ArticleMenopause (New York, N.Y.)2013
Sternal skin conductance: a reasonable surrogate for hot flash measurement?
Article in Menopause (New York, N.Y.), 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Association Between Vasomotor Symptoms and Ischemic Stroke: A Case-Control Study.Brain and behavior · 2025Article
- Electroacupuncture for hot flashes in early postmenopause: A study protocol for a randomized sham-controlled trial.Contemporary clinical trials communications · 2023Article
- Course and Moderators of Hot Flash Interference during Androgen Deprivation Therapy for Prostate Cancer: A Matched Comparison.The Journal of urology · 2015Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
Abstract
objectiveThis study aims to examine the accuracy of a new sternal skin conductance (SSC) device in measuring hot flashes and to assess the acceptability of the device by women.
methodsThree small descriptive pilot studies were performed using two sequential prototypes of the SSC device developed by an engineering device company in the Midwest. The devices were worn either in a monitored setting for 24 hours or in an ambulatory setting for 5 weeks. During the study period, women recorded hot flashes in a prospective hot flash diary and answered questions about the acceptability of wearing the SSC device.
resultsThe first prototype was not able to collect any analyzable skin conductance data owing to various malfunction issues, including poor conductance and battery failure. However, 16 women wore the device for 5 weeks and reported that wearing the device was acceptable, although 31% stated that it interfered with daily activities. Hot flash data from the second prototype revealed a 24% concordance rate between self-reported and device-recorded hot flashes.
conclusionsFindings from these studies support discordance between device-recorded and self-reported hot flashes. In addition, the studies reveal further limitations of SSC monitoring, including difficulties with data collection and lack of consistency in interpretation. Based on these results and other recent trials identifying issues with SSC methodology, it is time to find a better physiologic surrogate measure for hot flashes.
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Registered trials
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