Pandya, K.J., Raubertas, R.F., Flynn, P.J., Hynes, H.E., Rosenbluth, R.J., Kirshner, J.J., … Morrow, G.R. (2000). Oral clonidine in postmenopausal patients with breast cancer experiencing tamoxifen-induced hot flashes: A University of Rochester Cancer Center community clinical oncology program study. Annals of Internal Medicine, 132, 788–793.
The study evaluated oral clonidine in postmenopausal patients with breast cancer experiencing tamoxifen-induced hot flashes.
Participants received oral clonidine hydrochloride 0.1 mg daily or placebo at bedtime for eight weeks.
The study enrolled 198 postmenopausal women (mean age 71 years) with breast cancer taking tamoxifen and stratified by time since menopause (less than three years, more than three years), duration of tamoxifen use (less than one year; longer than one year), and baseline frequency of hot flashes (less than 10 per day, more than 10 per/day). One hundred forty-nine (149) completed the study. Of the participants, 99 received clonidine and 99 received the placebo.
A community oncology clinic conducted the study.
The study was a randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled trial.
Measures included:
One hundred forty-nine (149) of 198 completed 12 weeks of follow-up (73 in clonidine group and 76 in placebo group.) Oral clonidine was shown to be effective. The mean decrease in hot flash frequency was greater in the clonidine group after week 4 (37% to 20%) and week 8 (38% to 24%). The clonidine group had more difficulty with sleep (41%–21%). A significant difference was seen in the mean change in QOL scale (p = 0.02) at 8 weeks.
Limitations included: