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Effects of traditional Chinese medicine on symptom clusters during the menopausal transition.
Climacteric. 2015 Apr; 18(2):142-56.C

Abstract

AIMS

To review controlled clinical trials of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) therapies for hot flushes and at least one other co-occurring symptom among sleep, cognitive function, mood, and pain.

METHODS

An experienced reference librarian performed an extensive search of PubMed/Medline, CINAHL Plus, PsycInfo, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science, EMBASE, AMED, and Alt-Health Watch for randomized, controlled trials reported in English between 2004 and July 2011. Of 1193 abstracts identified, 58 trials examined effectiveness of therapies for hot flushes and at least one additional co-occurring symptom.

RESULTS

Eleven trials (13 publications) examined TCM therapeutics of acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) or moxibustion. Acupuncture trials (eight) yielded mixed results; five trials significantly reduced hot flushes. Of those five trials, one also showed benefit for sleep and pain and two trials found benefit for mood symptoms. Of three CHM trials, three trials had significant findings: one for hot flushes and mood, one for hot flushes and pain, and one for hot flushes, sleep, mood symptoms and pain. Moxibustion and counseling (one trial) significantly reduced hot flushes, mood symptoms and pain. None of the trials reported any serious adverse events.

CONCLUSIONS

TCM therapeutics of acupuncture, CHM and moxibustion show promising results for the treatment of mood and pain symptoms co-occurring with hot flushes. Although the controlled clinical trials of TCM therapeutics reviewed here measured multiple symptom outcomes, few report treatment effects in ways that allow clinicians to consider symptom clusters when prescribing therapies. Future studies need to measure and report results for individual symptoms or group like symptoms together into subscales. Controlled clinical trials with larger numbers of participants are essential to allow evaluation of these therapies on hot flushes and multiple co-occurring symptoms.

Links

Publisher Full Text (DOI)

Authors+Show Affiliations

Taylor-Swanson L
* Biobehavioral Nursing, University of Washington , USA.
Thomas A
No affiliation info available
Ismail R
No affiliation info available
Schnall JG
No affiliation info available
Cray L
No affiliation info available
Mitchell ES
No affiliation info available
Woods NF
No affiliation info available

MeSH

Acupuncture TherapyCognition DisordersDrugs, Chinese HerbalFemaleHot FlashesHumansMEDLINEMedicine, Chinese TraditionalMenopauseMood DisordersMoxibustionPain ManagementRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicSleep Wake Disorders

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Review
Systematic Review

Language

eng

PubMed ID

25017715

Citation

Taylor-Swanson, L, et al. "Effects of Traditional Chinese Medicine On Symptom Clusters During the Menopausal Transition." Climacteric : the Journal of the International Menopause Society, vol. 18, no. 2, 2015, pp. 142-56.
Taylor-Swanson L, Thomas A, Ismail R, et al. Effects of traditional Chinese medicine on symptom clusters during the menopausal transition. Climacteric. 2015;18(2):142-56.
Taylor-Swanson, L., Thomas, A., Ismail, R., Schnall, J. G., Cray, L., Mitchell, E. S., & Woods, N. F. (2015). Effects of traditional Chinese medicine on symptom clusters during the menopausal transition. Climacteric : the Journal of the International Menopause Society, 18(2), 142-56. https://doi.org/10.3109/13697137.2014.937687
Taylor-Swanson L, et al. Effects of Traditional Chinese Medicine On Symptom Clusters During the Menopausal Transition. Climacteric. 2015;18(2):142-56. PubMed PMID: 25017715.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - JOUR T1 - Effects of traditional Chinese medicine on symptom clusters during the menopausal transition. AU - Taylor-Swanson,L, AU - Thomas,A, AU - Ismail,R, AU - Schnall,J G, AU - Cray,L, AU - Mitchell,E S, AU - Woods,N F, Y1 - 2014/10/18/ PY - 2014/7/15/entrez PY - 2014/7/16/pubmed PY - 2015/12/15/medline KW - ACUPUNCTURE KW - CHINESE HERBAL MEDICINE KW - HOT FLUSHES KW - MENOPAUSAL TRANSITION KW - MENOPAUSE KW - MOXIBUSTION KW - SYMPTOM CLUSTER KW - SYSTEMATIC REVIEW KW - TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE SP - 142 EP - 56 JF - Climacteric : the journal of the International Menopause Society JO - Climacteric VL - 18 IS - 2 N2 - AIMS: To review controlled clinical trials of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) therapies for hot flushes and at least one other co-occurring symptom among sleep, cognitive function, mood, and pain. METHODS: An experienced reference librarian performed an extensive search of PubMed/Medline, CINAHL Plus, PsycInfo, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science, EMBASE, AMED, and Alt-Health Watch for randomized, controlled trials reported in English between 2004 and July 2011. Of 1193 abstracts identified, 58 trials examined effectiveness of therapies for hot flushes and at least one additional co-occurring symptom. RESULTS: Eleven trials (13 publications) examined TCM therapeutics of acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) or moxibustion. Acupuncture trials (eight) yielded mixed results; five trials significantly reduced hot flushes. Of those five trials, one also showed benefit for sleep and pain and two trials found benefit for mood symptoms. Of three CHM trials, three trials had significant findings: one for hot flushes and mood, one for hot flushes and pain, and one for hot flushes, sleep, mood symptoms and pain. Moxibustion and counseling (one trial) significantly reduced hot flushes, mood symptoms and pain. None of the trials reported any serious adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: TCM therapeutics of acupuncture, CHM and moxibustion show promising results for the treatment of mood and pain symptoms co-occurring with hot flushes. Although the controlled clinical trials of TCM therapeutics reviewed here measured multiple symptom outcomes, few report treatment effects in ways that allow clinicians to consider symptom clusters when prescribing therapies. Future studies need to measure and report results for individual symptoms or group like symptoms together into subscales. Controlled clinical trials with larger numbers of participants are essential to allow evaluation of these therapies on hot flushes and multiple co-occurring symptoms. SN - 1473-0804 UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/25017715/Effects_of_traditional_Chinese_medicine_on_symptom_clusters_during_the_menopausal_transition_ DB - PRIME DP - Unbound Medicine ER -