Meta-analysis on the efficacy of Traditional Chinese Medicine in enhancing surgical site wound healing post-colorectal surgery.

This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in enhancing surgical site wound healing following colorectal surgery. We systematically reviewed and analysed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that investigated the outcomes of TCM interventions in postoperative wound management, adhering to the PRISMA guidelines. The primary outcome was the assessment of wound healing through the REEDA (redness, oedema, ecchymosis, discharge and approximation) scale at two different time points: the 10th day and 1-month post-surgery. Seven RCTs involving 1884 patients were included. The meta-analysis revealed a statistically significant improvement in wound healing in the TCM-treated groups compared to the control groups at both time intervals. On the 10th day post-surgery, the TCM groups exhibited a significant reduction in REEDA scale scores (I2 = 98%; random: SMD: -2.25, 95% CI: -3.52 to -0.98, p < 0.01). A similar trend was observed 1-month post-surgery, with the TCM groups showing a substantial decrease in REEDA scale scores (I2 = 98%; random: SMD: -3.39, 95% CI: -4.77 to -2.01, p < 0.01). Despite the promising results, the majority of the included studies were of suboptimal quality, indicating a need for further high-quality RCTs to substantiate the findings. The results suggest that TCM interventions can potentially enhance wound healing post-colorectal surgery, paving the way for further research in this area to validate the efficacy of TCM in postoperative management.

Periodontitis relates to benign prostatic hyperplasia via the gut microbiota and fecal metabolome.

Objectives: Periodontitis is associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), whether it related to gut floramicrobiota and metabonomics is unclear. Methods: We established ligature-induced periodontitis (EP), testosterone-induced BPH, and composite rat models. Fecal samples were collected to detect gut microbiota by 16S rDNA sequencing and metabonomics were detected by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Results: Sequencing results revealed differential gut floramicrobiota composition between EP+BPH group and other three groups. The abundances of Ruminococcus flavefaciens were significantly increased in EP+BPH group compared with other groups. Tenericutes, Mollicutes, RF39 and Ruminococcus gnavus were significantly decreased in EP+BPH group compared with BPH group, while Ruminococcus callidus and Escherichia were significantly decreased compared with EP group. For gut metabonomics, LC-MS/MS showed that fecal metabolites and seven metabolic pathways were changed in EP+BPH group, such as biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids, steroid hormone biosynthesis. Correlation analysis showed that the alterations of gut metabolism were significantly correlated with differential gut floramicrobiota, such as Ruminococcus callidus and Ruminococcus flavefaciens. Conclusion: Our study highlights the relationship of periodontitis and BPH, the alterations of gut floramicrobiota and metabolites may be involved in two diseases, which provides new idea for prevention and treatment of patients with periodontitis concurrent BPH.