1
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Cucciniello L, Garufi G, Di Rienzo R, Martinelli C, Pavone G, Giuliano M, Arpino G, Montemurro F, Del Mastro L, De Laurentiis M, Puglisi F. Estrogen deprivation effects of endocrine therapy in breast cancer patients: Incidence, management and outcome. Cancer Treat Rev 2023; 120:102624. [PMID: 37751658 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctrv.2023.102624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
Endocrine therapy is one of the standard adjuvant treatments to reduce the risk of recurrence and mortality in patients with hormone receptor positive early breast cancer. Despite its proven efficacy, ET side effects, which persist over time even if low grade, may deteriorate quality of life. During follow-up visits, emphasis is generally placed on the risk of disease recurrence, while the topic of ET side effects is commonly neglected and discussed only briefly. This could lead to poor adherence to therapy and early treatment discontinuation, resulting in worse survival outcomes. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of the available evidence on the incidence and reporting of ET-related side effects (including vasomotor symptoms, musculoskeletal disorders and genitourinary syndrome of menopause, as well as fatigue, psychological and ocular disorders, dysmetabolic effects and loss of bone density) and of the pharmacological and non-pharmacological strategies available to mitigate symptom burden.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Cucciniello
- Department of Medicine, University of Udine, Udine, Italy; Department of Medical Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO), IRCCS, Aviano, Italy.
| | - Giovanna Garufi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy; Comprehensive Cancer Center, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli, IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
| | - Rossana Di Rienzo
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Claudia Martinelli
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Giuliana Pavone
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy; Center of Experimental Oncology and Hematology, A.O.U. Policlinico "G. Rodolico - San Marco", Catania, Italy
| | - Mario Giuliano
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy.
| | - Grazia Arpino
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | | | - Lucia Del Mastro
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties (DiMI), School of Medicine, University of Genova, Genova, Italy; Breast Unit, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy.
| | | | - Fabio Puglisi
- Department of Medicine, University of Udine, Udine, Italy; Department of Medical Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO), IRCCS, Aviano, Italy.
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2
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Aarshageetha P, Janci PRR, Tharani ND. Role of Alternate Therapies to Improve the Quality of Life in Menopausal Women: A Systematic Review. J Midlife Health 2023; 14:153-158. [PMID: 38312763 PMCID: PMC10836436 DOI: 10.4103/jmh.jmh_222_22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Middle aged women in majority undergoing menopausal symptoms are unaware of the physiological changes happening in their body, necessary lifestyle changes and alternate therapies to overcome the symptoms. All major electronic sources of relevant information were systematically searched and collected data were pooled under specific subheadings. From the reviewed papers, the awareness on symptoms and related complications of menopause in the middle aged women were consolidated. Studies helped to identify alternative therapies replacing or in parallel with the Hormone Replacement Therapy to overcome the menopausal symptoms. Reduced oestrogen and progesterone level causes physiological, psychological, and genitourinary symptoms. Prolonged consequences cause libido, osteoporosis, and cardio vascular diseases. Hypo-estrogenic status is well managed with alternative therapies including dietary intervention, acupuncture, aromatherapy, exercise, and yoga. Dietary interventions involving foods like Fennel, Soy, Black Cohash, St. John Wort, Red Clover and Date Pollen were found to be managing vasomotor symptoms and sexual dysfunction. Non-Hormonal and Non-Pharmacological impact behind acupuncture treatment was well accepted. Various studies proved inhaling and massaging with Lavender, Neroli oil, Fennel, Rose, and Geranium essential oils balance cortisol hormone and reduce stress and anxiety. Impact of yoga therapy on neurohormonal pathways reduce both psychological and physiological symptoms. Reviews summarizes various symptoms and complications during menopausal transition and alternate ways of better management with dietary intervention, yoga, exercise, aromatherapy, and acupuncture to improve the quality of menopausal women's life.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Aarshageetha
- Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Nehru Arts and Science College, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - P R Rani Janci
- Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Amrita Vishwa Vidhyapeetham, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - N Devi Tharani
- Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Amrita Vishwa Vidhyapeetham, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
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3
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Yu S, He X, Shi H, Chen Y, Liu Z. Effectiveness of electro-press needle for menopause-associated hot flashes: Protocol of a randomized controlled trial. Medicine (Baltimore) 2022; 101:e28597. [PMID: 35147087 PMCID: PMC8830863 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000028597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hot flashes (HF) are a prevalent symptom associated with menopause affecting up to 85% of women aged 40 to 65 years. Previous studies indicated that acupuncture might relieve the symptom of HF significantly; however, its effectiveness has not been clarified quantitatively. Electro-press needles (EPN) is a novel acupuncture that combines a shallow tiny needle with an electrical transdermal stimulator. Either the needle or the electrical stimulator could function in the treatment. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of EPN in comparison with no intervention in relieving HF of perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. METHODS/DESIGN This study will be a 2-arm randomized waitlist controlled trial. According to the ratio of 1:1 and block randomization, a total of 122 patients with moderate or severe HF will be randomly allocated to either EPN group or waitlist control group. The EPN group will receive 3 sessions of EPN treatment each week in consecutive 6 weeks, 18 sessions in total. The waitlist control group will get no intervention over the first 6 weeks. All the patients will be followed up in the next 24 weeks. The primary outcome will be the percentage of the participants whose 24-hour mean HF is 50% less than the baseline at Week 6. Secondary outcomes will include HF score, HF frequency, HF severity, the Menopause Rating Scale and Menopause-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire Score. DISCUSSION This study will evaluate the effectiveness and safety of EPN treatment to alleviate HF symptoms in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women, excluding self-healing factors. The limitations of the trial design are its single-center scope, lack of placebo control and impossible to blind the acupuncturists and patients.Trial registration: This clinical trial has been registered in Clinical Trial Registry (registration number: NCT04995107; date of registration: Aug 6, 2021).
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Affiliation(s)
- Shudan Yu
- Department of Acupuncture, Guang’anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xin He
- Department of Acupuncture, Guang’anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Hangyu Shi
- Department of Acupuncture, Guang’anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Chen
- New Zealand College of Chinese Medicine, Greenlane, Aukland, New Zealand
| | - Zhishun Liu
- Department of Acupuncture, Guang’anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
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4
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Liu C, Wang Z, Guo T, Zhuang L, Gao X. Effect of acupuncture on menopausal hot flushes and serum hormone levels: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Acupunct Med 2021; 40:289-298. [PMID: 34894774 DOI: 10.1177/09645284211056655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy/effectiveness and safety of acupuncture for the treatment of hot flushes and its impact on serum hormone levels in menopausal women. METHODS A total of 10 databases were searched from their inception to August 2018. Reference lists of reviews and included articles were also hand-searched. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the effect of acupuncture versus sham acupuncture, or acupuncture versus hormone therapy (HT), as treatment for menopausal hot flushes were included. Outcomes included hot flush frequency, hot flush severity and serum hormone levels of estradiol (E2), luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). Meta-analyses were performed using Review Manager 5.3 software. RESULTS Thirteen RCTs including 1784 patients were selected, seven of which were available for meta-analysis. Compared with sham acupuncture, acupuncture significantly decreased hot flush frequency (mean difference (MD) -0.84, 95% confidence interval (CI) [-1.64, -0.05], I2 = 54%) from baseline to the end of study, but did not impact end scores of hot flush frequency (MD 0.19, 95% CI [-0.61, 0.99], I2 = 0%) or severity (MD 0.02, 95% CI [-0.13, 0.17], I2 = 0%). No differences were found between acupuncture and HT in serum levels of E2 (MD 6.56, 95% CI [-3.77, 16.89], I2 = 76%), FSH (MD 1.06, 95% CI [-1.44, 3.56], I2 = 0%) or LH (MD -3.36, 95% CI [-13.37, 6.65], I2 = 89%). CONCLUSION Acupuncture may not decrease hot flush frequency, but yet appears to have similar effects on serum hormone levels as HT, that is, increased E2 and decreased FSH and LH. Considering that no firm conclusions could be drawn due to the low quality and limited number of included trials included, further high-quality RCTs need to be conducted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang Liu
- Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhijie Wang
- Shanxi Province Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Taiyuan, China
| | - Ting Guo
- Clinical Medical College of Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Rehabilitation, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lixing Zhuang
- Clinical Medical College of Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Rehabilitation, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiao Gao
- The Southern Harbin Hospital Affiliated to Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
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5
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Zhang Y, Sun Y, Li D, Liu X, Fang C, Yang C, Luo T, Lu H, Li H, Zhang H, Liang Q, Wu J, Huang L, Xu R, Ren L, Chen Q. Acupuncture for Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Patient-Reported Outcomes. Front Oncol 2021; 11:646315. [PMID: 34178633 PMCID: PMC8222976 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.646315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2020] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract The present systematic review and meta-analysis was undertaken to evaluate the effects of acupuncture in women with breast cancer (BC), focusing on patient-reported outcomes (PROs). Methods A comprehensive literature search was carried out for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) reporting PROs in BC patients with treatment-related symptoms after undergoing acupuncture for at least four weeks. Literature screening, data extraction, and risk bias assessment were independently carried out by two researchers. Results Out of the 2, 524 identified studies, 29 studies representing 33 articles were included in this meta-analysis. At the end of treatment (EOT), the acupuncture patients’ quality of life (QoL) was measured by the QLQ-C30 QoL subscale, the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Endocrine Symptoms (FACT-ES), the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–General/Breast (FACT-G/B), and the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (MENQOL), which depicted a significant improvement. The use of acupuncture in BC patients lead to a considerable reduction in the scores of all subscales of the Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form (BPI-SF) and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) measuring pain. Moreover, patients treated with acupuncture were more likely to experience improvements in hot flashes scores, fatigue, sleep disturbance, and anxiety compared to those in the control group, while the improvements in depression were comparable across both groups. Long-term follow-up results were similar to the EOT results. Conclusions Current evidence suggests that acupuncture might improve BC treatment-related symptoms measured with PROs including QoL, pain, fatigue, hot flashes, sleep disturbance and anxiety. However, a number of included studies report limited amounts of certain subgroup settings, thus more rigorous, well-designed and larger RCTs are needed to confirm our results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuzhu Zhang
- Breast Clinic Center, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.,Breast Clinic Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.,National Resource Center for Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yang Sun
- Breast Clinic Center, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.,Breast Clinic Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Dongmei Li
- Breast Department, Zhuhai Hospital of Guangdong Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Zhuhai, China
| | - Xiaoyuan Liu
- Breast Clinic Center, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.,Breast Clinic Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chen Fang
- Breast Clinic Center, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.,Breast Clinic Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chunmin Yang
- Breast Clinic Center, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.,Breast Clinic Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tianyu Luo
- Breast Clinic Center, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.,Breast Clinic Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hai Lu
- Breast Clinic Center, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.,Breast Clinic Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Huachao Li
- Breast Clinic Center, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.,Breast Clinic Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hongyan Zhang
- Breast Clinic Center, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.,Breast Clinic Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qianyi Liang
- Breast Clinic Center, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.,Breast Clinic Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiahua Wu
- Breast Clinic Center, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.,Breast Clinic Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Limei Huang
- Breast Clinic Center, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.,Breast Clinic Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Rui Xu
- Breast Clinic Center, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.,Breast Clinic Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Liping Ren
- Breast Clinic Center, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.,Breast Clinic Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qianjun Chen
- Breast Clinic Center, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.,Breast Clinic Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
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6
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Waldorff FB, Bang CW, Siersma V, Brodersen J, Lund KS. Factors associated with a clinically relevant reduction in menopausal symptoms of a standardized acupuncture approach for women with bothersome menopausal symptoms. BMC Complement Med Ther 2021; 21:29. [PMID: 33441145 PMCID: PMC7805030 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-021-03208-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Little is known about factors associated with a clinically relevant reduction in menopausal symptoms through a brief acupuncture approach for women with moderate-to-severe menopausal symptoms. Methods Post hoc analysis of a randomized controlled trial where participants were allocated to early versus late standardized acupuncture. Both the early group and the late group are included in this study. The late group got an identical intervention parallel staged by 6 weeks. By means of the relative importance, the effect was evaluated for both early versus late women with a 6-week follow-up. We included four symptom subscales from the validated MenoScores Questionnaire: hot flushes, day and night sweats, general sweating, menopausal-specific sleeping problems, as well as an overall score, which is the sum of the four outcomes in the analysis. Results 67 women with moderate to severe menopausal symptoms were included of whom 52 (77.6%) experienced a clinically relevant reduction in any of the four surveyed symptom subscales or overall score. 48 (71.6%) women experienced a clinically relevant reduction in any of the vasomotor symptom subscales: hot flushes, day and night sweats, general sweating. Women with vocational education were most likely to experience improvement compared to women with higher education. Beyond education, other factors of some importance for a clinically relevant reduction were no alcohol consumption, two or more births and urinary incontinence. Conclusions Level of education was the most consistent factor associated with improvement. Beyond education, other factors of some importance were no alcohol consumption, two or more births and urinary incontinence. Trial registration This study was registered in ClinicalTrials.gov at April 21, 2016. The registration number is NCT02746497.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frans Boch Waldorff
- The Research Unit for General Practice and Section of General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. .,Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Research Unit of General Practice, Odense, Denmark.
| | - Christine Winther Bang
- The Research Unit for General Practice and Section of General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Volkert Siersma
- The Research Unit for General Practice and Section of General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - John Brodersen
- The Research Unit for General Practice and Section of General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Primary Health Care Research Unit, Region Zealand, Sorø, Denmark
| | - Kamma Sundgaard Lund
- The Research Unit for General Practice and Section of General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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7
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Zhao FY, Fu QQ, Spencer SJ, Kennedy GA, Conduit R, Zhang WJ, Zheng Z. Acupuncture: A Promising Approach for Comorbid Depression and Insomnia in Perimenopause. Nat Sci Sleep 2021; 13:1823-1863. [PMID: 34675729 PMCID: PMC8520448 DOI: 10.2147/nss.s332474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Comorbid depression and insomnia are ubiquitous mental complaints among women going through the perimenopausal stage of life and can result in major decline in quality of life. Antidepressive agents combined with/without hypnotics, and/or hormone therapy are currently the most common treatment for perimenopausal depression (PMD) and insomnia (PMI). Balancing the benefits of these pharmacotherapies against the risk of adverse events (AEs) is a difficult task for both clinicians and women. There has been a growing body of research regarding the utilization of acupuncture for treatment of PMD or PMI, whereas no studies of acupuncture for comorbid PMD and PMI have appeared. In this review, we summarize the clinical and preclinical evidence of acupuncture as a treatment for PMD or PMI, and then discuss the potential mechanisms involved and the role of acupuncture in helping women during this transition. Most clinical trials indicate that acupuncture ameliorates not only PMD/PMI but also climacteric symptoms with minimal AEs. It also regulates serum hormone levels. The reliability of trials is however limited due to methodological flaws in most studies. Rodent studies suggest that acupuncture prolongs total sleep time and reduces depression-like behavior in PMI and PMD models, respectively. These effects are possibly mediated through multiple mechanisms of action, including modulating sex hormones, neurotransmitters, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis/hypothalamic-pituitary-ovary axis, oxidative stress, signaling pathways, and other cellular events. In conclusion, acupuncture is a promising therapeutic strategy for comorbid depression and insomnia during perimenopause. Neuroendocrine modulation is likely to play a major role in mediating those effects. High-quality trials are required to further validate acupuncture's effectiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei-Yi Zhao
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, Victoria, 3083, Australia.,Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200071, People's Republic of China.,Department of Nursing, School of International Medical Technology, Shanghai Sanda University, Shanghai, 201209, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiang-Qiang Fu
- Yangpu Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200090, People's Republic of China
| | - Sarah J Spencer
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, Victoria, 3083, Australia.,ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale Biophotonics, RMIT University, Bundoora, Victoria, 3083, Australia
| | - Gerard A Kennedy
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, Victoria, 3083, Australia.,School of Science, Psychology and Sport, Federation University, Mount Helen, Victoria, Australia.,Institute for Breathing and Sleep, Austin Health, Heidelberg, Victoria, 3084, Australia
| | - Russell Conduit
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, Victoria, 3083, Australia
| | - Wen-Jing Zhang
- Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200071, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhen Zheng
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, Victoria, 3083, Australia
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8
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Lund KS, Siersma V, Bang CW, Brodersen J, Waldorff FB. Sustained effects of a brief and standardised acupuncture approach on menopausal symptoms: post hoc analysis of the ACOM randomised controlled trial. Acupunct Med 2020; 38:396-406. [PMID: 32517477 DOI: 10.1177/0964528420920280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Our objective was to investigate whether the effect of a brief and standardised acupuncture approach persists after the end of the acupuncture treatment (post-treatment effect) and whether the anticipation of future acupuncture treatment affects menopausal symptoms (pre-treatment effect). METHOD This study is a post hoc analysis of data from a randomised controlled trial where women with moderate to severe menopausal symptoms were offered weekly acupuncture treatment over five consecutive weeks and randomised (1:1) to an early intervention group that received treatment immediately and a late intervention group with a 6-week delay. The acupuncture style was Western medical, administered at CV3, CV4 and bilateral LR8, SP6 and SP9. Acupuncturists were general practitioners. The effect was evaluated repeatedly during and after the interventions using scales from the validated MenoScores Questionnaire (MSQ) for hot flushes (HF), day and night sweats (DNS), general sweating (GS) and menopausal-specific sleeping problems (MSSP) with a 26-week follow-up period (corresponding to 21 or 15 weeks post-treatment for the early and late intervention groups, respectively). Multivariable linear mixed models were used to analyse the extent and duration of effects. RESULTS Seventy participants were included in the study. Four participants dropped out. Furthermore, one participant was excluded from the short- and long-term follow-up analyses after the insertion of a hormonal intrauterine device, and nine participants were excluded from the long-term follow-up analysis due to the initiation of co-interventions. For each of the four outcomes, the effect was sustained up to 21 weeks post-treatment with an effect size that was only slightly diminished. A small, but significant, pre-treatment effect was observed in the HF scale scores. The same trend, although not significant, was observed in the DNS and MSSP scale scores. No serious harms were reported. CONCLUSION This study demonstrated that the overall effect of a brief and standardised acupuncture treatment on menopause-relevant outcomes was sustained up to 21 weeks post-treatment and that there was a small pre-treatment effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamma Sundgaard Lund
- The Research Unit for General Practice and Section of General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Volkert Siersma
- The Research Unit for General Practice and Section of General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Christine Winther Bang
- The Research Unit for General Practice and Section of General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - John Brodersen
- The Research Unit for General Practice and Section of General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Primary Health Care Research Unit, Region Zealand, Koege, Denmark
| | - Frans Boch Waldorff
- The Research Unit for General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark
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9
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Guo PP, Li P, Zhang XH, Liu N, Wang J, Chen DD, Sun WJ, Zhang W. Complementary and alternative medicine for natural and treatment-induced vasomotor symptoms: An overview of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Complement Ther Clin Pract 2019; 36:181-194. [PMID: 31383438 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2019.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2019] [Revised: 07/18/2019] [Accepted: 07/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Vasomotor symptoms (VMS) are very common in menopausal populations and cancer patients and can cause physical and mental discomfort. We aim to summarize the findings of systematic reviews and meta-analyses (SRs/MAs) that assessed the effectiveness of complementary and alternative medicines(CAMs)on VMS to provide solid evidence for future practice. METHODS PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science were searched from inception to May 2019 to identify relevant SRs/MAs. The methodological quality of SRs/MAs and evidence levels of the outcomes were assessed. RESULTS A total of 29 SRs/MAs were reviewed. Evidence has shown that acupuncture, hypnosis, paced respiration, cognitive behavioural therapy, genistein, soy isoflavones, S-equol, combined preparations of black cohosh, and omega-3 supplements could significantly reduce VMS. The methodological quality of the SRs/MAs was moderate or high. CONCLUSION CAMs might be beneficial for reducing VMS, but the evidence levels were not high. Several priorities for future practice were identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping-Ping Guo
- Nursing school, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin province, 130021, China.
| | - Ping Li
- Department of Developmental Pediatrics, the Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin province, 130041, China.
| | - Xue-Hui Zhang
- Nursing school, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin province, 130021, China.
| | - Na Liu
- Nursing school, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin province, 130021, China.
| | - Jie Wang
- Nursing school, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin province, 130021, China.
| | - Dan-Dan Chen
- Nursing school, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin province, 130021, China.
| | - Wei-Jia Sun
- Nursing school, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin province, 130021, China.
| | - Wei Zhang
- Nursing school, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin province, 130021, China.
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10
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Lund KS, Siersma V, Brodersen J, Waldorff FB. Efficacy of a standardised acupuncture approach for women with bothersome menopausal symptoms: a pragmatic randomised study in primary care (the ACOM study). BMJ Open 2019; 9:e023637. [PMID: 30782712 PMCID: PMC6501989 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-023637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the efficacy of a standardised brief acupuncture approach for women with moderate-to-severe menopausal symptoms. DESIGN Randomised and controlled, with 1:1 allocation to the intervention group or the control group. The assessor and the statistician were blinded. SETTING Nine Danish primary care practices. PARTICIPANTS 70 women with moderate-to-severe menopausal symptoms and nine general practitioners with accredited education in acupuncture. INTERVENTION The acupuncture style was western medical with a standardised approach in the predefined acupuncture points CV-3, CV-4, LR-8, SP-6 and SP-9. The intervention group received one treatment for five consecutive weeks. The control group was offered treatment after 6 weeks. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Outcomes were the differences between the randomisation groups in changes to mean scores using the scales in the MenoScores Questionnaire, measured from baseline to week 6. The primary outcome was the hot flushes scale; the secondary outcomes were the other scales in the questionnaire. All analyses were based on intention-to-treat analysis. RESULTS 36 participants received the intervention, and 34 participants were in the control group. Four participants dropped out before week 6. The acupuncture intervention significantly decreased hot flushes: Δ -1.6 (95% CI [-2.3 to -0.8]; p<0.0001), day-and-night sweats: Δ -1.2 (95% CI [-2.0 to -0.4]; p=0.0056), general sweating: Δ -0.9(95% CI [-1.6 to -0.2]; p=0.0086), menopausal-specific sleeping problems: Δ -1.8 (95% CI [-2.7 to -1.0]; p<0.0001), emotional symptoms: Δ -3.4 (95% CI [-5.3 to -1.4]; p=0.0008), physical symptoms: Δ -1.7 (95% CI [-3 to -0.4]; p=0.010) and skin and hair symptoms: Δ -1.5 (95% CI [-2.5 to -0.6]; p=0.0021) compared with the control group at the 6-week follow-up. The pattern of decrease in hot flushes, emotional symptoms, skin and hair symptoms was already apparent 3 weeks into the study. Mild potential adverse effects were reported by four participants, but no severe adverse effects were reported. CONCLUSIONS The standardised and brief acupuncture treatment produced a fast and clinically relevant reduction in moderate-to-severe menopausal symptoms during the six-week intervention. No severe adverse effects were reported. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT02746497; Results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamma Sundgaard Lund
- Section of General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Volkert Siersma
- Research Unit for General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - John Brodersen
- Section of General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Primary Health Care Research Unit, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Frans Boch Waldorff
- The Research Unit for General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
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Avis NE, Levine BJ, Danhauer S, Coeytaux RR. A pooled analysis of three studies of nonpharmacological interventions for menopausal hot flashes. Menopause 2018; 26:350-356. [PMID: 30363012 DOI: 10.1097/gme.0000000000001255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was to conduct a pooled analysis of three published trials of nonpharmacological interventions for menopausal hot flashes to compare the effectiveness of interventions. METHODS Data from three randomized controlled trials of interventions for hot flashes (two acupuncture trials, one yoga trial) were pooled. All three studies recruited perimenopausal or postmenopausal women experiencing ≥4 hot flashes/d on average. The primary outcome for all three studies was frequency of hot flashes as measured by the Daily Diary of Hot Flashes. Study 1 participants were randomly assigned to 8 weeks of acupuncture treatments (active intervention), sham acupuncture (attention control), or usual care. Study 2 participants were randomly assigned to 10 weeks of yoga classes, health and wellness education classes (attention control), or waitlist control. Study 3 randomly assigned participants to 6 months of acupuncture or waitlist control. To standardize the time frame for these analyses, only the first 8 weeks of intervention from all three studies were used. RESULTS The three active interventions and the two attention control groups had statistically similar trends in the percentage reduction of hot flashes over 8 weeks, ranging from 35% to 40%. These five groups did not differ significantly from each other, but all showed significantly greater reduction in hot flash frequency compared with the three usual care/waitlist groups. CONCLUSION Acupuncture, yoga, and health and wellness education classes all demonstrated statistically similar effectiveness in reduction of hot flash frequency compared with controls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nancy E Avis
- Department of Social Sciences and Health Policy, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC
| | - Beverly J Levine
- Department of Social Sciences and Health Policy, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC
| | - Suzanne Danhauer
- Department of Social Sciences and Health Policy, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC
| | - Remy R Coeytaux
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC
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Affiliation(s)
- J. C. Prior
- Centre for Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation Research, Endocrinology and Metabolism, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Associate to the School for Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- British Columbia Women’s Health Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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