Hot flushes & estrogen therapy do not influence cognition in early menopausal women LeBlanc et al, Menopause, 14(2):191-202, March/April 2007
 
Objective: to examine how menopausal symptoms & estrogen therapy (ET)- induced symptom relief affect cognition in early menopause.
Design: 37 recently menopaused women, 20 with low symptoms, 17 with high symptoms. They completed mood & sleep questionnaires & underwent cognitive testing ( verbal memory, visual memory, emotional memory & verbal fluency ).
32 went into part 2 of study -14 randomly assigned to receive ET, & 18 placebo.
Results: High-symptom women had more negative mood & lower sleep quality than low-symptom women. However, both performed the same on cognitive testing.
ET provided greater improvements in menopausal symptoms & sleep, but did not improve mood. Women receiving ET did not have any improvement in cognitive performance compared to placebo.
 
 
Do bisphosphonates keep working after women stop taking them ?
The Fracture Intervention Trial Long Term Extension (FLEX), Black et al, JAMA, 2006, 296:2927-2938
 
FLEX is a study of just over 1000 post-menopausal women randomized to receive 5mg/d or 10mg/d alendronate or placebo for 4 years.
 
Compared to women continuing alendronate over 5 years, those who quit had lower BMD at the total hip(-2.4%), and spine (-3.7%), but mean levels remained at or above pre-treatment levels from10 years prior.
 
Those who quit also had 55.6% higher levels of C-telopeptide type I collagen, 59.5% higher levels of serum N=propeptide phosphatase, & 28.1% higher levels of bone-specific alkaline phosphatase. However, after 5 years without therapy, levels remained somewhat below pre-treatment levels of 10 years prior.
 
The bottom line is that after 5 years, while those who quit were at no significantly greater cumulative risk for non-vertebral fractures, those who continued had a significant lower risk of clinically recognized vertebral fractures.
 
Until more information is available, women at highest risk for vertebral fractures may want to continue taking bisphosphonates beyond 5 years.
 
 
Testosterone treatment for hypoactive sexual desire disorder in postmenopausal women
Kingsberg S, 2007, J Sex Med, 4(suppl 3), 227-234 
 
Based on INTIMATE SM 1 and 2 (Investigation of Natural Testosterone in Menopausal women Also Taking Estrogen in Surgically Menopausal women).
 
Measures of sexual function used – SAL (sexual activity log), PFSF (Profile of Female Sexual Function ).
 
INTIMATE 1 & 2 showed significant increase in total satisfying sexual activity in those receiving testosterone ( via patch ) compared to placebo, 74% and 51% for INTIMATE 1 & 2 respectively.
 
PFSF testing showed significant improvements in INTIMATE 1 & 2 in all domains of sexual function in those using testosterone.
 
85% of patients said they would probably or definitely continue treatment.