What is it about?
To identify and synthesize the evidence from randomized clinical trials that tested the effectiveness of traditional Chinese acupuncture in relation to sham acupuncture for the treatment of hot flashes in menopausal women with breast cancer.
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Why is it important?
Women in menopause experience a number of vasomotor symptoms, among which hot flashes prevail. It is estimated that between 50% and 80% of menopausal women experience hot flashes, and these ratios may vary from 64% to 85% in women with breast cancer. The intensity and duration of hot flash episodes in women vary, and hot flashes generally lead to reduced quality of life because they cause physical discomfort and irritability, disturb sleep, and can lead to depression. Despite increases in the survival rate of patients with cancer, there is still a need for research to assess the effect of treatments on their quality of life. The use of complementary therapies to decrease the treatment side effects is being increasingly documented internationally in several populations, especially in menopausal women with breast cancer.
Perspectives
It is possible to consider a slight superiority in the effectiveness of TCA compared with SA based on the studies reviewed. However, other well-designed clinical trials with long-term follow-up are needed to confirm this hypothesis; the groups undergoing both interventions should have a follow-up longer than 12 weeks to verify the long-term outcomes.
Dr Luís Carlos Lopes-Júnior
Federal University of São Carlos - UFSCar
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Effectiveness of Traditional Chinese Acupuncture versus Sham Acupuncture: a Systematic Review, Revista Latino-Americana de Enfermagem, January 2016, FapUNIFESP (SciELO),
DOI: 10.1590/1518-8345.0647.2762.
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