Does HRT Enhance Quality of Life?

Reprinted with permission
COGI Paris

Quality of Life (QOL), a construct which has not yet achieved precise definition in the medical literature, nonetheless is a necessary outcome variable requiring measurement in determining comprehensive menopausal status in the clinical context or as part of pivotal regulatory trial research. Current QOL measures are mostly symptom inventories or scores relating to specific life phases or diseases.

We have reported on the Utian Quality of Life (UQOL) instrument. This is a brief instrument which measures QOL during the perimenopausal years through a 23-item questionnaire which demonstrates four separate intercorrelated domains. The UQOL with its simplicity of administration should be of practical value in clinical practice in evaluating QOL and changes in QOL in different communities and cultures.

Unfortunately, at this time, no such validated tool has been used in clinical studies, although the UQOL is currently being tested in HRT trials.

In the absence of definitive data, only speculation can be made as to whether HRT enhances QOL.