[Fatigue relief by aromatherapy use in prenatal and postnatal women: a systematic review and meta-analysis]. / ì•„ë¡œë§ˆí Œë¼í”¼ê°€ ì‚°ì „ 및 산후 피로에 미치는 영향: ì²´ê³„ì  ë¬¸í—Œê³ ì°° 및 메타분석.

Purpose: The purpose of this systematic review was to examine aromatherapy interventions for prenatal and postnatal women, and to determine the effectiveness of these interventions on fatigue. Methods: Six national and international databases were reviewed to retrieve and collect studies published up to September 7, 2021, describing randomized controlled trials and controlled clinical trials of aromatherapy interventions for prenatal and postnatal women's fatigue. Of the 323 articles initially identified, 64 duplicates were excluded and 259 were screened. After further excluding 216 articles not related to PICO framework, 10 were selected for review. Two reviewers independently selected studies and conducted data extraction and quality appraisal using Cochran's Risk of Bias and Risk of Bias Assessment Tool for Non-randomized Studies. Results: The quality of the 10 selected studies was overall satisfactory. A meta-analysis of three studies showed that aromatherapy with lavender oil? produced a 0.75-point reduction in postnatal mothers' fatigue when compared to control groups. Sleep quality was also analyzed as a secondary outcome of fatigue. A meta-analysis of four studies using lavender and/or orange peel oil found that aromatherapy produced a 0.98-point improvement in postnatal mothers' quality of sleep. Although a meta-analysis could not be conducted to synthesize the findings for fatigue in pregnant women, inhalation and massage therapy using lavender oil showed positive effects on prenatal fatigue and sleep quality. Conclusion: Aromatherapy using lavender oil and orange peel oil is effective in improving prenatal and postnatal fatigue and sleep quality.

Effects of aromatherapy on dysmenorrhea: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Menstrual pain is not a disease, but it is a problem that periodically makes women uncomfortable during menstrual cycles. There has been a continuing effort to alleviate menstrual cramps in the medical field. Aromatherapy, one of the alternative complementary therapies, has been used as a way to alleviate menstrual cramps, but there is still little evidence of how to use it. Therefore, in this study, we tried to find and provide the evidence of relieving effects of menstrual cramps. DESIGN: This study involved a systematic review and meta-analysis. The study was to identify the effects of aromatherapy on menstrual pain through a systematic review of the relevant literature from Korea and abroad and a meta-analysis of the data from studies meeting our inclusion criteria. DATA SOURCES: We obtained articles published in English from PubMed, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and we also obtained articles by searching the Korean databases Research Information Service System (RISS), DBPIA, and Korean Studies Information Service System (KISS). REVIEW METHODS: A systematic review was performed on all searchable articles published form inception to October 17, 2016, using the international and Korean databases noted above. The search terms used was ((aromatherapy OR aroma* OR essential oil) AND (dysmenorrhea OR menstrual pain)). Articles were selected for analysis from among the retrieved articles based on the key questions and the inclusion and exclusion criteria using a PRISMA flow diagram. The 21 articles entire texts were reviewed and qualitatively analyzed while seven articles were quantitatively analyzed using RevMan software ver. 5.3. RESULTS: In a comparison between the experimental groups, which received an aromatherapy intervention, and the control groups, which received no treatment of any kind, the dysmenorrhea score in the experimental group decreased by 2.67 points (mean difference -2.67), showing a statistically significant difference(Z = 7.79, p < .001, Higgins I2 = 0%). Compared to the placebo group, which received a placebo oil treatment, the dysmenorrhea score in the experimental group decreased by 1.71 points (mean difference, -1.71), showing a statistically significant difference (Z = 4.51, p < .001), but high heterogeneity (Higgins I2 = 81%). CONCLUSIONS: Aromatherapy was an effective intervention for reducing dysmenorrhea. However, because the analysis showed that the aroma intervention methods were diverse and that the basis for the intervention methods was weak, the possibility of randomization bias was high.

[Effects of Aromatherapy on Menopausal Symptoms, Perceived Stress and Depression in Middle-aged Women: A Systematic Review].

PURPOSE: This study was a systematic review to evaluate the effects of aromatherapy on menopausal symptoms, perceived stress and depression in middle aged-women. METHODS: Eight databases were searched from their inception September 8, 2015. Two reviewers independently performed the selection of the studies, data abstraction and validations. The risk of bias was assessed using Cochrane criteria. For analysis of the data, a meta-analysis of the studies was performed. RESULTS: From the electronic databases, 73 articles were selected, and 19 removed due to duplication. After two reviewers read the abstracts of 54 studies, 34 studies were selected. Complete papers for 34 original articles were read and, 12 studies which met selection criteria were reviewed and the effects of aromatherapy on menopausal symptoms, stress and depression analyzed using meta-analysis with RevMan. In the 2 studies which included Randomized Controlled Trials testing of aromatherapy on menopausal symptoms and comparison of control and placebo groups were done. Aromatherapy massage was favorably effective in reducing the menopausal symptoms compared to the control group (n=118, MD=-6.33; 95% CI -11.51 to -1.15), and compared to the placebo group (n=117, MD=-4.14; 95% CI -7.63 to -0.64). Also aromatherapy was effective in reducing stress (n=72, SMD=-0.64; 95% CI -1.12 to -0.17) and depression (n=158, MD=-5.63; 95% CI -10.04 to -1.22). CONCLUSION: There is limited evidence suggesting that aromatherapy for middle-aged women may be effective in controlling menopausal symptoms, perceived stress and depression.

Aromatherapy for stress reduction in healthy adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.

The aim of this review was to systematically assess the effectiveness of aromatherapy for stress management. Seven databases were searched from their inception through April 2014. RCTs testing aromatherapy against any type of controls in healthy human person that assessed stress level and cortisol level were considered. Two reviewers independently performed the selection of the studies, data abstraction and validations. The risk of bias was assessed using Cochrane criteria. Five RCTs met our inclusion criteria, and most of them had high risk of bias. Four RCTs tested the effects of aroma inhalation compared with no treatment, no aroma, and no odour oil. The meta-analysis suggested that aroma inhalation has favourable effects on stress management (n=80; standard mean difference (SMD), -0.96; 95% CI, -1.44 to -0.48; P<0.0001; I(2)=0%). Three of included RCTs tested aroma inhalation on saliva or serum cortisol level compared with control and meta-analysis failed to show significant difference between two groups (n=88, SMDs -0.62; 95% CIs -1.26 to 0.02, P=0.06, I(2)=46%). In conclusion, there is limited evidence suggesting that aroma inhalation may be effective in controlling stress. However, the number, size and quality of the RCTs are too low to draw firm conclusions.

[Effects of A-solution on halitosis and oral status in preoperative NPO patients].

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to explore the effects of A-solution on halitosis and oral status in preoperative NPO patients. METHODS: A nonequivalent control group, non-synchronized pretest-posttest design was used in this study. The participants in this study were 66 patients who were admitted for gynecologic surgery. The experimental treatment was to give oral gargling with A-solution, blended essential oils and diluted with distilled water. To identify the experimental treatment effects, halitosis, salivary pH, and oral status were measured by a portable halitosis detector, visual analogue scale, Bromo Thymol Blue (BTB), Bromo Cresol Purple (BCP) test paper and oral assessment guide. Data were analyzed using χ²-test, t-test with PASW 18.0 version. RESULTS: Participants were homogeneous before experimental treatment. Objective halitosis in the experimental group, measured by a portable halitosis detector (t= -8.34, p<.001) was significantly lower than the control group. Subjective halitosis was significantly lower in the experimental group (t= -9.29, p<.001). Salivary pH was significantly different between two groups (t=8.81, p<.001). Oral status was significantly better in the experimental group (t= -13.31, p<.001). CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that oral gargling using A-solution is effective in reducing patient halitosis, and improving oral status.