Comparative study of gabapentin and isoflavone in menopausal vasomotor symptoms

• Main Authors: Savita Rani Singhal, Wansalan Kuru Shullai
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2016-01-01
• Series: Journal of Mid-Life Health
• Subjects: Gabapentin; hot flashes; isoflavone; menopause
• Online Access: http://www.jmidlifehealth.org/article.asp?issn=0976-7800;year=2016;volume=7;issue=3;spage=132;epage=139;aulast=Singhal
• ISSN: 0976-7800; 0976-7819

Objective: This study was planned to compare the effects of gabapentin and isoflavones in menopausal vasomotor symptoms. Materials and Methods: This prospective comparative study was conducted on 100 patients with complaints of hot flashes, divided into two groups of 50 each. Group I received 900 mg of gabapentin and Group II received 60 mg of isoflavones daily for 3 months. The patients were interviewed to calculate hot flash, global and depression scores and were rescored after 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks. The primary outcome measure was a change in the hot flash score from baseline. The secondary outcome was an improvement in sleep, depression, and lipid profile. Data were analyzed using Chi-square test and Student's t-test. Results: Both groups showed significant improvement in hot flash score at the end of 12 weeks (82% Group I, 74% Group II; P = 0.076). Statistically significant difference was seen at 12 weeks in sleep quality in favor of gabapentin (P = 0.011) and in depression in favor of isoflavones (0.026). Isoflavone had significant improvement in cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, and triglycerides profiles after 12 weeks (P < 0.001, 0.009, 0.024 and <0.001, respectively) as compared to gabapentin. Conclusion: Isoflavone and gabapentin are equally effective in the treatment of hot flashes; however, isoflavones have better response in patients who have associated with complaints of depression and gabapentin is better who have associated sleep disturbance.