Hot flushes, experienced by 75% of menopausal women, are associated with estrogen deprivation. Estrogen was shown to ameliorate hot flushes by interacting with monoamine neurotransmitters in the brain; reducing noradr...Hot flushes, experienced by 75% of menopausal women, are associated with estrogen deprivation. Estrogen was shown to ameliorate hot flushes by interacting with monoamine neurotransmitters in the brain; reducing noradrenaline and increasing serotonin. Hormone replacement therapy(HRT), the first treatment option, causes concerns over possible increased risks particularly breast cancer. Folic acid is involved in the biosynthesis of serotonin and nordrenaline, which is responsible for its effects on mood and cognition, and degrees of folate inadequacy, not severe enough to produce megaloblastic anaemia, were found to be associated with depression and cognitive malfunctioning. Also, increased age was observed to relate to reduced serum and cerebrospinal fluid folic acid levels. There is emerging evidence that folic acid supplementation ameliorates hot fl ushes by the same mechanism as estrogen. To explore this hypothesis, a multi-centre, double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized is being set up to compare the effect of 5 mg folic acid vs placebo in reducing the frequency and severity of hot fl ushes in postmenopausal women, and on the blood level of serotonin and noradrenaline. If folic acid supplementation is demonstrated to be effective, this will be a turning point in the clinical practice since it represents a cheap, safe and well-tolerated alternative to HRT.展开更多
The trace war being fought between America and the European Union over the use of hormones in cattle depends largely on how the scientific evidence is interpreted. And not even scientists can agree on that.
Randomized controlled trial(RCT)is the golden standard for evaluation of clinical evidence.To assess the effect of acupuncture,due to the specificity of acupuncture intervention,the blinding and control methods are th...Randomized controlled trial(RCT)is the golden standard for evaluation of clinical evidence.To assess the effect of acupuncture,due to the specificity of acupuncture intervention,the blinding and control methods are the difficulties in study design.It is not practical to blind investigators,participants and evaluators simultaneously.At present,blinding is generally conducted for the participants and evaluators in clinical trial.We took a comparative study of manual acupuncture and electroacupuncture for menopausal hot flush as an example to explore a new way with the reference of double-dummy design in new drug study.A single-blind and double-dummy clinical trial model of acupuncture was established.Based on individual acupuncture intervention in each group,the placebo intervention was combined to ensure the form consistency of two groups.Such a study design may eliminate non-specific effect of acupuncture,and can be conductive to comparing the specific effect of acupuncture and can provide the references and regimens for study design.展开更多
文摘Hot flushes, experienced by 75% of menopausal women, are associated with estrogen deprivation. Estrogen was shown to ameliorate hot flushes by interacting with monoamine neurotransmitters in the brain; reducing noradrenaline and increasing serotonin. Hormone replacement therapy(HRT), the first treatment option, causes concerns over possible increased risks particularly breast cancer. Folic acid is involved in the biosynthesis of serotonin and nordrenaline, which is responsible for its effects on mood and cognition, and degrees of folate inadequacy, not severe enough to produce megaloblastic anaemia, were found to be associated with depression and cognitive malfunctioning. Also, increased age was observed to relate to reduced serum and cerebrospinal fluid folic acid levels. There is emerging evidence that folic acid supplementation ameliorates hot fl ushes by the same mechanism as estrogen. To explore this hypothesis, a multi-centre, double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized is being set up to compare the effect of 5 mg folic acid vs placebo in reducing the frequency and severity of hot fl ushes in postmenopausal women, and on the blood level of serotonin and noradrenaline. If folic acid supplementation is demonstrated to be effective, this will be a turning point in the clinical practice since it represents a cheap, safe and well-tolerated alternative to HRT.
文摘The trace war being fought between America and the European Union over the use of hormones in cattle depends largely on how the scientific evidence is interpreted. And not even scientists can agree on that.
基金Supported by the program of "the 12^(th) Five-year" National Science and Technology Pillar Program:2012BAJ24B01Scientific research project of Hunan Provincial Health Committee:20201633+2 种基金Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province:2020JJ5437The fourth batch of academic experience inheritance of Hunan old TCM experts:[2020]No.37The seventh batch of academic experience inheritance of national old TCM experts:[2022]No.76
文摘Randomized controlled trial(RCT)is the golden standard for evaluation of clinical evidence.To assess the effect of acupuncture,due to the specificity of acupuncture intervention,the blinding and control methods are the difficulties in study design.It is not practical to blind investigators,participants and evaluators simultaneously.At present,blinding is generally conducted for the participants and evaluators in clinical trial.We took a comparative study of manual acupuncture and electroacupuncture for menopausal hot flush as an example to explore a new way with the reference of double-dummy design in new drug study.A single-blind and double-dummy clinical trial model of acupuncture was established.Based on individual acupuncture intervention in each group,the placebo intervention was combined to ensure the form consistency of two groups.Such a study design may eliminate non-specific effect of acupuncture,and can be conductive to comparing the specific effect of acupuncture and can provide the references and regimens for study design.
