title: A randomized controlled pilot study of acupuncture for postmenopausal hot flashes: effect on nocturnal hot flashes and sleep quality.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effectiveness of acupuncture on postmenopausal nocturnal hot flashes and sleep.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective randomized placebo-controlled study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Stanford University School of Medicine and private acupuncture offices.
  
  
  METHODS
  Active or placebo acupuncture was administered for nine sessions over seven weeks.
  
  
  METHODS
  Severity and frequency of nocturnal hot flashes from daily diaries and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI).
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-nine postmenopausal women experiencing at least seven moderate to severe hot flashes daily, with E(2) <18 pg/mL and FSH 30.0-110.0 IU/L.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nocturnal hot-flash severity significantly decreased in the active acupuncture group (28%) compared with the placebo group (6%), P=.017. The frequency of nocturnal hot flashes also decreased in the active group (47%, P=.001), though it was not significantly different from the placebo group (24%, P=.170; effect size = 0.65). Treatment did not differentially influence sleep; however, correlations between improvements in PSQI and reductions in nocturnal hot flash severity and frequency were significant (P<.026).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acupuncture significantly reduced the severity of nocturnal hot flashes compared with placebo. Given the strength of correlations between improvements in sleep and reductions in nocturnal hot flashes, further exploration is merited.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA.
authors.forename: Mary I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Yael
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nir
authors.forename: Bertha
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schnyer
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Manber
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D019584:Hot Flashes / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015990:Placebo Effect; D017698:Postmenopause; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016896:Treatment Outcome