Psychosomatics 25: 905-908, 1984
Copyright
© 1984 Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine
Depression and anxiety associated with secondary amenorrhea
GIOVANNI A. FAVA M.D.1,
GIANCARLO TROMBINI M.D.1,
SILVANA GRANDI M.D.1,
MANUELA BERNARDI M.D.1,
LILIANA PASQUALI EVANGELISTI M.D.1,
GIUSEPPE SANTARSIERO M.D.2, , and
CAMILLO ORLANDI M.D.2
1 From the chair of psychosomatic medicine, University of Bologna School of Medicine, Bologna, Italy
2 From the II chair of obstetrics and gynecology, University of Bologna School of Medicine, Bologna, Italy
Secondary amenorrhea, when an organic etiology has been ruled out, is a considerable challenge to gynecologists and family physicians. Five of 18 patients suffering from amenorrhea were found to have major depressive disorder and four others generalized anxiety disorder. The dexamethasone suppression test corroborated clinical findings in three of the five depressed patients, but otherwise yielded low specificity. Since antidepressants may potentially reverse amenorrhea when a severe depressive state is present, the findings should alert the physician to include clinical and biologic criteria for depression in the diagnostic work-up for amenorrhea.
