Objective: To determine whether Dong Quai, a Chinese herbal compound purported to be efficacious in treating menopausal vasomotor symptoms, has a therapeutic benefit in treating hot flashes among prostate cancer patients receiving androgen deprivation therapy.
Methods:A randomized double-blind placebo controlled trial was conducted involving 22 men receiving luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist therapy for prostate cancer with bothersome hot flashes. After recording a baseline log of the frequency, duration and severity of daily hot flashes, patients were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive daily placebo or Dong Quai for 3 months. Vasomotor and adverse events were recorded daily. Blood work including serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA), international normalized ratio of prothrombin time and partial thromoboplastin time were recorded at baseline and at the termination of the study.Results: Seventeen of the 22 patients enrolled completed the trial.Baseline vasomotor duration and severity were equivalent between the groups, however the number of hot flashes were significantly more in the Dong Quai group (p = 0.02). With respect to the change in number of hot flashes per day, there was a slight decrease in the mean number among the Dong Quai group which was insignificant. The absolute change and average percentage change in perceived hot flash severity was similar in both groups. There was no significant decrease in the duration of the hot flashes between the 2 groups. Disease progression based on either PSA increase or change in digital rectal exam was not observed in any patient.
Conclusion:In this small pilot study, there were no significant differences in the severity, frequency or duration of hot flashes among men receiving placebo or Dong Quai.Can Urol Assoc J 2010;4(1):49-53
RésuméIntroduction : Nous avons cherché à déterminer si le Dong Quai (Angelica sylvestris chinensis ou angélique chinoise), une plante médicinale chinoise censée être efficace dans le traitement des symptômes vasomoteurs liés à la ménopause, procure des bienfaits thérapeutiques aux patients atteints de cancer de la prostate présentant des bouffées vasomotrices pendant un traitement antiandrogène.Méthodologie : On a mené un essai randomisé à double insu et contrôlé par placebo auprès de 22 hommes recevant un agoniste de l'hormone de libération de l'hormone lutéinisante (LHRH) pour le traitement d'un cancer de la prostate et présentant des bouffées vasomotrices incommodantes. Après avoir noté au départ la fréquence, la durée et la gravité des épisodes quotidiens de bouffées vasomotrices, on a réparti les patients aléatoirement selon un rapport de 1:1 pour recevoir chaque jour un placebo ou du Dong Quai pendant 3 mois. Les effets vasomoteurs et les réac-tions indésirables ont été notés chaque jour. Des analyses sanguines comprenant le taux sérique d'APS et le rapport international normalisé du temps de Quick et du temps de thromboplastine partielle ont été effectuées au départ et à la fin de l'étude.Résultats : Dix...