The role of tibolone in the elimination of climacteric syndrome symptoms
Ilyina I.Yu., Dobrokhotova Yu.E., Narimanova M.R.
Background: Menopause is characterized by a gradual decline and eventual "turn-off" of ovarian function. Physiological changes in a woman's body are accompanied by the development of neuropsychiatric, vegetovascular, and neuroendocrine symptoms. Menopause is an important period associated with intense hormonal changes that can cause cognitive decline, anxiety and depression, sexual dysfunction, and sleep disturbances.
Objective: To conduct a comparative analysis of the use of various pharmacological drugs for the correction of menopausal symptoms.
Materials and methods: The study was conducted at the Pirogov City Hospital No. 1 during the period of September 2024–June 2025. The study included 62 postmenopausal women that were divided into 3 groups: Group 1 (n=21) – patients who received tibolone (Leatrisa) for 6 months; Group 2 (n=17) – patients who received a drug containing estradiol 1 mg and dydrogesterone 5 mg (E2/DYD); Group 3 (n=24) – postmenopausal women who did not receive menopausal hormontherapy (MHT). In addition to standard research methods, a questionnaire was administered (Greene Menopause Index, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Female Sexual Distress Scale (FSDS), sleep quality questionnaire).
Results: Tibolone's effect was found to be comparable to that of E2/DYD, a drug recommended for use 12 months after menopause, in terms of relieving menopausal symptoms and alleviating their severity. Tibolone is effective in treating sexual dysfunction in postmenopausal women due to its androgenic metabolite. The results of the study showcase that tibolone has no proliferative effect on the endometrium.
Conclusion: Tibolone significantly improves sexual function, reduces anxiety and depression, alleviates menopausal symptoms, and promotes weight stabilization, without causing endometrial proliferative effects. We believe tibolone can be considered an effective therapy for many postmenopausal women.
Authors’ contribution: Ilyina I.Yu., Dobrokhotova Yu.E., Narimanova M.R. – study concept and design, material collection and processing, manuscript conduction and editing.
Conflicts of interest: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
Funding: The study had no sponsorship.
Patient Consent for Publication: All patients provided informed consent for the publication of their data.
Authors' Data Sharing Statement: The data supporting the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author after approval from the principal investigator.
For citation: Ilina I.Yu., Dobrokhotova Yu.E., Narimanova M.R.
The role of tibolone in the elimination of climacteric syndrome symptoms.
Akusherstvo i Ginekologiya/Акушерство и гинекология. 2025; (9): 160-167 (in Russian)
https://dx.doi.org/10.18565/aig.2025.248
Keywords
tibolone
menopausal hormone therapy
menopause
climacteric syndrome
sleep disorders
sexual dysfunction
anxiety and depression scale
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Received 08.09.2025
Accepted 23.09.2025
About the Authors
Irina Yu. Ilyina, Dr. Med. Sci., Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Ministry of Health of Russia, 117513, Russia, Moscow, Ostrovitianov str., 1-9, iliyina@mail.ru, https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8155-8775Yulia E. Dobrokhotova, Dr. Med. Sci., Professor, Head of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Ministry of Health of Russia, 117997, Russia, Moscow, Ostrovityanov str., 1-9, pr.dobrohotova@mail.ru, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7830-2290
Metanat R. Narimanovа, PhD, Associate Professor at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, 117513, Russia, Moscow, Ostrovityanov str., 1-9, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0677-2952
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