What happens after menopause? (WHAM): A prospective controlled study of symptom profiles up to 12 months after pre-menopausal risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy

Objective. Understanding how symptoms cluster after premenopausal risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy (RRSO) can inform patient expectations but information is lacking. We aimed to identify symptom profiles after RRSO, changes over time, and the effect of hormone therapy (HT).Method. Participants were premenopausal women from a longitudinal controlled study (What Happens After Menopause? (WHAM)). Menopausal symptoms were prospectively measured in three groups: pre-menopausal comparisons who retained their ovaries (n = 99), RRSO HT users (n = 57) and RRSO non-HT users (n = 38). Symptoms (hot flashes, night sweats, low desire, vaginal dryness, poor sleep, anxiety/depression) were measured at baseline (pre-surgery) and at 3,6 and 12 months using standardised questionnaires. Latent transition analysis was used to identify symptom profiles post-RRSO, and the probability of changing profiles over time.Results. Three symptom profiles were identified: Most Symptoms (81-87% non-HT; 36-41% HT; 7-9% comparisons), Few Symptoms (7-13% non-HT; 36-42% HT; 77-80% comparisons), and Sexual Symptoms (0-10% non-HT; 17-27% HT; 14-15% comparisons). Most of the non-HT group reported Most Symptoms at 3 months with only a 2% chance of improvement by 12 months. The HT group were split between profiles at 3 months with a 5-13% chance of improvement by 6 months (14% chance of worsening), and a 12-32% chance of improvement by 12 months (4-25% chance of worsening).Conclusions. Symptoms cluster into distinct profiles after premenopausal RRSO. Most non-HT users are highly symptomatic with little chance of improvement by 12 months. In contrast, two-thirds of HT users have fewer symptoms and a much higher chance of improvement. These findings can inform patient decision-making and ex-pectations.(c) 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This study aimed to understand the clustering of symptoms after premenopausal risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy (RRSO), the changes in symptoms over time, and the effects of hormone therapy (HT). Three symptom profiles were identified: Most Symptoms, Few Symptoms, and Sexual Symptoms. Most non-HT users remained highly symptomatic with little chance of improvement by 12 months, while HT users had fewer symptoms and a higher chance of improvement.