Climacteric : the journal of the International Menopause Society
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The aim of this study was to describe changes in levels of back pain and joint pain during the stages of menopausal transition stages and early postmenopause, including the effects of age, menopausal transition-related factors (estrone, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), testosterone), menopausal transition stages, symptoms (hot flush, sleep, mood, cognitive), health-related factors (body mass index, alcohol use, smoking, well-being), stress-related factors (perceived stress, history of sexual abuse, cortisol, catecholamines) and social factors (partner and parenting status, education). ⋯ Clinicians working with women traversing the menopausal transition should be aware that managing back and joint pain symptoms among mid-life women requires consideration of their changing biology as well as their ongoing life challenges and health-related behaviors.
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Breast cancer survivors frequently experience severe hot flushes as a result of their treatment. This can adversely affect their quality of life, compliance with treatment and overall survival. To relieve vasomotor symptoms, a variety of drugs have been used including clonidine, gabapentin, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. ⋯ Desvenlafaxine looks promising as does SGB, despite its invasive nature. The favorable safety profile of SGB is confirmed through the long experience of SGB performed for other medical purposes. The majority of non-HRT treatments for hot flushes are little better than placebo but early results from randomized trials of desvenlafaxine and pilot studies of SGB suggest that it is worthwhile to test their efficacy specifically in breast cancer survivors.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Non-hormonal treatment of hot flushes in breast cancer survivors: gabapentin vs. vitamin E.
To assess the efficacy and the tolerability of gabapentin 900 mg/day compared to vitamin E for the control of vasomotor symptoms in 115 women with breast cancer. The secondary objective was to evaluate the effect of the treatments on the quality of sleep and other aspects of the quality of life. ⋯ Gabapentin appears to be effective for the treatment of hot flushes with a favorable effect on quality of sleep. Vitamin E has only marginal effect on vasomotor symptoms.
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To assess the effectiveness of acupuncture as a treatment option for menopausal hot flushes. ⋯ Sham-controlled RCTs fail to show specific effects of acupuncture for control of menopausal hot flushes. More rigorous research seems warranted.