1 University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
2 Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, PA, USA.
Integr Cancer Ther. 2019 Jan-Dec;18:1534735419848494. doi: 10.1177/1534735419848494.
Acupuncture is a recognized integrative modality for managing hot flashes. However, data regarding predictors for response to acupuncture in cancer patients experiencing hot flashes are limited. We explored associations between patient characteristics, including traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) diagnosis, and treatment response among cancer patients who received acupuncture for management of hot flashes.
We reviewed acupuncture records of cancer outpatients with the primary reason for referral listed as hot flashes who were treated from March 2016 to April 2018. Treatment response was assessed using the hot flashes score within a modified Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (0-10 scale) administered immediately before and after each acupuncture treatment. Correlations between TCM diagnosis, individual patient characteristics, and treatment response were analyzed.
The final analysis included 558 acupuncture records (151 patients). The majority of patients were female (90%), and 66% had breast cancer. The median treatment response was a 25% reduction in the hot flashes score. The most frequent TCM diagnosis was qi stagnation (80%) followed by blood stagnation (57%). Older age ( P = .018), patient self-reported anxiety level ( P = .056), and presence of damp accumulation in TCM diagnosis ( P = .047) were correlated with greater hot flashes score reduction.
TCM diagnosis and other patient characteristics were predictors of treatment response to acupuncture for hot flashes in cancer patients. Future research is needed to further explore predictors that could help tailor acupuncture treatments for these patients.
针灸是一种公认的综合疗法，可用于治疗热潮红。然而，关于接受针灸治疗的癌症患者热潮红反应的预测因素的数据有限。我们探讨了患者特征（包括中医诊断）与接受针灸治疗热潮红的癌症患者治疗反应之间的关系。
我们回顾了 2016 年 3 月至 2018 年 4 月期间因热潮红就诊的癌症门诊患者的针灸记录，其主要转诊原因是热潮红。使用改良后的埃德蒙顿症状评估量表（0-10 量表）中的热潮红评分评估治疗反应，该量表在每次针灸治疗前后进行评估。分析了中医诊断、个体患者特征与治疗反应之间的相关性。
最终分析包括 558 份针灸记录（151 名患者）。大多数患者为女性（90%），66%患有乳腺癌。中位数治疗反应为热潮红评分降低 25%。最常见的中医诊断是气郁（80%），其次是血瘀（57%）。年龄较大（P=0.018）、患者自我报告的焦虑水平（P=0.056）和中医诊断中存在湿积（P=0.047）与热潮红评分降低幅度更大相关。
中医诊断和其他患者特征是癌症患者接受针灸治疗热潮红反应的预测因素。需要进一步研究以探索有助于为这些患者量身定制针灸治疗的预测因素。
