Walnut-shell moxibustion for dry eye symptoms: a randomized controlled trial / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the effects of walnut-shell moxibusiton on dry eye symptoms.@*METHODS@#A total of 67 patients with dry eye symptoms were randomized into a walnut moxibustion group and a sodium hyaluronate eye drops group.@*METHODS@#In the walnut moxibustion group, the walnut moxibustion was used, once every two days, 3 times a week, for 4 weeks totally. In the sodium hyaluronate eye drops group, sodium hyaluronate eye drops were selected, 4 times a day, one drop instilled in each eye each time, for 4 weeks totally. At the baseline (before treatment) and in 4 weeks of treatment, the score of the ocular surface disease index (OSDI), the score of visual analogous scale (VAS) for eye symptoms, the tear film break-up time (BUT), the cornea fluorescent pigmentation (FL) and SchirmerⅠ(SchⅠ) were evaluated. In 1-month follow-up after treatment termination, the changes of OSDI and VAS scores were evaluated in the two groups.@*RESULTS@#In 4 weeks of treatment and the follow-up, OSDI scores were reduced as compared with those before treatment in the two groups (0.05). In 4 weeks of treatment and the follow-up, VAS scores were reduced as compared with those before treatment in the two groups (all 0.05). The differences were not significant in the above indexes between the two groups (all >0.05). There was no obvious adverse reaction in the two groups.@*CONCLUSION@#The walnut-shell moxibustion is available likely for the subjective symptoms in the patients with dry eye syndrome and contributes to the tear film stabilization. The therapeutic effects need to be further evaluated with the adequate sample size in the randomized controlled trial.

Clinical study on electrical plum-blossom needle for treatment of amblyopia in children / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To comparatively study the clinical effect of electrical plum-blossom needle on ametropic amblyopia and anisometropic amblyopia.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixty children (107 eyes) with ametropic amblyopia or anisometropic amblyopia were randomly assigned to two groups at their first visit on the basis of optometry. They had never received any treatment before. Patients in one group were treated with electrical plum-blossom needle (as the treatment group) and those in the other group were treated with physical comprehensive therapy (as the control group). The 1-month clinical effect was observed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The 1-month total effective rate was 79.6% (43/54) in the treatment group and 58.5% (31/53) in the control group. Statistical significance was shown in clinical effect after statistical management. The electrical plum-blossom needle showed better effect than the comprehensive therapy.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The electrical plum-blossom needle for treatment of amblyopia in children could initiate faster with good compliance. Its short-term effect was definite with no side effect.</p>

Basic characteristics and functional outcomes of 3123 consecutive patients in Chengdu stroke registry / 中华神经科杂志

Objective To analyze basic data and outcomes in Chengdu Stroke Registry.Methods The stroke patients consecutively admitted to Department of Neurology,West China Hospital,Sichuan University since March 1,2002 were prospectively registered.The baseline demographic,risk factors,treatment,and outcome data was recorded with standardized stroke register form by trained specialists.The patients were followed up at seven days,one,three,six months and one year after onset of the stroke for death and disability.Results A total of 3123 consecutive patients were registered between March 1,2002 and August 31,2006,of which 65.5％ came from urban areas and 34.5％ from rural areas.The age was (63.05 ± 17.98) years old and male accounted for 60.3％.Ninety-seven percent (3028/3123) of patients completed CT or MRI scanning during hospitalization.A total of 1804 patients were included between March 2002 and September 2004,of which ischemic stroke accounted for 62.1％ (1120/1804),intracranial hemorrhage 28.4％ (513/1804),subarachnoid hemorrhage 4.0％ (72/1804) and TIA 5.5％ (99/1804).The median NIHSS score on admission was 8(3-15) points in patients with cerebral hemorrhage,and 5(2-10) points in patients with ischemic stroke.Compared with the patients with intracranial hemorrhage,patients with ischemic stroke more frequently had a history of diabetes (OR =2.427,95％ CI 1.811- 3.253,P=0.000),atrial fibrillation (OR=6.121,95％ CI3.535-10.60,P=0.000),coronary heart disease (OR=4.144,95％ CI 2.944-5.832,P =0.000) and TIA (OR=4.342,95％ CI 1.726-10.92,P =0.001 ),and less alcohol consumption ( OR =0.740,95％ CI 0.611-0.896,P =0.002 ).The proportion of in-hospital treatments were thrombolysis 0.9％,anti-platelet therapy 83.0％,mannitol 23.5％,neuroprotective agents (citicoline) 68.1％,and Chinese herbal medicine 89.7％.Case fatality rate was 10.7％ and 13.9％ respectively at 7 days and one month for patients with intracranial hemorrhage,3.0％ and 5.2％ respectively for ischemic stroke.Death or disability was 40.4％,40.3％ and 38.9％ in patients with intracranial hemorrhage and 37.1％,35.0％ and 33.4％ for ischemic stroke at the end of 3,6,12 months respectively.Conclusions Our stroke registry is featured with the largest sample,and the longest period of consecutively registration.It provides an important platform for clinical investigation of stroke.Our study suggested case fatality and disability is lower in this group than in other ethics.Above features should be considered in design of future clinical trials in China.

Effect of qiming granule on retinal blood circulation of diabetic retinopathy: a multicenter clinical trial / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To objectively assess the effect of Qiming Granule in the treatment of diabetic retinopathy (DR) by fluorescence fundus angiography (FFA).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>In a multi-center, randomized, parallel controlled clinical trial, patients with DR were randomly assigned to the control group (calcium dobesilate capsule) and the test group (Qiming Granule). Changes in the retinal blood circulation time were recorded by FFA after 3 months of medication.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Significant reduction was observed in the retinal arterio-venous circulation time (AVCT) in both groups (P<0.01), the value was 7.635+/-3.149 s before treatment and 5.165 +/-3.382 s after treatment in the treated group, and 7.737+/-3.413 s and 5.313+/-3.472 s in the control group respectively. Qiming Granule also reduced the arm-to-retinal circulation time (ARCT, P<0.05). The value was 17.867+/-3.872 s before treatment and 15.643+/-4.648 s after treatment in the treated group, and 17.217+/-3.833 s and 16.312+/-3.613 s in the control group (P>0.05) respectively. The ARCT in the tested group was reduced, with a statistically significant difference post-medication (P<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>As a Chinese medicine complex prescription, Qiming Granule may alleviate retinal hypoxia and ischemia by increasing retinal blood flow and improving the blood circulation.</p>