Online-merge-offline (OMO)-based music therapy for asthmatic children during the COVID-19 pandemic in China.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate online-merge-offline (OMO)-based music therapy (MT) as a complementary option for asthma management in pediatric patients. A total of 86 children diagnosed with mild asthma were enrolled and treated with the same drug therapy. They were assigned into three groups: Music I group (standard medical care plus a single individualized MT session along with singing training and breathing exercise), Music II group (similar as Music I as well as further wind instrument playing), and Control group (standard medical care). Primary endpoints included pulmonary function tests FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC, MMEF 75/25, and PEF, c-ACT, PAQLQ, and PACQLQ. After 6 months of continuous intervention of MT, significant differences in FEV1, FVC, MMEF75/25, PEF, c-ACT score, PAQLQ, PACQLQ (p < 0.001), and FEV1/FVC (p < 0.05) were observed among Music I, Music II, and Control groups. Besides, FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC, MMEF75/25, and PEF showed positive trends in Music I and Music II groups compared to those in Control group (p < 0.05). The c-ACT score of children was significantly increased in Music I (p < 0.001) and II (p < 0.001) groups in contrast with Control group. Children in Music I and II groups had better quality of life than those in Control group (PAQLQ, p < 0.001), and the parents in Music I and II groups also showed better quality of life than those in Control group (PACQLQ, p < 0.001).     Conclusion: As a child-friendly, low-risk, and convenient intervention, the OMO-based MT has a positive impact on pediatric asthma management during the COVID-19 pandemic. What is Known: • A few findings proved the positive effect of MT on pediatric asthma. What is New: • Our study further proving the validation and effectiveness of MT with OMO-based model on pediatric asthma, wind instrument playing has a greater impact on pediatric asthma control via small airways and might be recommended to mix to singing and breathing to improve effectiveness of MT for asthmatic children.

Music Therapy in Pediatric Asthma: A Short Review.

Music therapy (MT) is a common modality that performs a complementary and integrative role along with standard treatments for many pediatric diseases. This article briefly reviewed the effects of MT on children aged 5-11 years old and adolescents with asthma from previous studies, specified its functional target towards asthma symptoms, and sorted out the design and investigation of selected research. Medline/PubMed, Embase, SportDis-cus, Cochrane Library, Teacher Reference Centre, Web of Science, Academic Search Complete, PsycARTICLES, and Scopus were queried for experimental and observational studies published between 1990 and 2021. Then, researchers showed that MT lessened patients' asthma symptoms, improved medication compliance, pulmonary function, and quality of life, and helped children and their parents manage anxiety and depression. This article may serve as a reference for clinical research for pediatric asthma therapies and lay the foundation for future research on MT and its clinical practice.

Danger of injudicious use of tui-na therapy in ankylosing spondylitis.

Tui-na is a very important component of Chinese medicine. It is a well-respected treatment modality known to be helpful and safe for a wide range of conditions. It can be considered as a certain kind of massage which is performed at acupoints, meridians, and collaterals by pushing, finger twisting, grasping thumb waving pressing, patting, palm twisting, and other manipulation techniques. At present, it is extensively used for relieving pain and stiffness associated with ankylosing spondylitis in China, even though there is a lack of evidence to support its validation and feasibility. The patient in this case was treated by tui-na massage at acute flare-up of ankylosing spondylitis and ended up with catastrophic results.

Effects and mechanism of arsenic trioxide on reversing the asthma pathologies including Th17-IL-17 axis in a mouse model.

In traditional Chinese medicine, arsenous compounds, including arsenic trioxide (ATO), are often used to treat many diseases, which are safe and effective. Recently, studies have indicated that Th17- IL-17 involved in the pathogenesis and development of asthma. The goal of this study was to investigate the effect and mechanism of ATO on asthma, especially the Th17- IL-17 axis.We used oval bumin (OVA)-immunized mice as a model for asthma and treated mice with ATO or dexamethasone. The mice were then monitored airway responsiveness, airway inflammation, mucus production, IL-17 levels in BALF and the positive rate of Th17 cells. In vitro, CD4+ T cells from splenic cell suspensions were separated and purified. We measured the expression of IL-17 and caspase-12 protein in purified CD4+ T cells, and detected IL-17 levels in CD4+ T lymphocyte culture solution with or without ATO. Moreover, apoptosis, mitochondrial membrane potential, cytosolic calcium were analyzed. We found that ATO could reduce airway responsiveness, airway inflammation, mucus hyperplasia, the expression of IL-17 in BALF and the positive rate of Th17 cells at a level comparable to treatment with DXM. In vitro data suggested that ATO can induce CD4+ T cells apoptosis, cause mitochondrial dysfunction, Ca2+ overload and promote caspase-12 activation. Our study suggested that ATO had potential medical value for the treatment of human asthma..