Consensus on the integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine criteria of diagnostic classification in polycystic ovary syndrome (draft) / 中西医结合学报

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine and metabolic disorder of women, with complex pathogenesis and heterogeneous manifestations. Professor Jin Yu recently wrote an article entitled "Proposal of Diagnosis and Diagnostic Classification of PCOS in Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine."From this, the Obstetrics and Gynecology branches of the Chinese Association of Integrative Medicine and the China Association of Chinese Medicine collaborated with the Gynecology branch of the Chinese Association for Research and Advancement of Chinese Medicine to draft a report on the consensus of criteria for the diagnosis and classification of PCOS in integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine. The diagnosis for PCOS includes all three features: (1) oligo-ovulation or anovulation; (2) clinical and/or laboratory evidence of hyperandrogenism;(3) PCOS is classified into four types: types Ia,Ib, IIa, and IIb. Syndrome differentiation types for PCOS in traditional Chinese medicine are as follows: Kidney deficiency with phlegm blockage syndrome, Kidney Yin deficiency with phlegm blockage and blood stasis syndrome, and Kidney deficiency with Liver Qi stagnation syndrome.

Wrist-ankle acupuncture and ginger moxibustion for preventing gastrointestinal reactions to chemotherapy: A randomized controlled trial / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the effects of wrist-ankle acupuncture combined with ginger moxibustion against gastrointestinal tract reactions (nausea, vomiting, and constipation) to chemotherapy in cancer patients.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 60 patients with gynecological tumors treated by chemotherapy were randomly divided into two groups. The treatment group (30 cases) underwent wrist-ankle acupuncture and ginger moxibustion, whereas tropisetron hydrochloride and dexamethasone were intravenously administered to the control group (30 cases) during chemotherapy.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The frequency of nausea in the treatment group was significantly less than that of the control group from the 2nd to the 5th day of chemotherapy (P<0.01). The anti-emetic effect in the treatment group was significantly better than that in the control group on the 3rd day of therapy (P<0.05). The incidence rate of constipation was significantly lower in the treatment group than that in the control group (P<0.01). Furthermore, the cost of therapy for the treatment group was significantly lower than that of the control group (P<0.01). Only 1 patient manifested a post-acupuncture side effect in the form of subcutaneous blood stasis.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Wrist-ankle acupuncture combined with ginger moxibustion could prevent gastrointestinal tract reactions to chemotherapy in cancer patients. In addition, the proposed method had fewer side effects, lower cost, and less risk.</p>

Prognostic analysis of transarterial chemoembolization combined with a traditional Chinese herbal medicine formula for treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is the most widely used primary treatment for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) due to its survival benefit, though its clinical effect is still far from satisfactory. Jiedufang (JDF) granule preparation is a commonly used Chinese herbal medicine formula for HCC. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of combined therapy with TACE and JDF granule preparation in treatment of unresectable HCC on survival.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A retrospective study of TACE was performed in 165 patients with unresectable HCC who were admitted between January 2002 and December 2007 in Changhai Hospital, Shanghai, China. Of the 165 patients, 80 patients (study group) received combined therapy consisting of TACE and a long-term maintenance treatment with oral JDF granule preparation, and the remaining 85 patients (control group) received TACE alone. The survival rates of both groups were calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method. Factors possibly affecting survival were assessed by multivariate analysis in the Cox proportional hazard model, such as maximum tumor size, number of lesions, portal vein invasion, and etc.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The median overall survival was 9.2 months (95% CI: 6.94 - 11.46) in the study group versus 5.87 months (95% CI: 4.21 - 7.52) in the control group. In the study group,survival rates of the 1-, 2- and 3-year follow-up were 41.2%, 18.4%, and 9.6%, respectively. Significant independent prognostic factors identified by the Cox regression analysis were as follows: serum hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) (P = 0.014), maximum tumor size (P = 0.027), number of lesions (P < 0.001), portal vein invasion (P < 0.001), and the therapy model (P = 0.006).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Combination therapy of TACE and JDF granule preparation may significantly prolong survival of patients with unresectable HCC.</p>

Clinical study on effect of Bushen Huayu Qutan Recipe in treating polycystic ovarian syndrome / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the therapeutic effect and the possible mechanism of Bushen Huayu Qutan Recipe (BHQR, a Chinese recipe formulated according to the therapeutic principle of nourishing Shen, resolving stasis and dispelling phlegm) on polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>BHQR was used, both internally and externally, to treat 46 patients with PCOS, and combined with diformin if necessary. Six successive months treatment was regarded as one course. The clinical symptoms and signs, including obesity, polytrichia, acne and acanthosis, were observed and scored before and after treatment; and serum levels of hormones and insulin were measured as well.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After treatment, the scores of symptoms and signs of patients were significantly lowered (P<0.05 for obesity and P <0.01 for others), significant lowering was also found in serum level of testosterone (P<0.05), fasting serum insulin (P<0.01) and the values of insulin and insulin area under curve (P<0.05) 30 min and 60 min after glucose load.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>BHQR could not only significantly relieve the symptoms and signs of patients with PCOS, but also regulate well the ovarian function.</p>