Estrogens Effect on Pain in Postmenopausal Women Suffering of Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia Clinical Trial

Official title: Hormonal Replacement Therapy Does Not Affect Self-estimated Pain or Experimental Pain Responses in Postmenopausal Women Suffering From Fibromyalgia: A Double-blind, Randomized, Placebo-controlled Trial

Status Terminated

Clinical Trial Summary

In order to evaluate the potential effects of estrogen treatment in postmenopausal women with fibromyalgia, the investigators used quantitative sensory tests before and after eight weeks of estrogen treatment as compared with placebo treatment.

Clinical Trial Description

Fibromyalgia is a condition that preferentially affects women. Sex hormones, and in particular estrogens, have been shown to affect pain processing and pain sensitivity, and estrogen deficit has been considered a potential promoting factor for fibromyalgia. However, the effects of estrogen treatment in patients suffering from fibromyalgia have not been studied. Twenty-nine postmenopausal women were randomized to either eight weeks of treatment with transdermal 17β-estradiol (50 ug daily) or placebo according to a double-blind protocol. A self-estimation of pain, a set of quantitative sensory tests measuring thresholds to temperature, thermal pain, cold pain and pressure pain, and a cold pressor test were performed at three occasions: before treatment, after eight weeks of treatment, and twenty weeks after cessation of treatment. ;

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Double Blind (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor), Primary Purpose: Basic Science

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Fibromyalgia
• Myofascial Pain Syndromes

• NCT number: NCT01087593
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: Ostergotland County Council, Sweden
• Status: Terminated
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: August 2001
• Completion date: October 2007