Reviewing the evidence on vasomotor symptoms: the role of traditional and non-traditional factors

Abstract

This narrative review aims to synthesize evidence on factors that may influence the severity, occurrence, and incidence of vasomotor symptoms (VMS) that encompass hot flashes and/or night sweats. A comprehensive literature search was conducted electronically using Web of Science, Ovid MEDLINE, PubMed, and Google Scholar to retrieve all English language studies on predictors of VMS from 2000 to 2018. Studies evaluating treatment options for VMS, studies of women with comorbidities such as breast cancer or osteoporosis, studies on VMS outcomes, and studies on quality of life among women with VMS were excluded. After screening, 88 articles were reviewed. Findings showed that different factors such as biological, demographic, behavioral, social, and non-traditional were associated with VMS. The most consistent risk factors of VMS were: being in later menopausal stages, smoking, lower socioeconomic status, higher follicle stimulating hormone levels, ethnicity, and higher body mass index. Most studies were either cross-sectional or observational in design, and were conducted in western countries. A more nuanced understanding of the factors contributing to VMS can assist clinicians in screening women for optimal VMS counseling and treatment. This review found that further large-scale studies set in developing countries that examine VMS factors are warranted.

摘要

本篇叙述性综述的目标旨在综合可能影响血管舒缩症状(VMS) （包括潮热和/或盗汗）严重性、发生、发病率因素的证据。使用Web of Science, Ovid MEDLINE,PubMed, 和 Google Scholar全面检索2000年至2018年所有关于VMS预测的英文研究。排除以下研究：评估VMS治疗方案的研究、研究女性有例如乳腺癌或者骨质疏松的合并症, VMS结局的研究, 关于VMS女性生活质量的研究。经过筛选, 一共回顾分析了88篇文章。结果显示：不同的因素, 比如生物学、人口学、行为、社会和非传统因素与VMS相关。VMS最一致的危险因素是：处于绝经后晚期、吸烟、低社会经济状况、高卵泡刺激素水平、种族和高体重指数。研究设计上绝大多数研究是横断面研究或者观察性研究, 并且是西方国家的研究。对于导致VMS的因素有更加细致的理解可以辅助临床筛选女性进行更优化的VMS咨询和治疗。此次回顾发现在发展中国家进行更大规模的证实VMS因素的研究是有根据的。

Keywords:

• Menopause
• vasomotor symptoms
• factors
• review

Authors’ contributions

C.C. was responsible for the conception of the study, conducted the literature search and review, and drafted and revised the manuscript. S.Z. contributed to the drafting of the manuscript and some literature search and review. S.A.B., R.D., and H.T. contributed to the critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.

Potential conflict of interest

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Source of funding

Nil.