ABSTRACT
ObjectiveTo compare the efficacy and safety of acupuncture combined with auricular acupoints patches and nicotine transdermal patch in treating moderate to severe nicotine dependence. MethodsIn a rando-mized controlled trial， 64 quit smoking voluntary subjects with moderate to severe nicotine dependence were randomly divided at a ratio of 1∶1 into a treatment group and a control group， with 32 cases in each group. The treatment group was given acupuncture combined with auricular acupoints patches， twice weekly， four weeks as a course for two courses. The control group was given nicotine transdermal patch， one patch per day for 24 hours， 8 weeks. The cure rate was assessed after treatment and at follow-up （the 16th week after treatment）.The daily smoking volume， exhaled carbon monoxide （CO） value， Nicotine Dependence Scale （FTND）， Minnesota Nicotine Withdrawal Symptoms Scale （MNWS）， and Pittsburgh Sleepiness Index Inventory （PSQI） were evaluated before and after treatment and at follow-up， and adverse effects were recorded. ResultsIn terms of the cure rate， there were both six cured cases （20%） after treatment and at follow-up in the treatment group， while in the control group， seven （23.3%） and five （16.7%） patients were cured after treatment and at follow-up， respectively， with no statistically significant differences between the two groups both after treatment and at follow-up （P＞0.05）. The daily smoking volume and exhaled CO value significantly decreased after treatment and at follow-up in both groups （P＜0.05）， but were not significantly different between the groups after treatment and at follow-up （P＞0.05）. After treatment and at follow-up， FTND， MNWS， and PSQI scores were significantly reduced in both groups compared with those before treatment （P＜0.05）. There was no statistically significant difference in the FTND scale scores between the two groups after treatment and at follow-up （P＞0.05）， while the MNWS and PSQI scale scores were lower in the treatment group than in the control group （P＜0.05）. ConclusionAcupuncture combined with auricular acupoint patches for moderate to severe nicotine dependence has comparable effect with the first-line drug nicotine patch in terms of increasing the cure rate and decreasing the degree of nicotine dependence， and is superior to nicotine patch in terms of relieving withdrawal symptoms and improving sleep， with stable long-term effect.
ABSTRACT
This study was aimed to investigate the efficacy ofTong-Bu San-Sheng(TBSS) Decoction to reduce the toxicity and side effects of chemotherapy, as well as prolong progression-free survival (PFS) for advanced lung squamous carcinoma patients who received chemotherapy. A total of 83 lung squamous carcinoma cases were divided into two groups by patients’ wishes. The control group contained 41 cases were treated by the chemotherapy of gemcitabine plus cisplatin (GP). The trial group contained 42 cases were treated by chemotherapy plus Chinese herbal medicine TBSS decoction. The toxicity and side effects of chemotherapy, as well as short-term outcome were evaluated. PFS of patient was recorded. The results showed that there were no differences on granulocytopenia (P = 0.115) or short-term outcome (P = 0.081) for patients of both groups after chemotherapy. The percentages of nausea, vomiting and thrombocytopenia in the trial group were lower than that in the control group (P = 0.037,P = 0.040). The PFS of patients in the trail group were prolonged compared to patients in the control group (4.31 ± 0.24 VS 3.78 ± 0.16 month;P = 0.043). It was concluded that Chinese herbal medicine TBSS decoction cannot reduce granulocytopenia caused by chemotherapy, or improve the tumor response rate (RR) of short-term outcome. However, it can prolong PFS, relieve nausea, vomiting and thrombocytopenia during chemotherapy.
ABSTRACT
10.3969/j.issn.1008-9691.2013.03.009