A Study on the Correlation of Hormonal Status with Depression - Anxiety Traits in Menopausal Women

폐경기 여성에서 호르몬 상태와 우울 및 불안 성향간의 상관관계 연구

Objects : There has been the controversy that menopause may or may not influence the psychological distresses. The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between the hormonal status and traits of depression & anxiety in menopausal women. Method : Among the women attending menopausal clinic. menopausal women, defined as who having a amenorrhea for more than 12 months, were selected as a study group(n=83). The control group(n=73), who visited to screen the cervix cancer with regular menstruation, hod no history of hormone replacement therapy. Individual data were collected by self-reporting questionnaires. Depression state was evaluated by Beck Depression Inventory(BDI) and anxiety state by Stale Trail Anxiety Inventory(STAI), and the female hormones such as E2, FSH, and LH were obtained by blood sampling at visting clinic. Statistically the data were processed by t-test and pearson correlation analysis(p<0.05). Results : 1) The mean age of menopausal was 45.3 years. 2) In menopausal women the scores of BDI & STAI were significantly higher than in control group(p<0.05). 3) There were significant differences between menopausal and control group by E2 & FSH. 4) There was no correlation between female hormonal status and the STAI & BDI scores in both groups. Conclusion : Although menopausal women had more traits of depression & anxiety than control group, it was difficult to insist that the lack of estrogen was the only etiological factor for the traits of depression & anxiety in menopausal period. In further studies, we must consider another factors, including biological, sociocultural, psychological factor, as the cause of psychological symptoms during menopausal period.

저자들은 1994년 3월부터 1995년 10월까지 중앙대학교 부속병원 폐경기 클리닉에 내원했었던 환자중 폐경군 83명과 대조군 73명을 BDI, STAI로써 우울과 불안정도를 측정하였고, 혈중 E2, LH, FSH 수치를 측정하여 결과는 다음과 같았다. 폐경 여성의 평균 연령은 45.3세였으며 BDI와 STAI 점수 비교에서 폐경군이 대조군에 비해 유의(p<0.01)하게 높아 폐경군이 더 높은 우울 및 불안 성향을 보였으나 폐경 여성이 불안 및 우울감을 더 유발한다는 가설을 뒷받침 하지는 못하였다. 혈중 호르몬의 비교에서 대조군과 폐경군간에 E2치와 FSH치에서 양군간에 유의한 차이(p<0.01)가 있었다. 그리고 대조군에서 STAI, BDI 접수와 호르몬간의 상관관계에서 유의한 상관관계는 없었으며 폐경군에서도 STAI, BDI 접수와 호르몬간의 상관관계에서 유의한 상관관계는 없었다. 즉 폐경기 호르몬의 상태와 우울 및 불안과의 상관관계는 없었다. 폐경기의 심리적 장애의 원인을 생물학적, 사회문화적, 또는 심리적 요인 중 단일 요인으로 성명하기보다 상호 복합적으로 규명해야 하겠다.