progesterone, ng/mL | 0.2 (0.1-0.4) | 0.3 (0.2) | 0.2 (0.2-0.3) | 0.3 (0.1) | .72 |
| Asymptomatic controls (n = 20) | Perimenopausal depression (n = 20) | ||||
| No. (%) | No. (%) | P | |||
| STRAW stage | .39 | ||||
| –2 | 1 (5) | 1 (5) | |||
| –1 | 18 (90) | 17 (85) | |||
| 1 | 1 (5) | 2 (10) | |||
| Hot flashes, present | 7 (38.9) | 14 (73.7) | .07 | ||
| Race | .48 | ||||
| Black | 5 (25) | 3 (18.8) | |||
| Asian | 2 (10) | 0 | |||
| White | 12 (60) | 11 (68.8) | |||
| Hispanic | 1 (5) | 2 (10) | |||
| Thyroid Tx | 1 (5) | 2 (10) | .99 | ||
| Past MDE | 0 | 12 (60) | .001 |
Wilcoxon rank sum test was used for the continuous variables; Fisher exact test was used to compare the categorical variables between groups.
Perimenopausal depression (PMD) and control women were similar in most baseline demographic and clinical characteristics with the exceptions that women with PMD had higher symptom severity scores and greater disability ratings on the GAF. All were medication free with the exception of 5 women: 3 on thyroid supplementation (PMD [n = 2], control women [n = 1]), 2 women with PMD were on antilipid medications (one of whom was also on thyroid supplementation), and 1 control was on a diuretic (hydrochlorothiazide) for high blood pressure.
Abbreviations: BDI, Beck Depression Inventory; BMI, body mass index; CESD, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale; CTQ, Childhood Trauma Questionnaire; FSH, follicle-stimulating hormone; GAF, Global Assessment of Functioning; IQR, interquartile range; MDE, major depressive episode; MT duration, duration of menopause transition (self-report); STRAW, Stages of Reproductive Aging Workshop; Tx, treatment.