Methods |
Design: cross‐over
Number of women screened: not stated
Number randomly assigned: 36
Number analysed: 29
Number dropped out: seven (not clear which group: three medical reasons, four family reasons)
Intention‐to‐treat: no
Power calculation: yes: 95% power to detect at least a 20% greater reduction in hot flushes in active arm compared with placebo
Duration: 12 + 12 weeks
Timing: November 1999 to December 2000
Location: hospital in Torino, Italy
Funding: Medestea International (manufacturer of active treatment) |
Participants |
Inclusion criteria: minimum of five moderate to severe hot flushes/d, good general health, 45 to 58 years, BMI 18 to 28, surgical menopause (bilateral oophorectomy for at least three months or in spontaneous menopause with no menses for over six months), menopausal hormone profile (oestradiol < 30 pg/mL, FSH > 40 UI/L)
Exclusion criteria: use of drugs that influence vasomotor symptoms, hormone therapy or tibolone in previous six months, consumption of soy‐based food more than once per week, use of drugs that might reduce absorption of isoflavones
Mean age of completers, years: 51
Recruitment method: menopause clinic |
Interventions |
|
Outcomes |
Number of hot flushes per week after treatment (at end of first phase of study) |
Notes |
|
Risk of bias |
Bias |
Authors' judgement |
Support for judgement |
Random sequence generation (selection bias) |
Low risk |
Schedule prepared by the manufacturer of the product using computer‐generated randomisation list and distributed sequentially |
Allocation concealment (selection bias) |
Low risk |
Adequate: investigators blind to treatment allocation |
Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias)
All outcomes |
Low risk |
Stated as double‐blind |
Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias)
All outcomes |
Low risk |
Stated as double‐blind |
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes |
High risk |
High dropout |
Selective reporting (reporting bias) |
Low risk |
All potential outcomes reported |