Acquired Epiblepharon Alleviated With Teprotumumab Treatment in Active Thyroid Eye Disease Patient.

A 46-year-old Asian female patient with thyroid eye disease reported ocular irritation, eyelid swelling, diplopia, and pain with eye movement. The patient was diagnosed with active thyroid eye disease and secondary thyroid eye disease-acquired epiblepharon, which was causing bilateral punctate epithelial erosion. Treatment was started with newly U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved teprotumumab, an insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor inhibitor. Four infusion treatments later, the patient's epiblepharon was alleviated with minimal side effects. In this report, the authors present a case of thyroid eye disease-acquired epiblepharon resolving with teprotumumab treatment.

A Case of Postpartum Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder in a First-Time Father.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a well-recognized psychiatric condition characterized by distressing obsessions and compulsions. While the perinatal period is a known trigger for OCD in women, less attention has been given to its occurrence in men, particularly new fathers. This case report examines the unique presentation of postpartum-onset OCD (ppOCD) in a first-time father. A 33-year-old father presented eight months after the birth of his first child with distressing intrusive thoughts related to harming his eight-month-old daughter. These thoughts were ego-dystonic, causing significant distress, and led to a rapid deterioration in his mental health. Intrusive thoughts included a desire to leave his daughter in a busy street and place her in a hot oven. The patient became severely depressed, experienced significant weight loss, and was unable to perform daily activities of living. He repeatedly denied any intent to act on these thoughts. Following a visit to the ED, the patient was admitted to a psychiatric facility and started on escitalopram and aripiprazole. Approximately one month post-discharge, the patient reported significant symptom improvement, and after two months, his symptoms were well-controlled. He was successfully tapered off aripiprazole due to remission of symptoms and adverse effects. This case report highlights the need for greater awareness and screening of ppOCD in both men and women during the perinatal period. Utilizing existing screening tools and well-established pharmacological treatments for OCD can significantly improve the recognition and management of this distressing disorder in fathers, ultimately improving their quality of life and that of their families. Further research is needed to better understand the prevalence and specific management of male ppOCD.

Geographic Information System Mapping of Social Risk Factors and Patient Outcomes of Pediatric Glaucoma.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to use Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping to present the geospatial distribution of visual outcomes and sociodemographic risk factors of a cohort of pediatric glaucoma patients. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SUBJECTS: 233 eyes of 177 pediatric glaucoma patients treated at UC Davis Medical Center. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of pediatric patients (aged less than 18 years) with the diagnosis of pediatric glaucoma or any adult with a prior history of pediatric glaucoma at UC Davis Medical Center from 2001 to 2019. Patient sociodemographic information and ocular health data were recorded. Patients were mapped to their residential home 3-digit zip code prefix using ArcGIS software to generate geographic representations of the pediatric glaucoma database. Statistical analyses were performed to identify significant risk factors to poor visual outcome. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was the patient's final visual acuity (VA), defined as a binary variable based on the World Health Organization's criteria: good VA (better than 20/200) or poor VA (worse than 20/200). The secondary outcome was final intraocular pressure (IOP) at patients' final follow-ups. Risk factors for poor vision and higher IOP were assessed. RESULTS: At final follow-up, 65 eyes (27.9%) had poor vision and 168 eyes (72.1%) had good vision. In the multivariate analysis, the odds ratio of good VA decreased by 4% for every 1 mmHg increase in initial IOP (P = 0.03), and the odds of good VA decreased by 6% for every year increase in age (P = 0.04). Patients with private insurance had a 3.5 mmHg lower final IOP than those with Medicaid (P = 0.004). Travel distance was not associated with a poorer visual outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Private insurance patients had lower final IOP than Medicaid patients. Age and initial IOP were significant negative predictors of VA. Despite travel distance appearing to be associated with poorer visual outcomes by GIS mapping, it was not statistically significant. Geographic information system mapping of patient outcomes is an innovative way to visualize patient demographics and risk factors. Geographic information system may prove particularly useful in larger nationwide disease and surgical registries, especially for rare disorders like pediatric glaucoma. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE(S): Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found after the references.

Meditative therapies for reducing anxiety: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Anxiety disorders are among the most common psychiatric disorders and meditative therapies are frequently sought by patients with anxiety as a complementary therapy. Although multiple reviews exist on the general health benefits of meditation, no review has focused on the efficacy of meditation for anxiety specifically. METHODS: Major medical databases were searched thoroughly with keywords related to various types of meditation and anxiety. Over 1,000 abstracts were screened, and 200+ full articles were reviewed. Only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included. The Boutron (Boutron et al., 2005: J Clin Epidemiol 58:1233-1240) checklist to evaluate a report of a nonpharmaceutical trial (CLEAR-NPT) was used to assess study quality; 90% of the authors were contacted for additional information. Review Manager 5 was used for meta-analysis. RESULTS: A total of 36 RCTs were included in the meta-analysis (2,466 observations). Most RCTs were conducted among patients with anxiety as a secondary concern. The study quality ranged from 0.3 to 1.0 on the 0.0-1.0 scale (mean = 0.72). Standardized mean difference (SMD) was -0.52 in comparison with waiting-list control (p < .001; 25 RCTs), -0.59 in comparison with attention control (p < .001; seven RCTs), and -0.27 in comparison with alternative treatments (p < .01; 10 RCTs). Twenty-five studies reported statistically superior outcomes in the meditation group compared to control. No adverse effects were reported. CONCLUSIONS: This review demonstrates some efficacy of meditative therapies in reducing anxiety symptoms, which has important clinical implications for applying meditative techniques in treating anxiety. However, most studies measured only improvement in anxiety symptoms, but not anxiety disorders as clinically diagnosed.

Selective Pharmaceutical Inhibition of PARP14 Mitigates Allergen-Induced IgE and Mucus Overproduction in a Mouse Model of Pulmonary Allergic Response.

The type 2 cytokines IL-4 and IL-13, which share use of an IL-4 receptor α-chain and its nuclear induction of the transcription factor STAT6, are crucial in elicitation and maintenance of allergic conditions including asthma. STAT6 binds poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP)14, an ADP-ribosyl monotransferase. Elimination of PARP14 by gene targeting led to attenuation of OVA-specific allergic lung inflammation. However, PARP14 has multiple functional domains apart from the portion that catalyzes ADP-ribosylation, and it is not clear whether inhibition of the catalytic function has any biological consequence. Using BALB/c mice sensitized to the allergen Alternaria alternata, we show that peroral administration of RBN012759, a highly selective inhibitor of ADP-ribosylation by PARP14 with negligible impact on other members of the PARP gene family, achieved biologically active plasma concentrations and altered several responses to the Ag. Specifically, the pharmaceutical compound decreased mucus after allergen challenge, blunted the induced increases in circulating IgE, and prevented suppression of IgG2a. We conclude that PARP14 catalytic activity can contribute to pathogenesis in allergic or atopic processes and propose that other biological endpoints dependent on ADP-ribosylation by PARP14 can be targeted using selective inhibition.

Benzodiazepine use and misuse among patients in a methadone program.

BACKGROUND: Benzodiazepines (BZD) misuse is a serious public health problem, especially among opiate-dependent patients with anxiety enrolled in methadone program because it puts patients at higher risk of life-threatening multiple drug overdoses. Both elevated anxiety and BZD misuse increase the risk for ex-addicts to relapse. However, there is no recent study to assess how serious the problem is and what factors are associated with BZD misuse. This study estimates the prevalence of BZD misuse in a methadone program, and provides information on the characteristics of BZD users compared to non-users. METHODS: An anonymous survey was carried out at a methadone program in Baltimore, MD, and all patients were invited to participate through group meetings and fliers around the clinic on a voluntary basis. Of the 205 returned questionnaires, 194 were complete and entered into final data analysis. Those who completed the questionnaire were offered a $5 gift card as an appreciation. RESULTS: 47% of the respondents had a history of BZD use, and 39.8% used BZD without a prescription. Half of the BZD users (54%) started using BZD after entering the methadone program, and 61% of previous BZD users reported increased or resumed use after entering methadone program. Compared to the non-users, BZD users were more likely to be White, have prescribed medication for mental problems, have preexistent anxiety problems before opiate use, and had anxiety problems before entering methadone program. They reported more mental health problems in the past month, and had higher scores in anxiety state, depression and perceived stress (p < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Important information on epidemiology of BZD misuse among methadone-maintenance patients suggests that most methadone programs do not address co-occurring anxiety problems, and methadone treatment may trigger onset or worsening of BZD misuse. Further study is needed to explore how to curb misuse and abuse of BZD in the addiction population, and provide effective treatments targeting simultaneously addiction symptoms, anxiety disorders and BZD misuse.

Residents' Physical Activities in Home Isolation and Its Relationship with Health Values and Well-Being: A Cross-Sectional Survey during the COVID-19 Social Quarantine.

The objective of the present study was to examine the associations between residents' physical activity, health values, and well-being during isolation. On the basis of the physical activity rating scale, health values scale, subjective well-being scale, and the satisfaction with life scale, we collected 505 valid questionnaires online from 31 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions in China. A series of multiple linear regression models were established to study the relationship between variables, and the bootstrap confidence interval was selected to test the mediating effect. The results showed that during the period of isolation, physical activity directly (b = 0.463, p < 0.001) or indirectly (b = 0.358, p < 0.001) had a positive impact on residents' well-being through the mediating effect of health values. There was a positive correlation between physical activity and health values (b = 0.710, p < 0.001), while health values had a direct positive association on well-being (b = 0.504, p < 0.001). In addition, a moderate amount of physical activity was found to be more associated with the well-being of residents during home isolation compared to small and large amounts of physical activity. This study shows the importance of residents' physical activities in home isolation. Moderate exercise at home and regular physical activity are beneficial to our physical and mental health, especially in terms of improving overall well-being.

The effect of tai chi and Qigong exercise on depression and anxiety of individuals with substance use disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have acknowledged Tai Chi and Qigong exercise could be potential effective treatments for reducing depression and anxiety in both healthy and clinical populations. However, there is a scarcity of systematic reviews summarizing the clinical evidence conducted among individuals with substance use disorders. This study tries to fill up this gap. METHODS: A systematic search using Medline, EMbase, PsychINFO, Eric, SPORTDiscus, CINAHL, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang, and the Chinese Scientific Journal (VIP) databases was initiated to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and non-randomized comparison studies (NRS) assessing the effect of Tai Chi and Qigong versus various comparison groups on depression and anxiety related outcomes. Study quality was evaluated using a Checklist to Evaluate a Report of a Nonpharmacological Trial (CLEAR-NPT) designed for nonpharmacological trial. RESULTS: One RCT and six NRS with a total of 772 participants were identified. Some of them were meta-analyzed to examine the pooled effects based on different types of intervention and controls. The results of meta-analyses suggested the effect of Tai Chi was comparable to treatment as usual (TAU) on depression (standardized mean difference (SMD) = - 0.17[- 0.52, 0.17]). Qigong exercise appears to result in improvement on anxiety compared to that of medication (SMD = -1.12[- 1.47, - 0.78]), and no treatment control (SMD = -0.52[- 0.77, - 0.27]). CONCLUSION: The findings suggest potentially beneficial effect of Qigong exercise on symptoms of anxiety among individuals with drug abuse. Considering the small number and overall methodological weakness of included studies and lack of RCTs, results should be interpreted with caution and future rigorously designed RCTs are warranted to provide more reliable evidence.

An analytical review of the Chinese literature on Qigong therapy for diabetes mellitus.

Diabetes rates have doubled in China over the past decade. However, as conventional medicine offers neither a sound explanation nor an effective cure, patients with diabetes increasingly seek complementary and alternative therapies. It was reported that the traditional Chinese medical approach, Qigong, might produce therapeutic benefits with minimal side-effects in this condition. The Qigong Database, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and the library databases of Chinese institutions from 1978 to middle of 2008 on open trials, laboratory studies, and controlled clinical studies were reviewed. Over 35 studies were identified and reviewed. Qigong therapy for diabetic patients included self-practice, group qi-field therapy, external qi therapy, and Qigong in combination with other therapies. Only 2 randomized controlled trials were found; both evaluate Qigong as an adjuvant to conventional therapy. All studies reported some therapeutic effect or improvement. Some reported significant reduction in fasting plasma glucose. Others reported complete cures, which were unlikely to be the result of placebo effect as objective outcome measures were used. Qigong therapy may be an important complement to conventional medicine in treating diabetes, but the quality of studies needs to be improved. These preliminary data are promising and support the need for further randomized controlled trials.

Are Mindful Exercises Safe and Beneficial for Treating Chronic Lower Back Pain? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

BACKGROUND: Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a common health issue worldwide. Tai Chi, Qigong, and Yoga, as the most widely practiced mindful exercises, have promising effects for CLBP-specific symptoms. OBJECTIVE: We therefore conducted a comprehensive review investigating the effects of mindful exercises versus active and/or non-active controls while evaluating the safety and pain-related effects of mindful exercises in adults with CLBP. METHODS: We searched five databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, SCOPUS, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library) from inception to February 2019. Two investigators independently selected 17 eligible randomized controlled trials (RCT) against inclusion and exclusion criteria, followed by data extraction and study quality assessment. Standardized mean difference (SMD) was used to determine the magnitude of mindful exercises versus controls on pain- and disease-specific outcome measures. RESULTS: As compared to control groups, we observed significantly favorable effects of mindful exercises on reducing pain intensity (SMD = -0.37, 95% CI -0.5 to -0.23, p < 0.001, I2 = 45.9 %) and disability (SMD = -0.39, 95% CI -0.49 to -0.28, p < 0.001, I2 = 0 %). When compared with active control alone, mindful exercises showed significantly reduced pain intensity (SMD = -0.40, p < 0.001). Furthermore, of the three mindful exercises, Tai Chi has a significantly superior effect on pain management (SMD= -0.75, 95% CI -1.05 to -0.46, p < 0.001), whereas Yoga-related adverse events were reported in five studies. CONCLUSION: Findings of our systematic review suggest that mindful exercises (Tai Chi and Qigong) may be beneficial for CLBP symptomatic management. In particular, Tai Chi appears to have a superior effect in reducing pain intensity irrespective of non-control comparison or active control comparison (conventional exercises, core training, and physical therapy programs). Importantly, training in these mindful exercises should be implemented with certified instructors to ensure quality of movement and injury prevention.

Effects of Meditative Movements on Major Depressive Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

BACKGROUND: Tai Chi, Qigong, and Yoga are recognized as the most popular complementary approaches for alleviating musculoskeletal pain, improving sleep quality, and reducing blood pressure. The therapeutic effects of these meditative movements for treating major depressive disorder (MDD) is yet to be determined. Therefore, we examined whether meditative movements (Tai Chi, Qigong, and Yoga) are effective for treating MDD. Seven electronic databases (SPORTDiscus, PubMed, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CNKI, and Wanfang) were used to search relevant articles. Randomized controlled trials (RCT) using Tai Chi, Qigong or Yoga as intervention for MDD were considered for the meta-analysis (standardized mean difference: SMD). RESULTS: Meta-analysis on 15 fair-to-high quality RCTs showed a significant benefit in favor of meditative movement on depression severity (SMD = -0.56, 95% CI -0.76 to -0.37, p < 0.001, I² = 35.76%) and on anxiety severity (SMD = -0.46, 95% CI -0.71 to -0.21, p < 0.001, I² = 1.17%). Meditative movement interventions showed significantly improved treatment remission rate (OR = 6.7, 95% CI 2.38 to 18.86, p < 0.001) and response rate (OR = 5.2, 95% CI 1.73 to 15.59, p < 0.001) over passive controls. CONCLUSIONS: Emphasizing the therapeutic effects of meditative movements for treating MDD is critical because it may provide a useful alternative to existing mainstream treatments (drug therapy and psychotherapy) for MDD. Given the fact that meditative movements are safe and easily accessible, clinicians may consider recommending meditative movements for symptomatic management in this population.

Effects of Mind⁻Body Exercises (Tai Chi/Yoga) on Heart Rate Variability Parameters and Perceived Stress: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

BACKGROUND: Heart rate variability (HRV) as an accurate, noninvasive measure of the Autonomous Nervous System (ANS) can reflect mental health (e.g., stress, depression, or anxiety). Tai Chi and Yoga (Tai Chi/Yoga), as the most widely practiced mind⁻body exercises, have shown positive outcomes of mental health. To date, no systematic review regarding the long-lasting effects of Tai Chi/Yoga on HRV parameters and perceived stress has been conducted. OBJECTIVE: To critically evaluate the existing literature on this topic. METHODS: Five electronic databases (Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, SportDiscus and Cochrane Library) were searched from the start of the research project to July 2018. Study selection, data extraction, and study quality assessment were independently carried out by two reviewers. The potentially identified randomized controlled trials (RCT) reported the useful quantitative data that were included only for meta-analysis. RESULTS: meta-analysis of 17 medium-to-high quality RCTs showed significantly beneficial effects on HRV parameters (normalized low-frequency, Hedge's g = -0.39, 95% CI -0.39 to -0.56, p < 0.001, I2 = 11.62%; normalized high-frequency, Hedge's g = 0.37, 95% CI 0.22 to -0.52, p < 0.001, I2 = 0%; low-frequency to high-frequency ratio, Hedge's g = -0.58, 95% CI -0.81 to -0.35, p < 0.001, I2 = 53.78%) and stress level (Hedge's g = -0.80, 95% CI -1.17 to -0.44, p < 0.001, I2 = 68.54%). CONCLUSIONS: Stress reduction may be attributed to sympathetic-vagal balance modulated by mind⁻body exercises. Tai Chi/Yoga could be an alternative method for stress reduction for people who live under high stress or negative emotions.

Smoking, drugs, and other behavioral health problems among multiethnic adolescents in the NHSDA.

Data from the NHSDA (2000) which contained screening measures for assessing risk for DSM-IV psychiatric disorders, were used to estimate smoking prevalence and its association with these disorders, among European American, Hispanic, and African American adolescents. Prevalence estimates, odds ratios, and hazard models were used to compare ethnic subgroups. European American and Hispanic adolescents born in the U.S. had a higher prevalence of smoking and DSM-IV tobacco dependence, and girls were higher than boys. Lifetime smokers had statistically significant odds ratios for anxiety, affective, substance use, and any behavior disorder, while Current smokers had a similar risk pattern except anxiety disorder. The increased risk for substance use disorder among smokers was notably higher. A hazard analysis showed that early onset of smoking (before 12 years) was related to earlier illicit drug use initiation as contrasted with later onset (12 years +), and non-smoking sharply reduced risk and delayed initiation into drug use. African American and Hispanic immigrants had lower risk of smoking initiation and tobacco dependence, however, ethnic group adolescents who initiated smoking shared increased risk of addictive and non-addictive disorders.

A pilot study of external qigong therapy for patients with fibromyalgia.

OBJECTIVES: Although qigong is an important part of Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) based on a philosophy similar to acupuncture, few studies of qigong exist in the Western medicine literature. To evaluate qigong therapy as a modality in treating chronic pain conditions such as fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), we report a pilot trial of 10 women with severe FMS who experienced significant improvement after external qigong therapy (EQT). DESIGN: Ten patients with FMS completed five to seven sessions of EQT over 3 weeks with pre- and posttreatment assessment and a 3-month follow-up. Each treatment lasted approximately 40 minutes. OUTCOME MEASURES: Tender point count (TPC) and Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) were the primary measures. McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), anxiety, and self-efficacy were the secondary outcomes. RESULTS: Subjects demonstrated improvement in functioning, pain, and other symptoms. The mean TPC was reduced from 136.6 to 59.5 after EQT treatment; mean MPQ decreased from 27.0 to 7.2; mean FIQ from 70.1 to 37.3; and mean BDI from 24.3 to 8.3 (all p < 0.01). Many subjects reported reductions in other FMS symptoms, and two reported they were completely symptom-free. Results from the 3-month follow-up indicated some slight rebound from the post-treatment measures, but still much better than those observed at baseline. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with EQT resulting in complete recovery for some FMS patients suggests that TCM may be very effective for treating pain and the multiplicity of symptoms associated with FMS. Larger controlled trials of this promising intervention are urgently needed.

Prevalence and co-occurrence of psychiatric symptom clusters in the U.S. adolescent population using DISC predictive scales.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate 12-month prevalence and co-occurrence of symptoms of specific mental problems among US adolescents (12-17 years) by age, sex and racial/ethnic subgroups. METHOD: Data from the 2000 National Household Survey of Drug Abuse (NHSDA) adolescent sample are used to estimate prevalence and co-occurrence rates using the DISC predictive scales. Multiple logistic regressions were used to derive significant correlates of each domain of DPS-derived symptom cluster indicators of psychiatric problems and of severe comorbidity, with control of demographics and environmental factors. SETTING: The National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA), a national household probability sample, includes a nationally representative sample of 12-17 year-old adolescents (N = 19,430), through in-home surveys. RESULTS: Three out of five adolescents screened positive for at least one DPS symptom cluster with estimates for specific symptom cluster ranging over 9.7% (substance use disorder), 13.4% (affective), 36.3% (disruptive-behavior), and 40.1% (anxiety). Co-occurrence was high with almost one-third of any DPS symptom cluster reporting multiple positive screens of four or more clusters. Blacks and younger females were most likely to report mental health problems and co-occurrence. CONCLUSION: Mental health problems among U.S. youth may be far more common than previously believed, although these symptoms have not yet reached the point of clinical impairment. The data speak to important patterns of age, gender and racial/ethnic differences in mental health problems deserving of further study.

Supervised Resistance Exercise for Patients with Persistent Symptoms of Lyme Disease.

PURPOSE: The rapidly increasing incidence of Lyme disease has become a serious public health problem. Persistent symptoms of Lyme disease occur in over 40% of the 300,000 new cases diagnosed annually in the United States and often include debilitating musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, and poor health-related quality of life. No clinical practice guidelines for Lyme disease currently include resistance exercise partly because of concern over its safety and feasibility in this population. The goal of this pilot study was to evaluate the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a supervised, low-intensity resistance exercise program in a sample of patients with persistent symptoms of Lyme disease. METHODS: An uncontrolled resistance exercise intervention was conducted under the supervision of an exercise professional. Participants performed three exercise sessions per week for 4 wk. Each exercise session consisted of one set of varying repetitions of the leg press, seated row, vertical chest press, standing heel raise, and supine abdominal crunch. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and the end of each week of intervention and included musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, health-related quality of life, vitality, and exercise performance. ANOVA and t-tests were performed to assess changes in the study outcomes. RESULTS: Eight patients participated in the exercise intervention. All participants successfully completed the intervention, and there were no adverse events related to exercise. Statistically significant improvements (P ≤ 0.05) were noted in exercise performance and in the number of days out of the past 30 d feeling healthy and full of energy (0.6 at baseline and 4.5 at end of intervention). CONCLUSIONS: Although larger and controlled studies are necessary, supervised resistance exercise was feasible and may benefit patients with persistent symptoms of Lyme disease.

An analytic review of studies on measuring effects of external QI in China.

Scientists have long been interested in measuring external qi (EQ or wai qi) during qigong healing, and have produced a large body of literature over the past 20 years. This paper reviews the major research on measuring EQ in China and tries to help other researchers to get a picture on what has been done so as to eliminate the simple replication of already verified results. Starting with the historical background of EQ studies in China, this paper analytically reviews the major studies of EQ effects from five different categories of detectors: 1) physical signal detectors; 2) chemical dynamics methods; 3) detectors using biological materials; 4) detectors using life sensors; and 5) detectors using the human body. The focus is on the pros and cons of each detector. These studies documented some important correlates of EQ process or qi healing, which cannot be explained by psychological effect or the known biological processes. Even though the extant literature suggests that intent plays a critical role in the effect or characteristics of EQ we know little about its role in EQ effect and its relationship with qigong healing from these experiments. These studies have confirmed the existence of measurable EQ effects from various perspectives; however, none has really revealed the primary nature of EQ or how EQ healing works. Given the fact that qigong therapy is based on the dialectic view of two interdependent spheres, while modern science and medicine is based on the reductionist view of one material world, it is recommended that future studies should use more biological or life-sensor detectors to increase our understanding of the healing potentials of qigong, instead of stay at the level of verification of signals. New methodologies, new theories, and new perspectives are urgently needed for further understanding what qigong is and how EQ healing works.

A case study of simultaneous recovery from multiple physical symptoms with medical qigong therapy.

BACKGROUND: It is well known that qigong practice is beneficial to human health, but it is less known, even in China, that qigong may also be an effective therapy to treat various diseases. This report documents the story of a 58-year-old Caucasian male patient with a series of chronic conditions, including high prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels (but not a confirmed cancer), atrial septal defect, asthma, allergies, multiple injuries following an automobile accident, high blood pressure, and edema in the legs. Can medical qigong help such a patient to cure multiple symptoms simultaneously? METHOD: The intensive qigong workshop involved the training and practice of gathering qi, magnifying qi energy and using it for self-healing with visualization and guided imaginary; plus supervised energetic fasting. The patient practiced qigong 4-plus hours per day during intensive training, and approximately 1 to 2 hours daily thereafter. About 10 sessions of external qi healing were performed by a qigong master for his pain and systematic adjustment. SETTINGS/LOCATION: The intensive medical qigong workshop took place in the World Institute for Self-Healing, Inc. (WISH) office at Middlesex, NJ; and the patient practiced qigong at home for the rest of time. RESULTS: After the workshop and qigong therapy, the patient discontinued all medications (8 in total) and lost 35 pounds; his blood pressure dropped from 220/110 with medication to 120/75 without medication (in 2 weeks); pulse rate dropped from 88 beats per minute resting to 68 beats per minute in the mornings and 55 bpm in the evening; the edema in his legs went away; symptoms of asthma or allergies disappeared; the PSA level dropped from 11 to 4 (normal), all without any medications. CONCLUSION: This kind of simultaneous recovery from multiple "incurable" conditions and other documented successes cannot be explained by any known medical theories, and call for formal clinical trials to closely examine the qigong self-healing therapy.