Table 4 The individual change in Likert score from baseline to end of treatment (at 6 months or date of discontinuation), comparing all doses, including placebo to the 20 mg tamoxifen arm, for all women combined and stratified by menopausal status.

From: Side effects of low-dose tamoxifen: results from a six-armed randomised controlled trial in healthy women

  

Tamoxifen dose in mg

 

Symptom

N

0

1

2.5

5

10

20

Association with dose

  

Mean change (95% CI)a

Mean change (95% CI)a

Mean change (95% CI)a

Mean change (95% CI)a

Mean change (95% CI)a

Ref.

P valueb

Vasomotor

 Hot flashes

   All

1161

−0.39 (−0.59, −0.18)

−0.20 (−0.40, 0.01)

0.02 (−0.18, 0.23)

0.08 (−0.13, 0.29)

0.17 (−0.03, 0.38)

Ref.

0.002

   Premenopausal

446

−0.44 (−0.77, −0.11)

−0.34 (−0.66, −0.02)

−0.11 (−0.43, 0.21)

−0.06 (−0.39, 0.27)

0.26 (−0.06, 0.58)

Ref.

0.002

   Postmenopausal

715

−0.36 (−0.62, −0.10)

−0.09 (−0.36, 0.18)

0.11 (−0.16, 0.38)

0.17 (−0.10, 0.44)

0.12 (−0.14, 0.39)

Ref.

0.097

 Night sweats

   All

1166

−0.45 (−0.67, −0.24)

−0.10 (−0.32, 0.11)

−0.08 (−0.30, 0.13)

0.09 (−0.13, 0.31)

0.06 (−0.16, 0.27)

Ref.

0.003

   Premenopausal

450

−0.55 (−0.92, −0.18)

−0.23 (−0.58, 0.13)

−0.18 (−0.54, 0.18)

−0.10 (−0.46, 0.27)

0.08 (−0.28, 0.44)

Ref.

0.010

   Postmenopausal

716

−0.39 (−0.65, −0.13)

−0.02 (−0.29, 0.25)

−0.01 (−0.28, 0.25)

0.21 (−0.06, 0.48)

0.05 (−0.21, 0.32)

Ref.

0.090

 Cold sweats

   All

1162

−0.35 (−0.51, −0.19)

−0.27 (−0.43, −0.10)

−0.15 (−0.31, 0.01)

−0.10 (−0.26, 0.06)

−0.12 (−0.28, 0.04)

Ref.

<0.001

   Premenopausal

448

−0.30 (−0.52, −0.07)

−0.31 (−0.53, −0.09)

−0.14 (−0.36, 0.08)

−0.20 (−0.42, 0.03)

0.02 (−0.2, 0.24)

Ref.

0.001

   Postmenopausal

714

−0.38 (−0.6, −0.17)

−0.23 (−0.45, 0.00)

−0.16 (−0.38, 0.06)

−0.04 (−0.26, 0.18)

−0.21 (−0.43, 0.01)

Ref.

0.006

Gynaecological/breast

 Vaginal discharge

   All

1167

−0.51 (−0.71, −0.31)

−0.06 (−0.26, 0.14)

0.15 (−0.05, 0.35)

−0.10 (−0.30, 0.10)

0.20 (−0.01, 0.40)

Ref.

0.002

   Premenopausal

450

−0.41 (−0.73, −0.09)

−0.04 (−0.35, 0.27)

0.10 (−0.22, 0.41)

−0.35 (−0.66, −0.03)

0.05 (−0.27, 0.36)

Ref.

0.131

   Postmenopausal

717

−0.60 (−0.84, −0.35)

−0.06 (−0.32, 0.19)

0.19 (−0.06, 0.44)

0.05 (−0.20, 0.30)

0.28 (0.03, 0.53)

Ref.

0.003

 Vaginal itching/irritation

   All

1164

−0.28 (−0.43, −0.12)

−0.06 (−0.22, 0.1)

−0.06 (−0.21, 0.1)

−0.09 (−0.25, 0.07)

−0.06 (−0.22, 0.09)

Ref.

0.021

   Premenopausal

452

−0.26 (−0.53, 0.01)

−0.01 (−0.27, 0.25)

0.03 (−0.23, 0.30)

−0.06 (−0.33, 0.20)

−0.07 (−0.33, 0.19)

Ref.

0.412

   Postmenopausal

719

−0.29 (−0.48, −0.10)

−0.09 (−0.29, 0.11)

−0.11 (−0.31, 0.09)

−0.10 (−0.30, 0.10)

−0.06 (−0.26, 0.14)

Ref.

0.020

 Sensitive/tender breasts

   All

1172

0.04 (−0.09, 0.17)

−0.06 (−0.19, 0.07)

−0.12 (−0.25, 0.01)

−0.05 (−0.18, 0.08)

−0.09 (−0.22, 0.04)

Ref.

0.725

   Premenopausal

452

0.28 (0.02, 0.54)

0.16 (−0.09, 0.42)

−0.05 (−0.30, 0.21)

0.06 (−0.20, 0.32)

0.11 (−0.15, 0.36)

Ref.

0.170

   Postmenopausal

720

−0.11 (−0.25, 0.02)

−0.21 (−0.35, −0.07)

−0.18 (−0.31, −0.04)

−0.12 (−0.26, 0.01)

−0.22 (−0.35, −0.08)

Ref.

0.021

Sexual

 Lost interest in sex

   All

947

−0.07 (−0.34, 0.19)

−0.10 (−0.36, 0.16)

0.11 (−0.15, 0.38)

−0.09 (−0.36, 0.17)

0.12 (−0.14, 0.38)

Ref.

0.476

   Premenopausal

412

0.33 (−0.07, 0.72)

0.00 (−0.39, 0.39)

0.39 (−0.01, 0.78)

0.10 (−0.29, 0.50)

0.34 (−0.05, 0.72)

Ref.

0.319

   Postmenopausal

535

−0.34 (−0.68, 0.00)

−0.18 (−0.53, 0.17)

−0.09 (−0.43, 0.26)

−0.26 (−0.62, 0.10)

−0.07 (−0.42, 0.29)

Ref.

0.087

Musculoskeletal

 Muscle cramps

   All

1169

−0.66 (−0.85, −0.48)

−0.44 (−0.63, −0.25)

−0.26 (−0.45, −0.07)

−0.17 (−0.36, 0.02)

−0.04 (−0.22, 0.15)

Ref.

<0.001

   Premenopausal

450

−0.41 (−0.68, −0.14)

−0.28 (−0.54, −0.02)

−0.09 (−0.35, 0.17)

−0.16 (−0.42, 0.11)

0.12 (−0.14, 0.38)

Ref.

0.002

   Postmenopausal

719

−0.83 (−1.07, −0.58)

−0.54 (−0.8, −0.29)

−0.37 (−0.63, −0.12)

−0.19 (−0.45, 0.07)

−0.14 (−0.4, 0.11)

Ref.

<0.001

Skin/subcutaneous/mucous

 Dry mouth

   All

1175

−0.12 (−0.23, 0)

−0.08 (−0.2, 0.03)

0.04 (−0.07, 0.16)

0.02 (−0.1, 0.14)

−0.05 (−0.17, 0.07)

Ref.

0.250

   Premenopausal

454

−0.15 (−0.31, 0.01)

−0.12 (−0.27, 0.04)

−0.06 (−0.22, 0.1)

−0.04 (−0.2, 0.12)

−0.18 (−0.33, −0.02)

Ref.

0.195

   Postmenopausal

721

−0.09 (−0.25, 0.07)

−0.07 (−0.23, 0.1)

0.11 (−0.05, 0.28)

0.06 (−0.1, 0.23)

0.03 (−0.13, 0.19)

Ref.

0.575

 Skin rashes

   All

1156

−0.16 (−0.3, −0.01)

−0.14 (−0.29, 0.01)

−0.09 (−0.24, 0.05)

−0.06 (−0.21, 0.09)

−0.15 (−0.29, 0.00)

Ref.

0.058

   Premenopausal

446

−0.30 (−0.52, −0.07)

−0.14 (−0.36, 0.08)

−0.08 (−0.30, 0.14)

0.00 (−0.22, 0.23)

−0.07 (−0.29, 0.15)

Ref.

0.047

   Postmenopausal

710

−0.08 (−0.27, 0.11)

−0.14 (−0.34, 0.06)

−0.10 (−0.30, 0.09)

−0.09 (−0.29, 0.10)

−0.20 (−0.39, 0.00)

Ref.

0.369

 Itching

   All

1175

−0.18 (−0.32, −0.05)

−0.11 (−0.25, 0.03)

−0.02 (−0.16, 0.12)

−0.05 (−0.19, 0.09)

−0.04 (−0.18, 0.10)

Ref.

0.033

   Premenopausal

454

−0.22 (−0.45, 0.00)

−0.15 (−0.37, 0.07)

−0.11 (−0.34, 0.11)

0.00 (−0.23, 0.23)

−0.10 (−0.32, 0.12)

Ref.

0.090

   Postmenopausal

721

−0.16 (−0.33, 0.01)

−0.08 (−0.26, 0.10)

0.04 (−0.13, 0.22)

−0.07 (−0.25, 0.10)

0.00 (−0.18, 0.17)

Ref.

0.172

Gastrointestinal

 Lack of appetite

   All

1175

−0.05 (−0.09, 0.00)

−0.01 (−0.06, 0.03)

−0.02 (−0.06, 0.03)

−0.05 (−0.10, −0.01)

−0.04 (−0.08, 0.00)

Ref.

0.166

   Premenopausal

454

−0.08 (−0.14, −0.01)

−0.04 (−0.10, 0.03)

−0.04 (−0.10, 0.03)

−0.09 (−0.16, −0.02)

−0.06 (−0.13, 0.00)

Ref.

0.064

   Postmenopausal

721

−0.03 (−0.08, 0.03)

0.00 (−0.06, 0.06)

−0.01 (−0.07, 0.05)

−0.02 (−0.08, 0.04)

−0.03 (−0.08, 0.03)

Ref.

0.700

 Diarrhoea

   All

1169

0.16 (0.04, 0.27)

0.15 (0.03, 0.27)

0.17 (0.05, 0.29)

0.15 (0.03, 0.27)

0.18 (0.06, 0.30)

Ref.

0.005

   Premenopausal

451

0.21 (−0.01, 0.42)

0.16 (−0.04, 0.37)

0.14 (−0.07, 0.35)

0.19 (−0.02, 0.41)

0.19 (−0.02, 0.40)

Ref.

0.066

   Postmenopausal

718

0.13 (−0.01, 0.27)

0.14 (0.00, 0.29)

0.19 (0.04, 0.33)

0.12 (−0.03, 0.26)

0.17 (0.03, 0.32)

Ref.

0.036

Psychological

 Feeling nervous

   All

1166

0.13 (0.02, 0.23)

0.06 (−0.05, 0.16)

0.09 (−0.01, 0.2)

0.06 (−0.05, 0.16)

0.16 (0.06, 0.26)

Ref.

0.110

   Premenopausal

454

0.17 (0.00, 0.34)

0.13 (−0.04, 0.29)

0.16 (0.00, 0.33)

0.19 (0.02, 0.36)

0.18 (0.01, 0.34)

Ref.

0.040

   Postmenopausal

721

0.09 (−0.04, 0.22)

0.01 (−0.12, 0.15)

0.05 (−0.08, 0.18)

−0.03 (−0.16, 0.11)

0.15 (0.02, 0.28)

Ref.

0.710

  1. aDifference in mean change comparing 0 to 20 mg (ref.) tamoxifen at end of treatment (at 6 months or date of discontinuation).
  2. bP values for linear association between dose and symptom severity change.
  3. Significant values are in bold (P < 0.05).