Aim

To study the effects of tibolone versus conjugated oestrogen as short-term treatment in improving HRQOL in surgical menopausal women utilizing Menopause Rating Scale II (MRS II).

Method

64 women were randomized to two groups- women in group A (32 women) received tibolone 2.5 mg.daily and those in group B (32 women) received conjugated oestrogen 0.625 mg.daily. For baseline assessment of the severity of menopausal symptoms, each woman scored herself MRS II, and then again after three months and twelve months of follow up. All women returned for follow up after three months but only ten women in group A and nine women in group B returned for follow up after twelve months. As a very short-term therapy (first three months), women receiving tibolone were found to have slightly better overall quality of life compared to those having conjugated oestrogen (psychological symptoms are predominantly improved with tibolone).”Intent to treat” method of analysis showed that “probability” of relief and improvement of HRQOL after twelve months, were more with tibolone than with conjugated oestrogen.

Conclusion

In a very short-term treatment, tibolone improves psychological symptoms more than conjugated oestrogen and on further continuation, overall chances of relief are more with Tibolone.

Keywords: Tibolone, Conjugated Oestrogen, Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL)