The effectiveness of exercise as treatment for vasomotor menopausal symptoms: randomised controlled trial. (17th December 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Daley, AJ; Thomas, A; Roalfe, AK; Stokes‐Lampard, H; Coleman, S; Rees, M; Hunter, MS; MacArthur, C
• Is Part Of: BJOG. Volume 122:Number 4(2015:Apr.)
• Page Start: 565
• Page End: 575
• Publication Date: 2014-12-17
• Subjects: Obstetrics -- Periodicals; Gynecology -- Periodicals; 618
• DOI: 10.1111/1471-0528.13193
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1470-0328

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="bjo13193-abs-0001"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="bjo13193-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Objective</title> <p>To investigate the effectiveness of exercise as treatment for vasomotor menopausal symptoms.</p> </sec> <sec id="bjo13193-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Design</title> <p>Three‐group randomised controlled trial, two exercise interventions and a control group.</p> </sec> <sec id="bjo13193-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Setting</title> <p>Primary Care, West Midlands UK.</p> </sec> <sec id="bjo13193-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Population</title> <p>Perimenopausal and postmenopausal women experiencing at least five hot flushes/night sweats per day and not taken MHT in previous 3 months were recruited from 23 general practices.</p> </sec> <sec id="bjo13193-sec-0005" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>Participants in both exercise interventions groups were offered two face‐to‐face consultations with a physical activity facilitator to support engagement in regular exercise. In addition, one exercise group received a menopause‐specific information DVD and written materials to encourage regular exercise and the other exercise group was offered the opportunity to attend exercise social support groups in their communities. Interventions lasted 6 months.</p> </sec> <sec id="bjo13193-sec-0006" sec-type="section"> <title>Main outcome measure</title> <p>The primary outcome was frequency of hot flushes/night sweats at 6‐month up.</p> </sec> <sec id="bjo13193-sec-0007" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>Two hundred and sixty‐one women were randomised (<italic>n </italic>=<italic> </italic>87 per group). Neither of the exercise intervention groups reported significantly less frequent hot flushes/night sweats per week than controls (exercise‐DVD versus control: −8.9, 95% CI −20.0 to 2.2; exercise‐social support versus control: −5.2, 95% CI −16.7 to 6.3).</p> </sec> <sec id="bjo13193-sec-0008" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>This trial indicates that exercise is not an effective treatment for hot flushes/night sweats. Contrary to current clinical guidance, women should not be advised that exercise will relieve their vasomotor menopausal symptoms.</p> </sec> </abstract>