Acupuncture as effective as venlafaxine for management of hot flashes

Acupuncture was as effective as drug therapy with venlafaxine for patients with breast cancer who experienced vasomotor symptoms, specifically hot flashes.

Although venlafaxine (Effexor, Wyeth) has been shown to be effective in the treatment of vasomotor symptoms, many women refuse this therapy due to potential adverse effects, according to researchers.

To determine if a nonpharmacologic treatment, specifically acupuncture, could reduce vasomotor symptoms, researchers conducted a randomized controlled study. They assigned women to 12 weeks of therapy with acupuncture (n=25) or venlafaxine (n=25).

The two treatment arms had similar outcomes with decreases in hot flashes, depressive symptoms and other menopausal quality of life symptoms. Improvement was noted in mental health from pre- to post-treatment as well. Changes over time were similar with both groups experiencing improvement at post-treatment followed by a return toward baseline values.

At post-treatment, both groups had a 50% decrease in hot flashes; however, at two-weeks post-treatment, hot flashes increased in the venlafaxine group but remained low in the acupuncture group.

Eighteen incidences of adverse effects, including nausea, headache, difficulty sleeping and dizziness, were reported with venlafaxine; whereas, no adverse effects were reported with acupuncture.

“Given the results of this small randomized study, we feel that integrative therapies have a role in improving the quality of life of cancer patients and should be explored further as an option for treatment of cancer-related adverse effects,” the researchers said.

Walker EM. J Clin Oncol. 2009;doi:10.1200/JCO.2009.23.5150.