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BACKGROUND: Studies have shown that aromatherapy improve health problems related to anxiety, depression, heart rate variability (HRV), and sleep. However, the effect of aromatherapy in women who suffer from menopausal syndrome and its specific effects on HRV and sleep quality are unknown. PURPOSE: This study designed an aromatherapy intervention and evaluated its effect on menopausal syndrome, HRV, and sleep quality in women. METHODS: This double-blinded randomized controlled trial was conducted at a medical center hospital. A total of 84 participants who met the study criteria were randomly assigned using permuted block randomization. The experimental group received a 20-min inhalation of essential oil and the control group received a 20-min inhalation of sweet almond oil every night for 4 weeks. Posttest data was collected at 2 weeks after completion of the intervention. Data were collected using the Green Menopausal Symptom Scale, HRV device, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. RESULTS: After adjusting for age, the results of the generalized estimation equations (GEE) showed that all outcomes were significantly different in both the experimental group and the control group (p < .05) for the interaction effect of group and time, and that the outcome of sleep quality on the 2nd week in the control group was not significantly different (p < .066). CONCLUSIONS / IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: This study supports that the 4-week aromatherapy intervention improves menopausal symptoms, the activity of autonomic nervous systems, and sleep quality in women with no adverse side effects. In the future, this intervention may be applied in outpatient departments to promote the health of menopausal women.
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Aromaterapia , Frequência Cardíaca/fisiologia , Menopausa/fisiologia , Sono , Feminino , Humanos , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Resultado do TratamentoRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Our previous study demonstrated that an up-regulation of the Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) signaling pathway is involved the mechanism causing the recurrence of triple negative breast cancer. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of commonly used Chinese medicinal herbs on MDA-MB-231 and HUVEC cells and how they interact with BDNF. METHODS: Human TNBC MDA-MB-231 cells and human endothelial HUVEC cells were used to explore the effect of commonly used Chinese herbal medicines on cancer cells alone, on endothelial cells alone and on cancer cell/endothelial cell interactions; this was done via functional studies, including migration and invasion assays. Furthermore, Western blot analysis and real-time PCR investigations were also used to investigate migration signal transduction, invasion signal transduction, and angiogenic signal transduction in these systems. Finally, the effect of the Chinese medicinal herbs on cancer cell/endothelial cell interactions was assessed using co-culture and ELISA. RESULTS: In terms of autoregulation, BDNF up-regulated TrkB gene expression in both MDA-MB-231 and HUVEC cells. Furthermore, BDNF enhanced migration by MDA-MB-231 cells via Rac, Cdc42 and MMP, while also increasing the migration of HUVEC cells via MMP and COX-2 expression. As measured by ELISA, the Chinese herbal medicinal herbs A. membranaceus, P. lactiflora, L. chuanxiong, P. suffruticosa and L. lucidum increased BDNF secretion by MDA-MB-231 cells. Similarly, using a co-culture system with MDA-MB-231 cells, A. membranaceus and L. lucidum modulated BDNF-TrkB signaling by HUVEC cells. CONCLUSION: We conclude that BDNF plays an important role in the metastatic interaction between MDA-MB-231 and HUVEC cells. Some Chinese medicinal herbs are able to enhance the BDNF-related metastatic potential of the interaction between cancer cells and endothelial cells. These findings provide important information that should help with the development of integrated medical therapies for breast cancer patients.
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Fator Neurotrófico Derivado do Encéfalo/metabolismo , Neoplasias da Mama , Medicamentos de Ervas Chinesas/efeitos adversos , Células Endoteliais/efeitos dos fármacos , Recidiva Local de Neoplasia/etiologia , Fitoterapia/efeitos adversos , Plantas Medicinais/efeitos adversos , Neoplasias da Mama/metabolismo , Neoplasias da Mama/patologia , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Movimento Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Ciclo-Oxigenase 2/metabolismo , Células Endoteliais/metabolismo , Células Endoteliais/patologia , Feminino , Células Endoteliais da Veia Umbilical Humana , Humanos , Magnoliopsida/efeitos adversos , Metaloproteinase 2 da Matriz/metabolismo , Metaloproteinase 9 da Matriz/metabolismo , Glicoproteínas de Membrana/metabolismo , Proteínas Tirosina Quinases/metabolismo , Receptor trkB , Transdução de Sinais , Regulação para Cima , Proteína cdc42 de Ligação ao GTP/metabolismo , Proteínas rac de Ligação ao GTP/metabolismoRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) has been commonly used for treating osteoarthritis in Asia for centuries. This study aimed to conduct a large-scale pharmaco-epidemiologic study and evaluate the frequency and patterns of CHM used in treating osteoarthritis in Taiwan. METHODS: A complete database (total 22,520,776 beneficiaries) of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) outpatient claims offered by the National Health Insurance program in Taiwan for the year 2002 was employed for this research. Patients with osteoarthritis were identified according to the diagnostic code of the International Classification of Disease among claimed visiting files. Corresponding prescription files were analyzed, and an association rule was applied to evaluate the co-prescription of CHM for treating osteoarthritis. RESULTS: There were 20,059 subjects who visited TCM clinics for osteoarthritis and received a total of 32,050 CHM prescriptions. Subjects between 40 and 49 years of age comprised the largest number of those treated (19.2%), followed by 50-59 years (18.8%) and 60-69 years group (18.2%). In addition, female subjects used CHMs for osteoarthritis more frequently than male subjects (female: male = 1.89: l). There was an average of 5.2 items prescribed in the form of either an individual Chinese herb or formula in a single CHM prescription for osteoarthritis. Du-zhong (Eucommia bark) was the most commonly prescribed Chinese single herb, while Du-huo-ji-sheng-tang was the most commonly prescribed Chinese herbal formula for osteoarthritis. According to the association rule, the most commonly prescribed formula was Du-huo-ji-sheng-tang plus Shen-tong-zhu-yu-tang, and the most commonly prescribed triple-drug combination was Du-huo-ji-sheng-tang, Gu-sui-pu (Drynaria fortune (Kunze) J. Sm.), and Xu-Duan (Himalaya teasel). Nevertheless, further clinical trials are needed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of these CHMs for treating osteoarthritis. CONCLUSIONS: This study conducted a large scale pharmaco-epidemiology survey of Chinese herbal medicine use in OA patients by analyzing the NHIRD in Taiwan in year 2002.
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Prescrições de Medicamentos/estatística & dados numéricos , Medicamentos de Ervas Chinesas/uso terapêutico , Osteoartrite/tratamento farmacológico , Adulto , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Bases de Dados Factuais , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Programas Nacionais de Saúde , TaiwanRESUMO
Background and purpose: The safety of interventions for critically ill patients is a crucial issue. In recent years, several studies have treated critically ill patients with acupuncture. However, the safety of acupuncture in this setting remains to be systematically measured. Methods: In May 2022, the electronic databases of PubMed and the Cochrane Library were searched for studies comparing acupuncture interventions to control interventions in critically ill patients. Study outcomes examined the incidence of severe adverse events (AEs), minor AEs, adverse reactions, ICU stays, and 28-day mortality. Results: A total of 31 articles were analyzed, and no serious AEs related to acupuncture treatment were identified. No significant differences were found between the groups in the meta-analysis of minor AEs (risk ratio [RR] 5.69 [0.34, 96.60], P = 0.23, I2 = 76%). A reduced risk in the incidence of adverse reactions following acupuncture intervention was evidenced (RR 0.33 [0.22, 0.50], P = 0.00001, I2 = 44%). The patients in the acupuncture arm spent significantly less time in the intensive care unit (ICU) (Mean difference -1.45 [-11.94, -10.97], P = 0.00001, I2 = 56%) and also exhibited lower 28-day mortality rates (odds ratio 0.61 [0.48, 0.78], P = 0.0001, I2 = 0%). Conclusion: There is no evidence to indicate a higher risk of severe or minor AEs in patients who receive acupuncture. Acupuncture demonstrated favorable results in both ICU stay and 28-day mortality measurements, in addition to presenting with fewer adverse reactions compared to routine ICU care. However, the low certainty of the evidence resulting from a high risk of bias in the included studies merits substantial consideration, and further research is still warranted. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=142131, identifier: CRD42020142131.
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BACKGROUND: Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is widely used by ethnic Chinese communities. TCM is covered by Taiwan's National Health Insurance (NHI) program. We evaluated the efficacy and outcomes of complementary Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) therapy in patients with cancer. METHODS: This population-based cohort study was conducted using the data of patients who received a cancer diagnosis between 2005 and 2015 in Taiwan. Eligible patients were divided into standard and complementary CHM therapy groups. The complementary CHM therapy group was further divided into low cumulative dosage (LCD), medium cumulative dosage (MCD), and high cumulative dosage (HCD) subgroups. Overall survival (OS), mortality risk, cancer recurrence, and metastasis were analyzed for all cancers and five major cancers (lung, liver, breast, colorectal, and oral cancers). RESULTS: We included 5707 patients with cancer (standard therapy, 4797 [84.1%]; complementary CHM therapy, 910 [15.9%]; LCD, 449 [7.9%]; MCD, 374 [6.6%], and HCD, 87 [1.5%]). For the LCD, MCD, and HCD subgroups, the mortality risk was 0.83, 0.64, and 0.45, and the 11-year OS, 5-year cumulative cancer recurrence, and 5-year cumulative cancer metastasis rates were 6.1 ± 0.2, 6.9 ± 0.2, and 8.2 ± 0.4 years; 39.2%, 31.5%, and 18.8%; and 39.5%, 32.8%, and 16.6%, respectively. The cumulative cancer recurrence and metastasis rates of the standard therapy group were 40.9% and 32.8%, respectively. The cumulative recurrence and metastasis rates of all cancers, lung cancer, and liver cancer and all cancers, colorectal cancer, and breast cancer, respectively, were significantly lower in the HCD subgroup than in the other subgroups and standard therapy group ( p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Patients receiving complementary CHM therapy may have prolonged OS and reduced risks of mortality, recurrence, and metastasis. A dose-response relationship was noted between CHM therapy and mortality risk: increased dosage was associated with improved OS and reduced mortality risk.
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Medicamentos de Ervas Chinesas , Humanos , Estudos de Coortes , Medicamentos de Ervas Chinesas/uso terapêutico , Taiwan , Recidiva Local de Neoplasia , Medicina Tradicional ChinesaRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Terminally ill patients often experience exacerbations of diseases that render mainstream medicine ineffective in relieving symptoms, prompting attempts at complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). This study collected data from terminally ill patients and their relatives to determine differences between CAM use, behavioral patterns, and perceptions of health information about CAM. METHODS: A cross-sectional design using a self-administered questionnaire was adopted. Eight medical institutions in Taiwan with inpatient hospice palliative care units were chosen. Ninety-two terminally ill patients and 267 relatives met the inclusion criteria. The questions concerned the experience of CAM use, the kinds of products/services CAM provided, the purpose of CAM use, the source of CAM information, and the perceptions and attitudes toward CAM. RESULTS: Both terminally ill patients and their relatives have a high proportion of lifetime and one-year prevalence of CAM use (88.0% vs. 88.4%; p = 0.929). CAM use for musculoskeletal and neurological discomfort is higher among terminally ill patients than among their relatives. Relatives/friends are the most frequent sources of information on CAM (53.3% vs. 62.2%; p = 0.133). The percentage of terminally ill patients who discontinued mainstream medical treatment because of CAM use was higher than that of their relatives (18.5% vs. 9.3%; p = 0.026). More than half the terminally ill patients and their relatives had never been asked about CAM by medical staff (64.1% vs. 66.7%), nor had they informed medical professionals about the use of CAM products and services (63% vs. 66.9%). Random inquiries by medical professionals may be associated with increased disclosure of CAM use (terminally ill patients: odds ratio, 9.75; 95% confidence interval, 1.97-48.35 vs. relatives: odds ratio, 5.61; 95% confidence interval, 2.66-11.83). CONCLUSIONS: The high prevalence and concealment of CAM use in terminally ill patients should be considered. Medical professionals should establish a friendly and barrier-free communication model, encourage patients to share CAM experiences, and provide evidence-based information on the use of CAM products and services, to reduce the potential damage caused by harmful use.
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Terapias Complementares , Hospitais para Doentes Terminais , Humanos , Pacientes Internados , Doente Terminal , Estudos TransversaisRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Patients commonly develop postoperative pain after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Acupuncture-related techniques and low-level laser therapy could be beneficial for pain management for older individuals. OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of low-level laser acupuncture (LA) in reducing postoperative pain, pain-related interference in daily life, morphine consumption, and morphine-related side effects in older patients with knee osteoarthritis who underwent TKA. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTION: A single-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial was conducted. Patients (N = 82) were recruited and randomly assigned via a computer-generated list to the LA group or a placebo group. The LA group received low-level laser therapy at Sanyinjiao (SP6), Taixi (KI3), Kunlun (BL60), Fengshi (GB31), Futu (ST32) and Neiguan (PC6) after TKA, while the placebo acupuncture group received the same treatment procedure without laser energy output. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was postoperative pain intensity, and it was measured at baseline and hours 2, 6, 10, 24, 48 and 72 after TKA. The secondary outcomes, including relative pain, postoperative pain-related interference in daily life and morphine consumption, were measured at hours 24, 48 and 72 after TKA. RESULTS: Generalized estimating equations revealed significant between-group differences in pain intensity (P = 0.01), and trend differences in pain intensity for the LA group starting at hours 10 to 72 (P < 0.05) and morphine consumption at hours 48 and 72 (P < 0.05). The changes in pain-related interference in daily life were significant (P < 0.05) at 72 h, with the exception of the parameters for worst pain, mood, and sleep. Nausea and vomiting side effects from morphine had significant between-group differences at hours 10 and 24 (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Low-level LA gradually reduced older patients' postoperative pain intensity and morphine consumption within the first 72 h after their TKA for osteoarthritis. Low-level LA may have benefits as an adjuvant pain management technique for clinical care. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov registration number NCT03995446.
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Terapia por Acupuntura , Artroplastia do Joelho , Idoso , Analgésicos Opioides/efeitos adversos , Analgésicos Opioides/uso terapêutico , Artroplastia do Joelho/efeitos adversos , Método Duplo-Cego , Humanos , Morfina/efeitos adversos , Morfina/uso terapêutico , Dor Pós-Operatória/tratamento farmacológico , Método Simples-CegoRESUMO
BACKGROUND: The symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) such as hyposmia, rhinorrhea, nasal obstruction, and cough are similar to those of chronic allergic rhinitis (AR). Such symptoms can easily lead AR patients to unnecessary anxiety, misdiagnosis, and invasive diagnostic tests in the COVID-19 pandemic. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is an important mediator for chronic AR and plays a crucial role in the inflammation of COVID-19. Houttuynia cordata (HC) has been shown to reduce nasal congestion and swelling by suppressing the activation of IL-6 and is used to fight COVID-19. A novel HC-based Chinese herbal formula, Zheng-Yi-Fang (ZYF), was developed to test effects on nasal symptoms of patients with AR in the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Participants aged between 20 and 60 years with at least a 2-year history of moderate to severe perennial AR were enrolled. Eligible participants were randomly allocated to either the intervention group (taking ZYF) or the control group (using regular western medicine) for 4 weeks. The Chinese version of the Rhinosinusitis Outcome Measures was used to evaluate impacts on quality of life and nasal symptoms of participants with AR. In addition, the effect of ZYF on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced IL-6 was investigated. RESULTS: Participants with AR taking ZYF improved their symptoms of nasal obstruction, nasal secretion, hyposmia, and postnasal drip in comparison with those of the control group. Meanwhile, ZYF exhibited inhibition of IL-6 secretion in the LPS-induced inflammatory model. CONCLUSION: ZYF has potential effects to relieve nasal symptoms for AR during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Medicamentos de Ervas Chinesas , Houttuynia , Rinite Alérgica , Adulto , Anosmia , COVID-19 , China , Medicamentos de Ervas Chinesas/uso terapêutico , Houttuynia/química , Humanos , Interleucina-6 , Lipopolissacarídeos , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Pandemias , Qualidade de Vida , Rinite Alérgica/tratamento farmacológico , Adulto JovemRESUMO
OBJECTIVES: Blunt chest trauma is often associated with severe pain, reduced lung function and decreased sleep quality. This study aims to investigate the immediate and long-term effect of acupuncture on these factors using a randomized control double-blind design. METHODS: A total of 72 patients were randomized into 2 groups: treatment group (press tack acupuncture) and control group (press tack placebo). The face rating scale, numerical rating scale (NRS), portable incentive spirometer and Verran Snyder-Halpern sleep scale were measured at baseline, immediately after the intervention, and at the 4th day, with 2-weeks and 3-months follow-ups. RESULTS: There were no significant changes between the groups at the baseline measurements, with the exception of hypertension comorbidity. Immediately after the intervention and on the 4th day follow-up, the patients in the treatment group showed a significantly lower face rating scale when compared to the control (P < 0.05). There were no significant changes in any of the other measurements between the groups (P > 0.05). Subgroup analysis revealed that the NRS for turn over on the 4th day was reduced significantly in the treatment group of patients without lung contusion (P < 0.05). For patients without pleural drainage, cough NRS in the treatment group was significantly reduced in the 2-week follow-up (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that press tack acupuncture effects on pain reduction were inconclusive. However, future studies on the effect of acupuncture on blunt chest trauma patients are needed. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltirl.gov: NCT04318496.
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Terapia por Acupuntura , Traumatismos Torácicos , Ferimentos não Penetrantes , Terapia por Acupuntura/efeitos adversos , Método Duplo-Cego , Humanos , Dor , Traumatismos Torácicos/diagnóstico , Traumatismos Torácicos/terapia , Resultado do Tratamento , Ferimentos não Penetrantes/diagnóstico , Ferimentos não Penetrantes/terapiaRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) can affect quality of life and cause various complications. Previous studies have suggested that Chinese herbal medicine can alleviate symptoms in patients with BPH. This study aimed to investigate whether the Chinese herbal medicine prescription VGH-BPH1 can alleviate BPH symptoms when used as an add-on treatment. METHODS: In this crossover, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, patients with BPH were randomly segregated into two groups: group A received VGH-BPH1, and group B received a placebo for 8 weeks. Subsequently, after a 2-week wash-out period, the two groups were switched to the opposite treatment for another 8 weeks. The International Prostate Symptoms Score and Aging Male Symptoms Score were adopted as the primary outcomes to assess improvement in BPH and patient quality of life. The secondary outcomes were the International Index of Erectile Function, Constitution Chinese Medicine Questionnaire, uroflowmetry results, and postvoid residual urine volume. RESULTS: VGH-BPH1 treatment significantly decreased the International Prostate Symptoms Score total score (p = 0.027); however, no significant difference was observed between the treatment and placebo groups. The Aging Male Symptoms Score "joint pain and muscular ache" score in the VGH-BPH1 group was significantly lower than that of the placebo group (p = 0.022). The "physical exhaustion" score also exhibited a decreasing trend when both groups were compared (p = 0.057). CONCLUSION: Although VGH-BPH1 treatment did not outperform the placebo in terms of improving BPH symptoms, it resulted in improvement in several quality of life indicators when relative to the placebo. Future research using a larger sample size with appropriate amendments to the protocol should be conducted to further investigate the effects of VGH-BPH1.
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Medicamentos de Ervas Chinesas , Hiperplasia Prostática , Estudos Cross-Over , Método Duplo-Cego , Medicamentos de Ervas Chinesas/uso terapêutico , Humanos , Masculino , Hiperplasia Prostática/complicações , Hiperplasia Prostática/tratamento farmacológico , Qualidade de Vida , Resultado do TratamentoRESUMO
The aim of this study was to investigate the role of retained acupuncture (RA) in neurotoxin-induced Parkinson's disease (PD) mice. Male C57BL/6 mice were injected with 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) to induce the PD model. The mice were divided into four groups, namely, (1) normal; (2) MPTP+retained acupuncture (RA); (3) MPTP+electroacupuncture (EA); (4) MPTP+sham acupuncture (SA). After mice being manipulated with/without acupuncture at acupoints (Daling, PC 7), groups 2-4 were injected with MPTP (15 mg/kg/d). The mice were evaluated for behavioral changes, in terms of time of landing, after acupuncture treatment. The animals were sacrificed and their brains assayed for dopamine and its metabolites and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) expression by using HPLC and immunohistochemistry/Western blotting, respectively. [(123)I] IBZM-SPECT imaging between SA and RA groups were compared. The results showed that the time of landing of the three groups with treatment was significant longer than group 1 (normal) (4.33±0.15 s). Nonetheless, group 2 (RA) (7.13±0.20 s) had a shorter time of landing than group 4 (SA) (7.89±0.46 s). The number of TH (+) neurons and the expression of TH proteins were significantly higher in the RA group than in the SA/EA groups. RA also increased the uptake of [(123)I] IBZM into the triatum compared to the SA group. We conclude that RA possibly attenuates neuronal damage in MPTP-induced PD mice, which suggests RA may be useful as a complementary strategy when treating human PD.
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Terapia por Acupuntura/métodos , Comportamento Animal/fisiologia , Intoxicação por MPTP/metabolismo , Intoxicação por MPTP/terapia , Neurônios/metabolismo , Substância Negra/metabolismo , Animais , Contagem de Células , Modelos Animais de Doenças , Dopamina/metabolismo , Intoxicação por MPTP/induzido quimicamente , Intoxicação por MPTP/fisiopatologia , Masculino , Camundongos , Tirosina 3-Mono-Oxigenase/metabolismoRESUMO
Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) has been commonly used for treating insomnia in Asian countries for centuries. The aim of this study was to conduct a large-scale pharmaco-epidemiologic study and evaluate the frequency and patterns of CHM use in treating insomnia. We obtained the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) outpatient claims from the National Health Insurance in Taiwan for the year 2002. Patients with insomnia were identified from the diagnostic code of International Classification of Disease among claimed visiting files. Corresponding prescription files were analyzed, and an association rule was applied to evaluate the co-prescription of CHM. Results showed that there were 16 134 subjects who visited TCM clinics for insomnia in Taiwan during 2002 and received a total of 29 801 CHM prescriptions. Subjects between 40 and 49 years of age comprised the largest number of those treated (25.3%). In addition, female subjects used CHMs for insomnia more frequently than male subjects (female : male = 1.94 : 1). There was an average of 4.8 items prescribed in the form of either an individual Chinese herb or formula in a single CHM prescription for insomnia. Shou-wu-teng (Polygonum multiflorum) was the most commonly prescribed single Chinese herb, while Suan-zao-ren-tang was the most commonly prescribed Chinese herbal formula. According to the association rule, the most commonly prescribed CHM drug combination was Suan-zao-ren-tang plus Long-dan-xie-gan-tang, while the most commonly prescribed triple drug combination was Suan-zao-ren-tang, Albizia julibrissin, and P. multiflorum. Nevertheless, further clinical trials are needed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of these CHMs for treating insomnia.
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This paper presents a non-invasive, non-contact system for the measurement of the arterial dorsum manus vibration waveforms of Parkinson disease patients. The laser line method is applied to detect the dorsum manus vibration in rest and postural situations. The proposed measurement system mainly consists of a laser diode and a low cost complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor. Laser line and centroid methods are combined with the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) in this study. The shape and frequency and relative frequency of the dorsum manus vibration waveforms can be detected rapidly using our Parkinson's disease measurement system. A laser line near the wrist joint is used as the testing line. The experimental results show an obvious increase in the amplitude and frequency of dorsum manus variation in the measured region in patients suffering from Parkinson's disease, indicating the obvious effects of the disease. Both in postural and rest state measurements, as the patient disease age increases the vibration frequency increases. The measurement system is well suited for evaluating and pre-diagnosing early stage Parkinson's disease.
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Eletrônica Médica/instrumentação , Eletrônica Médica/métodos , Lasers , Metais/química , Óxidos/química , Doença de Parkinson/diagnóstico , Semicondutores , Braço , Calibragem , Humanos , Doença de Parkinson/complicações , Doença de Parkinson/fisiopatologia , Postura/fisiologia , Reprodutibilidade dos Testes , Descanso , Tremor/complicações , Tremor/fisiopatologia , VibraçãoRESUMO
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Total knee replacement is the most effective intervention for late-stage osteoarthritis; however, a major concern is postoperative recovery of physical function. This randomised controlled trial evaluated the effects of acupuncture with low-level laser therapy (ALLLT) on early outcomes of physical function after total knee replacement. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty-two osteoarthritis patients were recruited and randomly assigned to the experimental group receiving ALLLT or the control group receiving sham ALLLT without laser beam output. Physical function was evaluated by assessing knee joint flexion and stiffness on days 1, 2, and 3 after total knee replacement. RESULTS: Generalised estimating equations revealed a significant difference between the two groups in joint flexion. The experimental group displayed better joint flexion and less stiffness on days 2 and 3 than did the control group. CONCLUSION: ALLLT can facilitate the recovery of physical function, as evidenced by knee joint flexion and stiffness, in patients receiving total knee replacement.
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Terapia por Acupuntura , Artroplastia do Joelho , Osteoartrite do Joelho , Humanos , Lasers , Osteoartrite do Joelho/cirurgia , Amplitude de Movimento Articular , Resultado do TratamentoRESUMO
INTRODUCTION: Blunt chest trauma (BCT) accounts for up to 65% of polytrauma patients. In patients with 0 to 2 rib fractures, treatment interventions are typically limited to oral analgesics and breathing exercises. Patients suffering from BCT experience symptoms of severe pain, poor sleep, and inability to perform simple daily life activities for an extended period of time thereafter. In this trial, we aim to investigate the efficacy of acupuncture as a functional and reliable treatment option for blunt chest trauma patients. METHODS: The study is designed as a double-blind randomized control trial. We will include 72 patients divided into 2 groups; the acupuncture group (Acu) and placebo group (Con). The acupuncture group will receive true acupuncture using a uniquely designed press tack needle. The control group will receive placebo acupuncture treatment through the use of a similarly designed press tack needle without the needle element. The acupoints selected for both groups are GB 34, GB 36, LI 4, LU 7, ST 36, and TH 5. Both groups will receive 1 treatment only following the initial visit to the medical facility and upon diagnosis of BCT. Patient outcome measurements include: Numerical Rating Scale, Face Rating Scale, respiratory function flowmeter, Verran Snyder-Halpern sleep scale, and the total amount of allopathic medication used. Follow-up time will be scheduled at 4âdays, 2âweeks, and lastly 3âmonths. EXPECTED OUTCOME: The results of this study can potentially provide a simple and cost-effective analgesic solution to blunt chest trauma patients. This novel study design can serve as supporting evidence for future double-blind studies within the field of acupuncture. OTHER INFORMATION: The study will be conducted in the thoracic surgical department and acupuncture department in China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan. The study will be conducted on blunt chest trauma patients and is anticipated to have minimum risk of adverse events. Enrollment of the patients and data collection will start from March 2020. Study completion time is expected in March 2022. PROTOCOL REGISTRATION: (CMUH109-REC1-002), (NCT04318496).
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Terapia por Acupuntura/métodos , Traumatismo Múltiplo/terapia , Manejo da Dor/métodos , Dor/diagnóstico , Traumatismos Torácicos/terapia , Ferimentos não Penetrantes/terapia , Terapia por Acupuntura/efeitos adversos , Terapia por Acupuntura/instrumentação , Adulto , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Método Duplo-Cego , Feminino , Seguimentos , Humanos , Escala de Gravidade do Ferimento , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Traumatismo Múltiplo/complicações , Traumatismo Múltiplo/diagnóstico , Agulhas , Dor/etiologia , Manejo da Dor/efeitos adversos , Manejo da Dor/instrumentação , Medição da Dor/estatística & dados numéricos , Ensaios Clínicos Controlados Aleatórios como Assunto , Traumatismos Torácicos/complicações , Traumatismos Torácicos/diagnóstico , Resultado do Tratamento , Ferimentos não Penetrantes/complicações , Ferimentos não Penetrantes/diagnóstico , Adulto JovemRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Depressive disorders (DD) affect not only mood and behavior but also various physical functions. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been shown to have some benefits in treating DD. However, one formula or one single herb might be not show high efficacy when used to treat depression. Thus, this study aimed to examine the core prescription pattern of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) among patients with DD in Taiwan as a reference for related research and clinical applications. METHODS: All patients, who had been diagnosed with major depressive disorder or minor depression or dysthymia without any other baseline diseases and had at least one CHM outpatient clinical visit from 2002 to 2011, were extracted from three randomly sampled cohorts, namely the 2000, 2005 and 2010 cohorts of the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) of Taiwan. The collected data was analyzed to explore the patterns of herbal products. RESULTS: There were 197,146 patients with a diagnosis of DD and of these 1806 subjects had only a diagnosis of DD and utilized CHM. The most common formula was Gan-Mai-Da-Zao-Tang (12.19%), while Suan-Zao-Ren (3.99%) was the most commonly prescribed single herb. The core pattern of prescriptions consisted of a combination of Gan-Mai-Da-Zao-Tang, Jia-Wei-Xiao-Yao-San, Chai-Hu-Jia-Long-Gu-Mu-Li-Tang, He-Huan-Pi, Yuan-Zhi and Shi-Chang-Pu. CONCLUSIONS: This study describes the CHM core prescription pattern used to treat patients in Taiwan with DD and it is a potential candidate for study in future pharmacological or clinical trials targeting DD.
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BACKGROUND: Medical staff may have difficulties in using conventional medicine to manage symptoms among terminally ill patients, including adverse effects of the treatment. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is regarded as a complementary or alternative medicine, and has been increasingly used in the field of palliative medicine in recent years. This study aimed to investigate the experiences of and attitudes toward using TCM among palliative care professionals, and to provide preliminary information about its use in palliative care. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional survey study conducted in eight inpatient hospice wards in Taiwan between December 2014 and February 2016. The questionnaire was self-administered, and was analyzed with descriptive statistics including Pearson's Chi-square test and Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: A total of 251 palliative care professionals responded to the questionnaire, of whom 89.7% and 88.9% believed that the use of TCM could improve the physical symptoms and quality of life in terminally ill patients, respectively. Overall, 59.8%, of respondents suggested that TCM had rare side effects, and 58.2% were worried that TCM could affect the liver and kidney function of patients. In total, 89.7% and 88.0% of professionals agreed there were no suitable clinical practice guidelines and educational programs, respectively, for TCM use in palliative care. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the respondents agreed there was insufficient knowledge, skills-training, and continuing education on the use of TCM in terminally ill patients in Taiwan. These results show that to address patient safety considerations, guidelines about use of TCM in palliative care should be established.
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AIMS: To investigate the functional connectivity (FC) in nonacute sciatica and the neuronal correlation of acupuncture analgesia. METHODS: A prospective study employing resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging was conducted. Twelve sciatica patients were enrolled to receive six or 18 acupoints of acupuncture treatment twice a week for 4 weeks. Regional homogeneity (ReHo) and seed-based FC were performed. RESULTS: Regional homogeneity analysis demonstrated a greater alteration in the right posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) during the pre-acupuncture phase than during the postacupuncture phase. Compared to that of healthy controls, the PCC-seeded FC (default mode network, DMN) of sciatica patients exhibited hyperconnectivity of PCC-FC with the PCC-bilateral insula, cerebellum, inferior parietal lobule, right medial prefrontal cortex, and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex during the pre-acupuncture phase as well as hypoconnectivity of PCC-FC with the right cerebellum, left precuneus, and left dorsal medial prefrontal cortex during the postacupuncture phase. Correlation analysis between PCC-seeded FC and behavior measurements revealed a positive association with the duration of sciatica in the right inferior parietal lobule prior to acupuncture treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Acupuncture in chronic sciatica patients is associated with normalized DMN activity and modulation of descending pain processing. The changes in the subclinical endophenotype of brain FC after acupuncture treatment may provide clues for understanding the mechanism of acupuncture-mediated analgesia in chronic pain.
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Terapia por Acupuntura/métodos , Mapeamento Encefálico/métodos , Imageamento por Ressonância Magnética/métodos , Nociceptividade/fisiologia , Ciática , Adulto , Encéfalo/diagnóstico por imagem , Encéfalo/fisiopatologia , Feminino , Giro do Cíngulo/fisiopatologia , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Estudos Prospectivos , Ciática/fisiopatologia , Ciática/terapiaRESUMO
BACKGROUND: The current Western medicine treatment options for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) have various degrees of documented effectiveness. However, the uses of these interventions are limited to specific patient populations or have certain side effects that interfere with patient quality of life. This study evaluated the clinical effects of a Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) on patients with BPH. METHODS: This was a single-arm pilot study. Twenty BPH patients were enrolled, and they were required to take the investigated CHM three times a day for 8 weeks, along with their Western medicine. Patients returned to clinics as scheduled and completing international prostate symptoms scores (IPSS), aging male symptoms score, international index of erectile function, and body constitution questionnaire of traditional Chinese medicine. Uroflowmetry and sonography were also applied to evaluate the changes in urinary velocity and post-voiding residual urine volume from the baseline to the end of the study. RESULTS: The mean IPSS total score was significantly decreased by 2.5 points after 8 weeks of treatment with the CHM (from 17.5 to 15.0, p = 0.03). The mean IPSS voiding subscore was decreased by 1.7 points (from 10.1 to 8.4, p = 0.02), and the mean incomplete emptying subscore was decreased by 0.8 points (from 2.9 to 2.1, p = 0.02), with both decreases being statistically significant. A descending trend in the post-voiding residual urine volume was also observed (from 52.9 to 30.8 mL, p = 0.07). CONCLUSION: This trial indicated that the add-on CHM treatment (VGHBPH0) might be a potential treatment for improving the lower urinary tract symptoms of BPH patients.
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Medicamentos de Ervas Chinesas/uso terapêutico , Hiperplasia Prostática/tratamento farmacológico , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Projetos PilotoRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Since Taiwan's national health insurance system provides residents with easy and affordable access to clinical acupuncture treatment, this study sought to analyze trends in the publication of acupuncture-related research in Taiwan from 1988 to 2017, using a bibliometric method. METHODS: Data on the scholarly literature from 1988 to 2017 were retrieved through Web of Science searches for the keywords acupunct*, acupoint*, electroacupunct*, electro-acupunct*, acupre*, auricular acupunc*, and auricular needle* in study titles. RESULTS: A total of 539 acupuncture-related articles published from 1988 to 2017 were identified and analyzed. The articles had an h-index of 38 and were cited in subsequent studies 7250 times, meaning that Taiwan ranked sixth in the production of such publications among countries/regions globally. Among those articles, 99 (18.4%) had no subsequent citations, six (1.1%) were highly cited (over 100 citations), and 141 (26.1%) were cited 4 to 10 times. The highly cited articles discussed the possible pathways of acupuncture stimulation and efficacy, and received 1103 (15.2%) of the citations. CONCLUSION: The China Medical University in Taichung, Taiwan, was the most active educational institution in Taiwan in terms of acupuncture-related research. Professor Lin Jaung-Geng was the leading acupuncture-related researcher, having the most publications, citations, and the highest h-index value. These results provided a context for analyzing the strengths of the existing research and informing prospective strategies for further studies.