title: Soy extracts versus hormone therapy for reduction of menopausal hot flushes: indirect comparison.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to make an indirect comparison of the results from meta-analyses that evaluated the severity of hot flushes in postmenopausal women exposed to hormone therapy (HT) or soy extracts.
  
  
  METHODS
  A systematic review and meta-analysis of HT and soy extracts related to the reduction of hot flushes in postmenopausal women versus the same control (placebo) were conducted. In addition, the combination of the overall results obtained from these two meta-analyses (indirect comparison) was adjusted to the common control (placebo).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The indirect standardized mean difference (SMD) obtained from the combination of both individual meta-analyses was calculated by using the following equation: SMD(indirect SOY vs HT) = SMD(soy) - SMD(HT), with a total indirect variance (var) equivalent to the following equation: var(total) = var(soy) + var(HT). These calculations yielded a point estimate of -0.84 (95% CI, -1.33 to -0.35) for the indirect SMD favorable to HT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HT and soy interventions showed a significant difference in efficacy for the reduction of hot flushes in postmenopausal women when each treatment was compared with placebo. However, using indirect comparison, there is a statistically significant difference between HT and soy extracts in their effects on hot flushes.
authors.affiliation: San Marcos University, Lima, Peru. rbolanosd@yahoo.es
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bolaños-Díaz
authors.forename: Juan-Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Zavala-Gonzales
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mezones-Holguín
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Francia-Romero
mesh_terms: D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy / Q000592:standards*; D004967:Estrogens / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D005260:Female; D019584:Hot Flashes / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007529:Isoflavones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D008593:Menopause / Q000187:drug effects; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D008875:Middle Aged; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D012015:Reference Standards; D013025:Glycine max; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013810:Therapeutic Equivalency; D014666:Vasomotor System / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D004967:Estrogens; D007529:Isoflavones; D010936:Plant Extracts