Non-randomised trial, 2011
Can we predict which women with PMDD will benefit from leuprolide treatment?
Yes, likely. Women whose daily mood ratings show more regular patterns (less variable day-to-day) before treatment are more likely to respond to leuprolide. This can be determined from mood records taken over less than 3 months.
What they did
Comparison study of 33 women with PMDD who responded well to leuprolide and 12 who did not. Researchers looked at daily self-ratings of sadness, anxiety, and irritability taken before treatment. They used statistical tests to measure how regular each person's mood pattern was.
What they found
Women who responded to leuprolide had significantly more regular mood patterns before treatment than those who didn't respond (P less than 0.005 to 0.002). The statistical measures could identify responders from non-responders with high accuracy. Average symptom levels were similar between groups, but the pattern of symptoms differed. About 60-70% of women with PMDD respond to leuprolide.
What it means for you
Before prescribing leuprolide, doctors may be able to predict who will benefit by examining mood pattern regularity over a few months. This could help avoid unnecessary hormone treatment. The study is limited by small sample size and lack of a randomized comparison group.
33
Women who responded to leuprolide
12
Women who did not respond
60-70%
Overall response rate to leuprolide
About the study
- Original title
- Predicting response to leuprolide of women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder by daily mood rating dynamics
- Authors
- Pincus SM, Alam S, Rubinow DR et al.
- Journal
- Journal of psychiatric research
- Year
- 2011
- Study design
- Non-randomised trial
- Participants
- 33
- What was tested
- Leuprolide acetate (a hormone medication that suppresses ovarian function), 3 months duration.
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2010.07.006
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