title: Bupropion for control of hot flashes in breast cancer survivors: a prospective, double-blind, randomized, crossover, pilot phase II trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hot flashes (HFs) and sexual dysfunction often affect breast cancer (BC) survivors and compromise their quality of life. Bupropion is an antidepressive medication used for smoking cessation and also has been previously studied for the treatment of sexual dysfunction.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to evaluate bupropion's efficacy in controlling HFs in BC survivors.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a randomized, double-blind, crossover, placebo-controlled pilot study that enrolled 55 BC survivors who reported more than seven HFs per week. Subjects were randomized to receive either bupropion 150mg twice daily for four weeks followed by one week of washout and four more weeks of placebo twice daily or vice versa. The primary end point was average daily HF activity (number of HFs and a score combining number and severity) reported while on bupropion or on placebo. Secondary end points were sexual dysfunction, depression, and quality of life evaluated with the Arizona Sexual Experience Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-C30, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Bupropion reduced HFs by 1.26 per day and the HF score by 6.31%, whereas placebo reduced HFs by 2.11 per day (P>0.05) and the HF score by 30.47% (P>0.05). There were no statistically significant differences between bupropion and placebo in the Arizona Sexual Experience Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-C30. At the end of the study, 47% of the patients preferred bupropion, whereas 53% preferred placebo. There were no statistically significant differences in side effects between the study groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Compared with placebo, bupropion did not control HFs in this group of BC survivors.
authors.affiliation: ABC Foundation School of Medicine, São Paulo, Brazil. geilarn@gmail.com
authors.forename: Geila Ribeiro
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Nuñez
authors.forename: Hélio
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pinczowski
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zanellato
authors.forename: Lívia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tateyama
authors.forename: Fernanda
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schindler
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fonseca
authors.forename: Auro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Del Giglio
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016642:Bupropion / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D019584:Hot Flashes / Q000150:complications* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017741:Survivors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation; D016642:Bupropion