Development of a method for analysis and risk assessment of residual pesticides in ginseng using liquid and gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

In this study, we developed a method for detecting 335 pesticides in ginseng using liquid chromatography quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and gas chromatography quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS). Additionally, the linearity, sensitivity, selectivity, accuracy, and precision of the method was validated. The limits of detection (LOD) and limits of quantification (LOQ) for the instrument used in these experiments was 0.1-5.8 µg/kg and 0.3-17.5 µg/kg, respectively. The average recovery was 71.6-113.4%. From 2016 to 2019, 467 ginseng samples were analyzed, of which 304 samples detected pesticide residues, but most of them were below the standard. It can be observed that the hazard quotient (HQ) of ginseng for detected pesticides was less than 1, thus implying that the risk was low. Hence, in this study, we developed a specific, reliable, and suitable method for a fast and simultaneous analysis of 335 pesticides in ginseng.

Cancer Statistics in Korea: Incidence, Mortality, Survival, and Prevalence in 2020 / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

Purpose@#The current study provides national cancer statistics and their secular trends in Korea, including incidence, mortality, survival, and prevalence in 2020. @*Materials and Methods@#Incidence, survival, and prevalence rates of cancer were calculated using the Korea National Cancer Incidence Database, from 1999 to 2020, with survival follow-up until December 31, 2021. Deaths from cancer were assessed using causes-of-death data obtained from Statistics Korea. @*Results@#The number of new cancer diagnoses in 2020 decreased by 9,218 cases (3.6%) compared to 2019. In 2020, newly diagnosed cancer cases and deaths from cancer were reported as 247,952 (age-standardized rate [ASR], 262.2 per 100,000) and 82,204 (ASR, 69.9 per 100,000), respectively. The overall cancer incidence rates increased by 3.3% annually from 1999 to 2012, and decreased by 5.0% annually from 2012 to 2015, thereafter, followed by nonsignificant changes. Cancer mortality rates have been decreasing since 2002, with more rapid decline in recent years. The 5-year relative survival between 2016 and 2020 was 71.5%, which contributed to prevalent cases reaching over 2.2 million in 2020. @*Conclusion@#In 2020, the number of newly diagnosed cancer patients decreased due to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, but the overall trend is on the rise. Cancer survival rates have improved over the past decades. As the number of cancer survivors increases, a comprehensive cancer control strategy should be implemented in line with the changing aspects of cancer statistics. The long-term impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on cancer statistics needs to be investigated in the future.

Sleep-potentiating Effects of Passiflora incarnata and ‘Heukharang’, a Novel Korean Lactuca sativa, on Pentobarbital-induced Sleep in Mice

Sleep deprivation or insomnia is one of the most common but neglected health conditions, with serious long-term consequences. In addition, insomnia is linked to poor work performance, impaired memory, and lack of concentration. Improving sleep quality is a crucial aspect of health care. Hypnotic agents, such as benzodiazepines, antidepressants, and antihistamines, are often used to enhance sleep quality; however, these medications often result in tolerance and dependence, resulting in withdrawal syndrome upon discontinuation. In recent years, studies have focused on natural and herbal therapies as alternative sleep aids to overcome the adverse effects of available sleep medications. Plant extracts contain phytochemicals that exert anxiolytic and sedative properties. This includes Passiflora incarnata (FSD-PI) and Lactuca sativa L. (FSD-LS) which can induce sleep. Herein, we assessed the effects of natural products, FSD-PI and FSD-LS, as well as their synergistic effects on pentobarbital sleep-induced ICR mice. We observed that natural extracts did not cause any behavioral changes capable of negative effects in mice. Furthermore, sleep duration was prolonged in pentobarbital-treated mice administered with FSD-LS (100 mg/kg). Our data suggest that FSD-LS may be a safe and effective sleep promoter.

Application of liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry methods to 45 weight loss compounds in health functional food, food, and illegal drug.

In order to effectively and quickly monitor such illegal food and drugs, simultaneous screening and quantitative analysis for multiple compounds are needed. In this study, we established a method of identifying fragmentation ions of 45 compounds for weight loss using liquid chromatography and high-resolution mass spectrometry and developed a quantitation method through liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry. Note that, 656 samples selected as health functional food, food, and illegal drug were applied. The detection rate of banned weight loss compounds in health functional food, food, and illegal drug was showed as 19.2, 27.3, 40.7%, respectively. Among them, sibutramine, sennoside A and B, ephedrine were most frequently detected in 237 samples that contained weight loss compounds. The detection range about sibutramine was 0.03-159.3 mg/g, sennoside was 0.1-97.6 mg/g, and ephedrine was 0.1-587.7 mg/g in the detected 237 samples. In addition, the unknown compounds not included in our simultaneous analysis method in some samples were identified as furosemide and chlorpheniramine. High selectivity of high resolution mass spectrometry combined with these fragmentation pathways and tandem mass spectrometry methods can be successfully applied to screening and identifying 45 weight loss compounds for continuous blocking and supervision of illegally distributed health functional food, food, and illegal drug.

Engineered Protein-Iron Oxide Hybrid Biomaterial for MRI-traceable Drug Encapsulation.

Labeled protein-based biomaterials have become a popular for various biomedical applications such as tissue-engineered, therapeutic, or diagnostic scaffolds. Labeling of protein biomaterials, including with ultrasmall super-paramagnetic iron oxide (USPIO) nanoparticles, has enabled a wide variety of imaging techniques. These USPIO-based biomaterials are widely studied in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), thermotherapy, and magnetically-driven drug delivery which provide a method for direct and non-invasive monitoring of implants or drug delivery agents. Where most developments have been made using polymers or collagen hydrogels, shown here is the use of a rationally designed protein as the building block for a meso-scale fiber. While USPIOs have been chemically conjugated to antibodies, glycoproteins, and tissue-engineered scaffolds for targeting or improved biocompatibility and stability, these constructs have predominantly served as diagnostic agents and often involve harsh conditions for USPIO synthesis. Here, we present an engineered protein-iron oxide hybrid material comprised of an azide-functionalized coiled-coil protein with small molecule binding capacity conjugated via bioorthogonal azide-alkyne cycloaddition to an alkyne-bearing iron oxide templating peptide, CMms6, for USPIO biomineralization under mild conditions. The coiled-coil protein, dubbed Q, has been previously shown to form nanofibers and, upon small molecule binding, further assembles into mesofibers via encapsulation and aggregation. The resulting hybrid material is capable of doxorubicin encapsulation as well as sensitive T2*-weighted MRI darkening for strong imaging capability that is uniquely derived from a coiled-coil protein.

Metabolic Bone Diseases and New Drug Developments

Metabolic bone diseases are serious health issues worldwide, since several million individuals over the age of 50 are at risk of bone damage and should be worried about their bone health. One in every two women and one in every four men will break a bone during their lifetime due to a metabolic bone disease. Early detection, raising bone health awareness, and maintaining a balanced healthy diet may reduce the risk of skeletal fractures caused by metabolic bone diseases. This review compiles information on the most common metabolic bone diseases (osteoporosis, primary hyperparathyroidism, osteomalacia, and fluorosis disease) seen in the global population, including their symptoms, mechanisms, and causes, as well as discussing their prevention and the development of new drugs for treatment. A large amount of research literature suggests that balanced nutrition and balanced periodic supplementation of calcium, phosphate, and vitamin D can improve re-absorption and the regrowth of bones, and inhibit the formation of skeletal fractures, except in the case of hereditary bone diseases. Meanwhile, new and improved drug formulations, such as raloxifene, teriparatide, sclerostin, denosumab, and abaloparatide, have been successfully developed and administered as treatments for metabolic bone diseases, while others (romososumab and odanacatib) are in various stages of clinical trials.

Standardized Extract (HemoHIM) Ameliorated High Intensity Exercise Induced Fatigue in Mice

HemoHIM was used as a Korean traditional medicine for anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. However, there is no study on the effect of HemoHIM on fatigue. We examined the potential use of HemoHIM to determine whether it can induce anti-fatigue effects. Mice were administered with HemoHIM and VEH for 14 days. On the last day of treatment, mice were subjected to behavioral tests. Subsequently, their plasma and muscle were collected after the treadmill test to measure lactate, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), ammonia, corticosterone, glycogen, and creatine kinase (CK). We found that HemoHIM moderately increased the running time (s) in the treadmill and mobility duration in the cold swimming tests. In addition, the VEH group showed a significant increase in lactate, LDH, and corticosterone levels in the plasma compared to the group that did not perform the test. However, this was moderately reduced in HemoHIM treatment. Moreover, the HemoHIMtreated group showed significant differences in LDH and glycogen levels, and showed significantly different CK levels in the muscle. HemoHIM is considered to be effective in improving fatigue, given the duration of cold swimming or running time on a treadmill. Also, HemoHIM treatment resulted in reduced concentrations of blood and muscle parameter analysis.

Cancer Statistics in Korea: Incidence, Mortality, Survival, and Prevalence in 2019 / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

Purpose@#The current study provides national cancer statistics and their secular trends in Korea, including incidence, mortality, survival, and prevalence in 2019. @*Materials and Methods@#Incidence, survival, and prevalence rates of cancer were calculated using the Korea National Cancer Incidence Database, from 1999 to 2019, with survival follow-up until December 31, 2020. Deaths from cancer were assessed using causes-of-death data obtained from Statistics Korea. @*Results@#In 2019, newly diagnosed cancer cases and deaths from cancer were reported as 254,718 (ASR, 275.4 per 100,000) and 81,203 (ASR, 72.2 per 100,000), respectively. For the first time, lung cancer (n=29,960) became the most frequent cancer in Korea, excluding thyroid cancer. The overall cancer incidence rates increased by 3.3% annually from 1999 to 2012, and decreased by 5.3% annually from 2012 to 2015, thereafter, followed by nonsignificant changes. The incidence of thyroid cancer increased again from 2016 (annual percentage change, 6.2%). Cancer mortality rates have been decreasing since 2002, with more rapid decline in recent years (annual decrease of 2.7% from 2002 to 2013; 3.3% from 2013 to 2019). The 5-year relative survival between 2015 and 2019 was 70.7%, which contributed to prevalent cases reaching over 2 million in 2019. @*Conclusion@#Cancer survival rates have improved over the past decades, but the number of newly diagnosed cancers is still increasing, with some cancers showing only marginal improvement in survival outcomes. As the number of cancer survivors increases, a comprehensive cancer control strategy should be implemented in line with the changing aspects of cancer statistics.

Chemical Constituents from Aegle marmelos Fruits

Aegle marmelos (Rutaceae) is a deciduous shrub or tree and typically known as bael throughout Southeast Asia and has been used as a medicinal plant and a food ingredient. In this study eight compounds were determined to be O-(3,3-dimethylallyl) halfordinol (1), (R)-aegeline (2), (R)-marmeline (3), imperatorin (4), xanthotoxol (5), valencic acid (6), vanillic acid (7) and rutin (8). The chemical structures of the isolates were elucidated through spectroscopic evidence including 1D, 2D NMR, ESI-Q-TOF-MS and optical rotation.

Protection of palmitic acid treatment in RAW264.7 cells and BALB/c mice during Brucella abortus 544 infection

Background@#We previously elucidated the protective mechanism of Korean red ginseng oil (RGO) against Brucella abortus infection, and our phytochemical analysis revealed that palmitic acid (PA) was an abundant component of RGO. Consequently, we investigated the contribution of PA against B. abortus. @*Objectives@#We aimed to investigate the efficacy of PA against B. abortus. infection using a murine cell line and a murine model. @*Methods@#Cell viability, bactericidal, internalization, and intracellular replication, western blot, nitric oxide (NO), and superoxide (O2 - ) analyses and flow cytometry were performed to determine the effects of PA on the progression of B. abortus. infection in macrophages. Flow cytometry for cytokine analysis of serum samples and bacterial counts from the spleens were performed to determine the effect of PA in a mouse model. @*Results@#PA did not affect the growth of B. abortus.. PA treatment in macrophages did not change B. abortus. uptake but it did attenuate the intracellular survivability of B. abortus.. Incubation of cells with PA resulted in a modest increase in sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) expression.Compared to control cells, reduced nitrite accumulation, augmented O2 - , and enhanced pro-inflammatory cytokine production were observed in PA-treated B. abortus.-infected cells.Mice orally treated with PA displayed a decreased serum interleukin-10 level and enhanced bacterial resistance. @*Conclusions@#Our results suggest that PA participates in the control of B. abortus. within murine macrophages, and the in vivo study results confirm its efficacy against the infection. However, further investigations are encouraged to completely characterize the mechanisms involved in the inhibition of B. abortus. infection by fatty acids.

The Effect of Stress on Internet Game Addiction Trends in Adults: Mindfulness and Conscientiousness as Mediators

Objective@#This study examined the mediating effect of mindfulness and consciousness among five factors on the effect of stress on Internet game addiction tendency. @*Methods@#An online survey was conducted on 400 men and women between their 20s and 40s across Korea. The scales used in the study were the Internet game addiction scale based on the DSM-5, Perceived Stress Scale, Mindfulness Scale, and Five-Factor Personality Scale. For data analysis, structural equation modeling was conducted, and Sobel verification was carried out to verify the significance of the mediating effects. @*Results@#The results of the study are as follows: Stress showed a positive correlation with Internet game addiction tendency, mindfulness mediated the effect of stress on Internet game addiction tendency. @*Conclusion@#Of the five personality factors, conscientiousness also mediated the effect of stress on Internet game addiction tendency. This study highlights the need for further research for individuals with game addiction tendency.

Protection of palmitic acid treatment in RAW264.7 cells and BALB/c mice during Brucella abortus 544 infection

Background@#We previously elucidated the protective mechanism of Korean red ginseng oil (RGO) against Brucella abortus infection, and our phytochemical analysis revealed that palmitic acid (PA) was an abundant component of RGO. Consequently, we investigated the contribution of PA against B. abortus. @*Objectives@#We aimed to investigate the efficacy of PA against B. abortus. infection using a murine cell line and a murine model. @*Methods@#Cell viability, bactericidal, internalization, and intracellular replication, western blot, nitric oxide (NO), and superoxide (O2 - ) analyses and flow cytometry were performed to determine the effects of PA on the progression of B. abortus. infection in macrophages. Flow cytometry for cytokine analysis of serum samples and bacterial counts from the spleens were performed to determine the effect of PA in a mouse model. @*Results@#PA did not affect the growth of B. abortus.. PA treatment in macrophages did not change B. abortus. uptake but it did attenuate the intracellular survivability of B. abortus.. Incubation of cells with PA resulted in a modest increase in sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) expression.Compared to control cells, reduced nitrite accumulation, augmented O2 - , and enhanced pro-inflammatory cytokine production were observed in PA-treated B. abortus.-infected cells.Mice orally treated with PA displayed a decreased serum interleukin-10 level and enhanced bacterial resistance. @*Conclusions@#Our results suggest that PA participates in the control of B. abortus. within murine macrophages, and the in vivo study results confirm its efficacy against the infection. However, further investigations are encouraged to completely characterize the mechanisms involved in the inhibition of B. abortus. infection by fatty acids.

The Effect of Stress on Internet Game Addiction Trends in Adults: Mindfulness and Conscientiousness as Mediators

Objective@#This study examined the mediating effect of mindfulness and consciousness among five factors on the effect of stress on Internet game addiction tendency. @*Methods@#An online survey was conducted on 400 men and women between their 20s and 40s across Korea. The scales used in the study were the Internet game addiction scale based on the DSM-5, Perceived Stress Scale, Mindfulness Scale, and Five-Factor Personality Scale. For data analysis, structural equation modeling was conducted, and Sobel verification was carried out to verify the significance of the mediating effects. @*Results@#The results of the study are as follows: Stress showed a positive correlation with Internet game addiction tendency, mindfulness mediated the effect of stress on Internet game addiction tendency. @*Conclusion@#Of the five personality factors, conscientiousness also mediated the effect of stress on Internet game addiction tendency. This study highlights the need for further research for individuals with game addiction tendency.

Surgical Treatment for a Broken Acupuncture Needle in the Retroperitoneal Space: A Case Report / 대한신경손상학회지

Acupuncture is a well-known traditional medical procedure in Korea and is being increasingly used to treat various conditions including pain control, especially among the older generation. However, several problems related to acupuncture have been reported. A 27-year-old woman expressed that she had back pain occurring despite her posture. She received acupuncture therapy 2 months prior. We discovered a needle-shaped foreign material near the T12 vertebra body in the retroperitoneum. We extracted 2 pieces of deteriorated broken needles by laparoscopy. Postoperatively, the woman was discharged within 5 days with no complications.We report a patient that received laparoscopy with a full recovery after having severe back pain caused by a broken needle which was stuck in the retroperitoneum.

The Effect of Vitamin D on the Glycemic Control in Patients with Diabetes: From the Fifth (2010-2012) Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Purpose@#This study used raw data from the fifth (2010-2012) Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) to assess the relationship between vitamin D level and glycemic control of diabetes, and to provide basic data about the use of vitamin D for preparation of a treatment plan for diabetes in South Korea. @*Methods@#For this study, data of 1,713 diabetes from KNHANES (2010-2012) were used. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS 18.0 program, and complex sample frequency analysis, descriptive statistics, complex sample cross analysis, complex sample general linear regression, and complex sample logistic regression analysis were performed. @*Results@#It was found that the poor glycemic control group among the diabetes subjects had significantly lower level of blood vitamin D than the good glycemic control group. Factors affecting glycemic control included drinking, vitamin D levels, hypertriglyceridemia, duration of diabetes, and treatment of diabetes. Also, diabetics with vitamin D deficiency or shortage showed 3.55- and 2.61-times higher odds ratios, respectively, to be diagnosed as the poor glycemic control group than diabetics without vitamin D deficiency or shortage. @*Conclusion@#This study is significant because it provides rationale and basic data about the use of vitamin D for preparation of a treatment plan for diabetes in South Korea by assessing the dependence of glycemic control on the vitamin D level of diabetics. Additionally, future studies are necessary to determine the appropriate concentration of vitamin D for diabetes prevention and treatment to prevent the side effects of excessive supplementation.

HL301 in the treatment of acute bronchitis: a phase 2b, randomized, double-blind, placebocontrolled, multicenter study

There is insufficient quality data to recommend the use of herbs for the treatment of acute bronchitis. Small number of randomized trials of plant extracts for this purpose were determined to be low quality and there are concerns for the safety. HL301 is a combined product of seven medicinal plants. In the present study, we tried to evaluate the efficacy and safety of HL301 for the treatment of acute bronchitis with a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial design. Methods: A total of 166 patients with acute bronchitis were randomized to receive placebo or HL301 (600 mg/day) for 7 days. The primary endpoint was change in bronchitis severity score (BSS) from baseline visit (visit 2) to the end of treatment (visit 3). Other efficacy variables were the change of each component of the BSS (cough, sputum, dyspnea, chest pain, and crackle) with treatment, response rate, improvement rate, satisfaction rate and number of rescue medications taken. Results: Changes in the BSS from visit 2 to visit 3 were higher in the HL301 group than in the placebo group both in the full analysis set (4.57 ± 1.82 vs. 3.15 ± 3.08, p < 0.01) and in the per protocol set (4.62 ± 1.81 vs. 3.30 ± 3.03, p < 0.01). Four BSS components (cough, sputum, dyspnea, and chest pain) improved more with HL301 treatment than with placebo treatment. Participants treated with HL301 showed higher response, improvement, and satisfaction rates and less use of rescue medication than the placebo group. Conclusions: HL301 (600 mg/day) was effective and safe for symptomatic treatment of acute bronchitis.

Relationships between Self-Esteem, Emotional Intelligence, and Mindfulness of Employees in Large Corporations / 한국직업건강간호학회지

Purpose@#This study aimed to identify influencing factors on the stress of employees in large corporations by examining relationships between self-esteem, emotional intelligence, and mindfulness. @*Methods@#A hundred and sixty four employees from large corporations completed self-reporting questionnaires during November and December, 2019. The collected data were analyzed with SPSS/WIN 22.0 using descriptive statistics, the t-test, ANOVA, correlation, and multiple regression analysis. @*Results@#The scores were 2.96±0.40 for “self-esteem”, 3.56±0.61 for “emotional intelligence”, 4.01±0.04 for “mindfulness”, and 2.21±0.79 for “stress response”. A regression analysis identifying factors affecting the stress response of employees in large corporations showed that “mindfulness” was the most significant factor (β=-.58, p<.001), followed by “emotional intelligence” (β=-.21, p=.005) and “self-esteem” (β=-.16, p=.009). The explanatory power of these variables for the stress response of employees in large corporations was 48%. @*Conclusion@#Our findings suggest that self-esteem, emotional intelligence, and mindfulness are significantly related to employees’ stress response in large corporations. Therefore, stress response management programs should be developed to improve self-esteem, emotional intelligence, and mindfulness.

Sasa quelpaertensis Nakai ethyl acetate fraction protects the liver against chronic alcohol-induced liver injury and fat accumulation in mice

Sasa (S.) quelpaertensis Nakai (Korean name, Jeju-Joritdae), which has anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory activities, is a type of bamboo grass distributed widely in Jeju Island, Korea. S. quelpaertensis leaves are used for therapeutic purposes in traditional Korean medicine. This study examined the hepatoprotective effects of the S. quelpaertensis ethyl acetate fraction (SQEA) in a mouse model to mimic alcoholic liver damage. The mice were administered orally with 30% alcohol (5 g/kg) once per day with or without SQEA treatments (100 and 200 mg/kg) for 14 days consecutively. Alcohol consumption increased the serum alcohol content and histopathological changes but reduced the liver weight. Moreover, the livers of the alcohol group exhibited the accumulation of malondialdehyde and cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1), and lipid droplet coating protein perilipin-2. On the other hand, SQEA dosedependently attenuated the alcohol-induced serum ethanol content and liver histopathological changes but increased the liver weight.Moreover, SQEA attenuated the level of CYP2E1 and inhibited alcohol-induced lipogenesis in the liver via decreased perilipin-2 expression. These results suggest that SQEA can provide a potent way to reduce the liver damage caused by alcohol consumption.

Sasa quelpaertensis Nakai ethyl acetate fraction protects the liver against chronic alcohol-induced liver injury and fat accumulation in mice

Sasa (S.) quelpaertensis Nakai (Korean name, Jeju-Joritdae), which has anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory activities, is a type of bamboo grass distributed widely in Jeju Island, Korea. S. quelpaertensis leaves are used for therapeutic purposes in traditional Korean medicine. This study examined the hepatoprotective effects of the S. quelpaertensis ethyl acetate fraction (SQEA) in a mouse model to mimic alcoholic liver damage. The mice were administered orally with 30% alcohol (5 g/kg) once per day with or without SQEA treatments (100 and 200 mg/kg) for 14 days consecutively. Alcohol consumption increased the serum alcohol content and histopathological changes but reduced the liver weight. Moreover, the livers of the alcohol group exhibited the accumulation of malondialdehyde and cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1), and lipid droplet coating protein perilipin-2. On the other hand, SQEA dosedependently attenuated the alcohol-induced serum ethanol content and liver histopathological changes but increased the liver weight.Moreover, SQEA attenuated the level of CYP2E1 and inhibited alcohol-induced lipogenesis in the liver via decreased perilipin-2 expression. These results suggest that SQEA can provide a potent way to reduce the liver damage caused by alcohol consumption.

Older people's use of non-pharmacological interventions for chronic, non-cancer pain and comfort.

BACKGROUND: Many older people experience chronic pain, so increased comfort and pain relief are important for older residents in assisted and/or supported-living environments. While several studies have found that people using non-pharmacological interventions without taking pain medication experienced significant differences in pain, the effect of non-pharmacological interventions on comfort and chronic pain in older people has not been studied. AIM: To assess differences in comfort and pain among older people in assisted and supported-living facilities who had chronic, non-cancer pain and who used or did not use non-pharmacological interventions. METHOD: A descriptive, comparative, cross-sectional pilot study with a convenience sample of 82 participants from 11 assisted and supported-living facilities. Three questionnaires were used to obtain data on the independent variable of use/non-use of non-pharmacological interventions and the dependent variables of perceived comfort and pain. Multivariate analyses of variance were computed to measure differences between the use/non-use groups, and Roy-Bargmann stepdown analyses were computed to further subdivide and analyse the groups who were using and not using pain medication. RESULTS: No significant differences were found in chronic pain and perceived comfort between participants who did or did not use non-pharmacological interventions if they were not also taking pain medication. However, when participants were also taking pain medication, chronic pain and perceived comfort scores were significantly affected by the use of non-pharmacological interventions. The most common non-pharmacological interventions were exercise, heat therapy, spiritual activity/religion and listening to music. CONCLUSION: Older people using non-pharmacological interventions and taking pain medication had higher perceived comfort scores and lower pain scores than those using pain medication only. Relationships between non-pharmacological interventions and comfort should be explored further. With minor changes, this pilot study design could be used with a larger sample.