Table 1.
Overview of Clinical Trials for the Treatment of Hot Flashes in Breast Cancer Patients
| Author(s) | Study design | Participants (n) | Intervention type (protocol) | Type of control group | Main outcomes/results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tukmachi14 | Uncontrolled, single-arm | 22 | AT (traditional acupuncture) | None | Reduced HF frequency (p<0.001) |
| Porzio et al.15 | Uncontrolled, single-arm | 15 | AT (TCM) | None | Improved vasomotor symptoms |
| De Valois et al.16 | Uncontrolled, single-arm | 50 | AT (traditional acupuncture) | None | Reduced HF frequency (p<0.0001) |
| Hervik et al.17 | RCT | 59 | AT (TCM) | Sham AT | Intergroup: significant difference (p<0.001) Intergroup: Reduced HF frequency in AT group, both during and after treatment (p<0.001); reduced HF frequency in sham AT during treatment (p=0.01), not significant after treatment (p=0.22) |
| Deng et al.18 | RCT | 72 | AT (traditional acupuncture) | Sham AT | Intergroup: not significant Within-group: Reduced HF frequency in both groups (p<0.01) |
| Walker et al.19 | RCT | 50 | AT (not reported) | Venlafaxine | Intergroup: not significant Within-group: Reduced HF frequency in both groups (p<0.036) |
| Frisk et al.20 | RCT | 45 | EA (traditional acupuncture) | HRT | Intergroup: HRT is more effective than EA Within-group: Reduced HF frequency in both groups (p<0.05) |
| Davies et al.21 | RCT | 20 | AT (traditional acupuncture) | Sham AT | Intergroup: not significant Within-group: not reported |
| Nedstrand et al.22 | RCT | 38 | EA (classic acupuncture) | Applied relaxation | Intergroup: not reported Within-group: Reduced HF frequency in both groups (p<0.001) |
| Liljegren et al.23 | RCT | 74 | AT (traditional acupuncture) | Sham AT | Intergroup: not significant Within-group: Reduced HF frequency in both groups (p<0.001) |
AT, acupuncture; TCM, traditional Chinese medicine; RCT, randomized controlled trial; HRT, hormone replacement therapy; EA, electroacupuncture; HF, hot flash.