CompletedNot Applicable

Acupuncture for Hot Flushes in Menopause

Norway286 participantsStarted 2006-02

Plain-language summary

In a pragmatic study investigate whether Traditional Chinese Medicine acupuncture-care decreases the frequency of hot flushes and increases health related quality of life among postmenopausal women. The intervention group will receive 10 sessions of acupuncture, the control group will engage in self care only. The study period lasts for 12 weeks.

Who can participate

Age range

40 Years – 80 Years

Sex

FEMALE

See this in plain English?

AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.

Inclusion Criteria: * Postmenopausal women (at least one year past the last menstrual period) who are willing to receive acupuncture and who during two weeks of self-completed diaries10 document a mean value of 7 flushes/24 hours or more (or 50 flushes or more over a period of seven consecutive days), will be randomized after a baseline evaluation. * Current users prescribed medications that influence hot flush rate (e. g. HRT, SSRI's) can be included after a washout period. The washout-periods are eight weeks for SSRI's and systemic (including transdermal) HRT and four weeks for local estradiol preparations Exclusion Criteria: * Surgical menopause * History of cancer within the past five years * Use of anticoagulant drugs * Heart valve disease * Poorly controlled hypertension * Hypothyroidism * Hyperthyroidism or diabetes mellitus * Organ transplant * Mental disease * Overt drug or alcohol dependency * Inability to complete study forms

Questions worth asking your doctor

Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.

1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?

Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.

Questions for the trial coordinator

The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.

1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?

A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.

What they're measuring

Frequency of hot flushes

Timeframe: 12 weeks

Trial details

NCT IDNCT00284492

SponsorUniversity Hospital of North Norway

Sponsor typeOTHER

Study typeINTERVENTIONAL

Primary completion2007-05

View on ClinicalTrials.gov More Menopause trials