Chiu, H.Y., Shyu, Y.K., Chang, P.C., & Tsai, P.S. (2016). Effects of acupuncture on menopause-related symptoms in breast cancer survivors: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Cancer Nursing, 39, 228–237. 

DOI Link

Purpose

STUDY PURPOSE: To use meta-analysis technique to examine the short-term and intermediate-term effects of acupuncture on menopause-related symptoms, particularly on hot flashes, in breast cancer survivors

TYPE OF STUDY: Meta-analysis and systematic review

Search Strategy

DATABASES USED: EMBASE, PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science, CINAHL, Wanfang Data Chinese Database, China Knowledge Resource Integrated Database
 
YEARS INCLUDED: Overall for all databases, inception to June 15, 2014
 
INCLUSION CRITERIA: Prospective, randomized, controlled design; participants were breast cancer survivors; acupuncture (both traditional Chinese medicine acupuncture and electroacupuncture) was provided as an intervention; shamacupuncture was used as a control; frequency and severity of hot flashes were measured or recorded; published in English or Chinese
 
EXCLUSION CRITERIA: Not specifically stated

Literature Evaluated

TOTAL REFERENCES RETRIEVED: Started with 121 papers, 7 were included in the study.
 
EVALUATION METHOD AND COMMENTS ON LITERATURE USED: One hundred twelve duplicate papers were excluded. The exact strategy for how this was determined was not stated.

Sample Characteristics

  • FINAL NUMBER STUDIES INCLUDED = 7 studies 
  • TOTAL PATIENTS INCLUDED IN REVIEW = 391 participants were reported in the paper; 342 subjects were reported in the absract.
  • SAMPLE RANGE ACROSS STUDIES: 38–72 participants
  • KEY SAMPLE CHARACTERISTICS: The average age was 57.5 years (range = 45–85 years) in the acupuncture group and 57.2 years (range = 43–82 years) in the control group. The participants included women with treatment-induced menopause and natural menopause. Not all subjects had a diagnosis of breast cancer. A total of six studies addressed the impact of acupuncture on hot flash frequency; three studies addressed the impact of acupuncture on hot flash severity, and four studies addressed the impact of acupuncture on other menopausal symptoms.

Phase of Care and Clinical Applications

PHASE OF CARE: Multiple phases of care

Results

Acupuncture significantly reduced the frequency of hot flashes and severity of menopause-related symptoms immediately after the completion of 5–15 treatment sessions. A comparison of sham acupuncture with actual acupuncture did not demonstrate a significant difference in the frequency and severity of hot flashes. After one to three months of follow-up, the severity of menopause-related symptoms remained significantly reduced in the acupuncture group but the frequency and severity of hot flashes did not persist.

Conclusions

Acupuncture produced small-size effects on reducing hot-flash frequency and the severity of menopause-related symptoms. This effect did not persist even one to three months on hot-flash frequency and severity.

Limitations

  • Limited number of studies included
  • Low sample sizes
  • The exact years searched is unclear.  
  • The exact number of subjects is conflicted.
  • The exact exclusion strategy was not detailed.
  • The exact duration of the sessions was variable, and the methods of assessment were different, which might result in inconsistent results.
  • The follow-up was short (less than three months).

Nursing Implications

Acupuncture and sham control procedures might offer a short-term reduction in the severity and frequency of hot flashes, but more research with larger longer studies is needed.

Legacy ID

6360