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Sleep disturbances in menopausal women: Aetiology and practical aspects.

Maturitas
July 1, 2015
Marie Bruyneel
Journal ArticleReviewHuman Study
Study Details

Study Goal

The researchers aimed to evaluate the role of melatonin in treating primary insomnia in menopausal women.

Results Summary

Melatonin was identified as a preferential treatment option for primary insomnia in menopausal women, alongside non-benzodiazepine hypnotics and cognitive behavioral therapy. The abstract does not provide specific efficacy data for melatonin but positions it as a recommended therapeutic option.

Population

Menopausal women with primary insomnia.

Effective Dosage

Not specified

Duration

Not specified

Interactions

None mentioned

Extracted Claims (9)
InterventionDirectionEndpointPopulationDosageImpactClaim #
non-benzodiazepine hypnotics
neutral
primary insomnia
Patients suffering from primary insomnia
-
will be preferentially treated
#1
melatonin
neutral
primary insomnia
Patients suffering from primary insomnia
-
will be preferentially treated
#2
cognitive behavioural therapy
neutral
primary insomnia
Patients suffering from primary insomnia
-
will be preferentially treated
#3
hormone replacement therapy
increase
Insomnia related to vasomotor symptoms
-
-
can be improved
#4
Gabapentin
increase
Insomnia related to vasomotor symptoms
-
-
have also shown efficacy
#5
isoflavones
increase
Insomnia related to vasomotor symptoms
-
-
have also shown efficacy
#6
continuous positive airway pressure
neutral
OSA
patients suffering from OSA
-
will be applied
#7
oral appliance
neutral
OSA
patients suffering from OSA
-
will be applied
#8
dopaminergic agonists
neutral
RLS
patients with moderate to severe disease
-
are the first-line treatment
#9
Abstract

Sleep deteriorates with age. The menopause is often a turning point for women's sleep, as complaints of insomnia increase significantly thereafter. Insomnia can occur as a secondary disorder to hot flashes, mood disorders, medical conditions, psychosocial factors, underlying intrinsic sleep disorders, such as obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) or restless legs syndrome (RLS), or it can be a primary disorder. Since unrecognized OSA can have dramatic health-related consequences, menopausal women complaining of persisting sleep disturbances suggesting primary insomnia or intrinsic sleep disorders should be referred to a sleep specialist for a comprehensive sleep assessment. Patients suffering from primary insomnia will be preferentially treated with non-benzodiazepine hypnotics or melatonin, or with cognitive behavioural therapy. Insomnia related to vasomotor symptoms can be improved with hormone replacement therapy. Gabapentin and isoflavones have also shown efficacy in small series but their precise role has yet to be established. In patients suffering from OSA, non-pharmacological therapy will be applied: continuous positive airway pressure or an oral appliance, according to the severity of the disorder. In the case of RLS, triggering factors must be avoided; dopaminergic agonists are the first-line treatment for moderate to severe disease. In conclusion, persisting sleep complaints should be addressed in menopausal women, in order to correctly diagnose the specific causal disorder and to prescribe treatments that have been shown to improve sleep quality, quality of life and long-term health status.

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
FemaleHot FlashesHumansMenopauseRestless Legs SyndromeSleepSleep Apnea, ObstructiveSleep Disorders, IntrinsicSleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders
Study Links
Quality Scores
SafetyNot Assessed
Efficacy70/10
Quality60/10
Citation Metrics
Total Citations37
Citations/Year3.7
Relative Citation Ratio1.93
NIH Percentile73.5%
Research Impact Scores
APT Score0.75
Weight Score1.54
Normalized Score0.60
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Sleep disturbances in menopausal women: Aetiology and practi... | Panacea Index