Hot Flash Research Tool for Broad Population Research Studies

描述（由申请人提供）：本研究的重点是探索与潮热相关的生理过程和治疗方法。该项目建议开发一种工具，供研究人员在广泛的人口研究中研究潮热。大约80%的45岁到54岁的美国女性都经历过潮热，这是绝经期的一个重要问题。通常表现为一段时间的高热，出汗，脸红和心跳加快，发作通常持续5到10分钟，但有报道持续长达一个小时。这些事件经常发生在晚上，可能在任何地方重复，从每周几次到每天几十次。潮热不再仅仅局限于达到生育年龄的女性，它现在影响着乳腺癌幸存者、化疗引起的卵巢功能衰竭的女性、卵巢切除术的女性、使用促性腺激素释放激素（GnRH）激动剂（如Lupron）治疗子宫内膜异位症或不孕症的女性，以及接受雄激素剥夺疗法（ADT）的前列腺癌患者。潮热通常是破坏性的和不愉快的，具有广泛的整体健康后果，影响工作责任，社会活动，睡眠等。潮热的基本生理触发机制尚不清楚，尽管潮热治疗是一个活跃的研究领域，经常包括在广泛人群中进行的大型治疗试验。这些研究需要一种客观的潮热现象测量方法，这种方法最好与自我报告的日记数据相关，是特定于潮热的，并且在流动条件下是准确的。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This work is focused on exploring the physiological processes and therapies associated with hot flashes. The project proposes to develop a tool for use by researchers studying hot flashes in broad population research studies. Hot flashes are experienced by approximately 80 percent of American women between the ages of 45 and 54 and are a significant concern during menopause. Typically expressed as a period of intense heat with sweating, flushing and rapid heartbeat, episodes usually last from five to ten minutes, but have been reported to last as long as an hour. These events frequently occur at night, and may be repeated anywhere from a few times per week to dozens of times per day. No longer relegated simply to women reaching the end of their child bearing years, hot flashes now affect breast cancer survivors, women with chemotherapy-induced ovarian failure, oopherectomized women, women being treated for endometriosis or infertility with gonadotropin- releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists such as Lupron, and men with prostate cancer undergoing androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). Hot flashes are often disruptive and unpleasant, with broad overall health consequences affecting work responsibilities, social activities, sleep, etc. The fundamental physiological triggering mechanisms of hot flashes are not well understood although hot flash therapies are an area of active research often including large therapy trials in broad populations. These studies require an objective measure of the hot flash phenomenon that optimally correlates with self-reported diary data, is specific to hot flashes, and is accurate under ambulatory conditions. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The proposed project develops technology for researchers studying hot flashes in men and women.