Citation

Freedman RR, Wasson S. Fertil. Steril. 2007; 88(2): 494-496.

Affiliation

Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA. aa2613@wayne.edu

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, American Society for Reproductive Medicine, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.fertnstert.2006.11.184

PMID

17445808

PMCID

PMC2001309

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To design and test a miniature ambulatory hot flash recorder that uses neither electrodes nor gel. DESIGN: In the first study, putative hot flashes recorded by using a relative humidity sensor were compared with patient event marks. In the second study, relative humidity recorded by using a complete prototype recorder was compared with sternal skin conductance recordings made on a Biolog recorder, as well as with event marks. SETTING: University medical center. PATIENT(S): Ten healthy postmenopausal women reporting frequent hot flashes and using no medication. INTERVENTION(S): Body heating in laboratory. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Positive predictive value (PPV), sensitivity, specificity. RESULT(S): In both laboratory studies, the PPV, sensitivity, and specificity among all three measures (relative humidity, skin conductance level, event) were 100%. In the field, a relative humidity increase of 3% per minute compared with skin conductance level-detected hot flashes yielded a PPV of 95.6%, a specificity of 95.2%, and a sensitivity of 90.9%. CONCLUSION(S): This device should be useful as an endpoint in clinical trials of treatments for hot flashes.

Language: en