Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2015
Deqi, according to traditional Chinese medicine, is a specific needle sensation during the retent... more Deqi, according to traditional Chinese medicine, is a specific needle sensation during the retention of needles at certain acupoints and is considered to be necessary to produce therapeutic effects from acupuncture. Although some modern researches have showed that Deqi is essential for producing acupuncture analgesia and anesthesia, the data are not enough. It is a paper of a multicenter, randomized controlled study protocol, to evaluate the influences of Deqi on acupuncture SP6 in Cold and Dampness Stagnation pattern primary dysmenorrhea patients, in terms of reducing pain and anxiety, and to find out the relationship between Deqi and the temperature changes at SP6 (Sanyinjiao) and CV4 (Guanyuan). The results of this trial will be helpful to explain the role of Deqi in acupuncture analgesia and may provide a new objective index for measuring Deqi in the future study. This trial is registered with ChiCTR-TRC-13003086.
Background: This overview summarizes the best available systematic review (SR) evidence on the he... more Background: This overview summarizes the best available systematic review (SR) evidence on the health effects of Tai Chi. Methods: Nine databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Medline, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese Scientific Journal Database (VIP), Sino-Med, and Wanfang Database) were searched for SRs of controlled clinical trials of Tai Chi interventions published between Jan 2010 and Dec 2020 in any language. Effect estimates were extracted from the most recent, comprehensive, highest-quality SR for each population, condition, and outcome. SR quality was appraised with AMSTAR 2 and overall certainty of effect estimates with the GRADE method. Results: Of the 210 included SRs, 193 only included randomized controlled trials, one only included non-randomized studies of interventions, and 16 included both. Common conditions were neurological (18.6%), falls/balance (14.7%), cardiovascular (14.7%), musculoskeletal (11.0%), cancer (7.1%), and diabetes mellitus (6.7%). Except for stroke, no evidence for disease prevention was found; however, multiple proxy-outcomes/risks factors were evaluated. One hundred and fourteen effect estimates were extracted from 37 SRs (2 high, 6 moderate, 18 low, and 11 critically low quality), representing 59,306 adults. Compared to active and/or inactive controls, 66 of the 114 effect estimates reported clinically important benefits from Tai Chi, 53 reported an equivalent or marginal benefit, and 6 an equivalent risk of adverse events. Eight of the 114 effect estimates (7.0%) were rated as high, 43 (37.7%) moderate, 36 (31.6%) low, and 27 (23.7%) very low certainty evidence due to concerns with risk of bias (92/114, 80.7%), imprecision (43/114, 37.7%), inconsistency (37/114, 32.5%), and publication bias (3/114, 2.6%). SR quality was often limited by the search strategies, language bias, inadequate consideration of clinical, methodological, and statistical heterogeneity, poor reporting standards, and/or no registered SR protocol. Conclusions: The findings suggest Tai Chi has multidimensional effects, including physical, psychological and quality of life benefits for a wide range of conditions, as well as multimorbidity. Clinically important benefits were most consistently reported for Parkinson's disease, falls risk, knee osteoarthritis, low back pain, cerebrovascular, and cardiovascular diseases including hypertension. For most conditions, higher-quality SRs with rigorous primary studies are required.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the benefits and risks of any type of zinc intervention to prevent or trea... more OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the benefits and risks of any type of zinc intervention to prevent or treat SARS-CoV-2. DESIGN: A living, systematic review and meta-analysis, incorporating rapid review methods. DATA SOURCES: 17 English and Chinese databases and clinical trial registries were searched in April/May 2020, with additional covid-19 focused searches in June and August 2020. Eligibility criteria and analysis: Randomized control trials (RCTs) published in any language comparing zinc to a control to prevent or treat SARS-CoV-2. Other viral respiratory tract infections (RTIs) were included, but the certainty of evidence downgraded twice for indirectness. Screening, data extraction, risk of bias appraisal (RoB-2 tool) and verification was performed by calibrated, single reviewers. RCTs with adult populations were prioritised for analysis. RESULTS: 123 RCTs were identified. None were specific to SARS-CoV-2 nor other coronaviruses. 28 RCTs evaluated oral (15-45mg daily), sublingual (45-3...
This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the ad... more This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the addition of a cover page and metadata, and formatting for readability, but it is not yet the definitive version of record. This version will undergo additional copyediting, typesetting and review before it is published in its final form, but we are providing this version to give early visibility of the article. Please note that, during the production process, errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2021
Objective. To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of Chinese patent medicine for mild-to-modera... more Objective. To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of Chinese patent medicine for mild-to-moderate active ulcerative colitis (UC) using network meta-analysis (NMA). Methods. We systematically searched PubMed, Cochrane library, Embase, Sino-Med, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang, and Chinese Scientific Journal Database (VIP) databases to October, 2020. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on Chinese patent medicine for mild-to-moderate active UC. The main analysis was complemented by network subanalyses and standard pairwise comparisons. Statistical heterogeneity, inconsistencies, and ranking probability were also evaluated. Results. The databases search identified 3222 citations, of which 33 RCTs involving 2971 patients met the inclusion criteria. A total of 15 Chinese patent medicines were analyzed. The overall quality of the included studies was low. Pairwise meta-analysis showed that Chinese patent medicine was superior to Mesalazine in improving...
Corrigendum Corrigendum to "Rapid review protocol: Zinc for the prevention or treatment of COVID-... more Corrigendum Corrigendum to "Rapid review protocol: Zinc for the prevention or treatment of COVID-19 and other coronavirus-related respiratory tract infections" [Integr Med Res 9 (2020): 100457]
Background: The global COVID-19 pandemic has prompted an urgent search for effective intervention... more Background: The global COVID-19 pandemic has prompted an urgent search for effective interventions. SARS-CoV-2 mortality/morbidity risk increases with age and for those chronic disease co-morbidities, both of which are associated with lower zinc status, as is the risk of infection. Methods: Rapid review methods will be applied to a systematic review of zinc for the prevention or treatment of SARS-CoV-2 and viral respiratory tract infections in humans. Included are published studies reporting randomised and quasi-randomised controlled trials that compare zinc intervention to placebo and/or other comparator interventions. English and Chinese language databases will be searched for primary studies of viral respiratory tract infections and clinical trial registries for SARS-CoV-2 infections. Due to concerns about indirectness, studies evaluating non-SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infections will be rated down by one level, and non-specific or confirmed non-coronavirus viral infections will be rated down by two levels. Review constraints include (1) using Google translate when screening articles published in languages other than English or Chinese and limited translation (2) following calibration, only one reviewer will screen articles, extract data, appraise quality and conduct the analysis, (3) prioritising data extraction and meta-analyses of SARS-CoV-2 studies and critical outcomes of other viral infections, followed by high risk groups and (4) reporting important preliminary findings prior to peer review if necessary. Discussion: The application of these rapid review methods and broadening the inclusion criteria to include other coronavirus-related viral respiratory tract infections aims to enable a timely evidence appraisal of priority research questions and dissemination of results. Study registration: PROSPERO CRD42020182044.
Background Saffron (stigma of Crocus sativus L.) from Iridaceae family is a well-known traditiona... more Background Saffron (stigma of Crocus sativus L.) from Iridaceae family is a well-known traditional herbal medicine that has been used for hundreds of years to treat several diseases such as depressive mood, cancer and cardiovascular disorders. Recently, anti-dementia property of saffron has been indicated. However, the effects of saffron for the management of dementia remain controversial. The aim of the present study is to explore the effectiveness and safety of saffron in treating mild cognitive impairment and dementia. Methods An electronic database search of some major English and Chinese databases was conducted until 31st May 2019 to identify relevant randomised clinical trials (RCT). The primary outcome was cognitive function and the secondary outcomes included daily living function, global clinical assessment, quality of life (QoL), psychiatric assessment and safety. Rev-Man 5.3 software was applied to perform the meta-analyses. Results A total of four RCTs were included in t...
Objectives To investigate the consistency of adverse events (AEs) and adverse drug reactions (ADR... more Objectives To investigate the consistency of adverse events (AEs) and adverse drug reactions (ADRs) reported in the literature, monitoring and social media data. Methods Using one Chinese patent medicine-Cordyceps sinensis extracts (CSE) as an example, we obtained safety data from the national monitoring system (July 2002 to February 2016), literature (up to November 2016) and social media (May 2019). For literature data, we searched the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure Database (CNKI), WanFang database, Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database (VIP), Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (SinoMed), PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library. Social media data was from the Baidu post bar and Sina micro-blog. Two authors independently screened the literature and extracted data by PRISMA Harms checklist was followed. AEs and ADRs were coded using the World Health Organization Adverse Reaction Terminology (WHO-ART). AEs and ADRs were grouped into thirty-one organ-system classes for comparisons. Frequencies, relative frequencies and rank were used as metrics. Radar chart was used to manifest the features of the distributions and proportions. Results 610 AEs reported in CFDA monitoring data were associated with CSE, of which 537 (88.03%) were suspected ADRs (10.49% certain). 5568 AEs were identified from 172 papers (63% RCTs, 37% other types of studies including case series, case reports, ADR monitoring reports and reviews), in which 86 (1.54%) were ADRs (1.54% certain).
With a rapidly aging population, the prevalence of hypertension in adults continues to rise, plac... more With a rapidly aging population, the prevalence of hypertension in adults continues to rise, placing a substantial and escalating social and economic burden. Merr. is commonly used as a folk remedy for treating hypertension, dyslipidemia, and inflammation in China. This systematic review aims to evaluate current evidence for the therapeutic effect of Merr. extract (EIH) on essential hypertension. Six electronic databases (Pubmed, MEDLINE, The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Chinese Scientific Journals Database, Wanfang and CNKI) were searched to identify eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) relevant to EIH on essential hypertension up to Jan 2018. Six RCTs including 772 participants met eligibility criteria. Methodological quality of the trials was generally low. Meta-analysis showed that EIH demonstrated a beneficial effect for lowering systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP/DBP), left ventricular mass (LVM) in participants with essential hypertension. T...
Question "Kneipp Therapy" (KT) is a form of Complementary and Integrative Medicine (CIM) that inc... more Question "Kneipp Therapy" (KT) is a form of Complementary and Integrative Medicine (CIM) that includes a combination of hydrotherapy, herbal medicine, mind-body medicine, physical activities and healthy nutrition. Several Nursing homes (NH) in Germany started to integrate KT in the routine care of residents. The aim of this study was to investigate if caring with KT has effects on caregivers. Methods We conducted a prospective, exploratory, two-armed cohort study to compare NH with (KT group) and without KT (but with routine health preventive interventions; control group) over 12 months. Each NH with KT was matched to a control. Outcomes for caregivers included the SF-12 Health Survey, the Work Ability Index (WAI) and the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ). Results Altogether 111 caregivers were included from 7 NH (KT group, n = 48) respectively 6 NH (control group, n = 63). 95% of caregivers were female (43.4 ± 11.3 years, BMI 26.6 ± 5.3). At baseline, caregivers of the KT group showed better values for the COP-SOQ scales "feedback" (p = 0.043), "job satisfaction" (p < 0.001) and "burnout" (p = 0.008). After 6 months the control group was better in the COPSOQ scales "predictability of work" (p = 0.045) and after 12 months for "sense of community" (p = 0.047) and the physical component scale of the SF-12 (p = 0.039) compared to the KT group. Conclusions The study showed only minor differences between the caregivers of both groups. Caregivers´workability, quality of life and psychosocial burden at work seems to be less influenced by a CIM-oriented working-place approach. Trial Registration DRKS-ID: DRKS00005049 P246 Efficacy of adjuvant topical Juniperus excelsa versus cryotherapy alone in the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis: a double-blind randomized controlled clinical trial
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medical Sciences, 2016
To assess the effectiveness and safety of acupoint injection for the treatment of asthma. Methods... more To assess the effectiveness and safety of acupoint injection for the treatment of asthma. Methods: Six electronic databases were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of acupoint injection for asthma. Two authors extracted data and assessed methodological quality independently using the Cochrane Collaboration Risk of Bias tool. Data were evaluated using RevMan v5.2. Results: Eighteen RCTs involving 1913 participants with asthma were identified. Overall methodological quality of the RCTs was classified as unclear risk of bias. Western medicine (12 RCTs) was injected most frequently into acupoints, followed by Chinese herbal medicine (four RCTs), vitamins (one RCT), and Chinese herbal medicine combined with Western medicine (one RCT). Four RCTs used only one acupoint [ST36 (two RCTs), BL13, CV22], whereas the other RCTs selected multiple acupoints (among which BL13 was used most frequently). One RCT reported mortality, no RCT reported quality of life, 15 RCTs reported the symptom improvement rate, one RCT reported asthma control test (ACT) data, one RCT reported the duration of asthma, three RCTs reported the mean time that asthma was controlled (MTAC), and 13 RCTs reported lung-function tests (LFTs). Some RCTs showed acupoint injection may improve the attack time of asthma, MTAC, and LFTs. Five RCTs reported the outcome of adverse events and showed no significant differences between the acupoint injection group and control group. Conclusions: The findings suggest that acupoint injection may be effective for improving ACT data, duration of asthma, MTAC and LFTs. However, the evidence is insufficient owing to the poor methodological quality of the RCTs.
Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM, 2015
Deqi, according to traditional Chinese medicine, is a specific needle sensation during the retent... more Deqi, according to traditional Chinese medicine, is a specific needle sensation during the retention of needles at certain acupoints and is considered to be necessary to produce therapeutic effects from acupuncture. Although some modern researches have showed that Deqi is essential for producing acupuncture analgesia and anesthesia, the data are not enough. It is a paper of a multicenter, randomized controlled study protocol, to evaluate the influences of Deqi on acupuncture SP6 in Cold and Dampness Stagnation pattern primary dysmenorrhea patients, in terms of reducing pain and anxiety, and to find out the relationship between Deqi and the temperature changes at SP6 (Sanyinjiao) and CV4 (Guanyuan). The results of this trial will be helpful to explain the role of Deqi in acupuncture analgesia and may provide a new objective index for measuring Deqi in the future study. This trial is registered with ChiCTR-TRC-13003086.
Evidence-based medicine promotes and relies on the use of evidence in developing clinical practic... more Evidence-based medicine promotes and relies on the use of evidence in developing clinical practice guidelines (CPGs). The Chinese healthcare system includes both traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Western medicine, which are expected to be equally reflected in Chinese CPGs. To evaluate the inclusion of TCM-related information in Western medicine CPGs developed in China and the adoption of high level evidence. All CPGs were identified from the China Guideline Clearinghouse (CGC), which is the main Chinese organisation maintaining the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health of China, the Chinese Medical Association and the Chinese Medical Doctors' Association.TCM-related contents were extracted from all the CPGs identified. Extracted information comprised the institution issuing the guideline, date of issue, disease, recommendations relating to TCM, evidence level of the recommended content and references supporting the recommendations. A total of 604 CPGs were identified,...
Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2015
Deqi, according to traditional Chinese medicine, is a specific needle sensation during the retent... more Deqi, according to traditional Chinese medicine, is a specific needle sensation during the retention of needles at certain acupoints and is considered to be necessary to produce therapeutic effects from acupuncture. Although some modern researches have showed that Deqi is essential for producing acupuncture analgesia and anesthesia, the data are not enough. It is a paper of a multicenter, randomized controlled study protocol, to evaluate the influences of Deqi on acupuncture SP6 in Cold and Dampness Stagnation pattern primary dysmenorrhea patients, in terms of reducing pain and anxiety, and to find out the relationship between Deqi and the temperature changes at SP6 (Sanyinjiao) and CV4 (Guanyuan). The results of this trial will be helpful to explain the role of Deqi in acupuncture analgesia and may provide a new objective index for measuring Deqi in the future study. This trial is registered with ChiCTR-TRC-13003086.
Background: This overview summarizes the best available systematic review (SR) evidence on the he... more Background: This overview summarizes the best available systematic review (SR) evidence on the health effects of Tai Chi. Methods: Nine databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Medline, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese Scientific Journal Database (VIP), Sino-Med, and Wanfang Database) were searched for SRs of controlled clinical trials of Tai Chi interventions published between Jan 2010 and Dec 2020 in any language. Effect estimates were extracted from the most recent, comprehensive, highest-quality SR for each population, condition, and outcome. SR quality was appraised with AMSTAR 2 and overall certainty of effect estimates with the GRADE method. Results: Of the 210 included SRs, 193 only included randomized controlled trials, one only included non-randomized studies of interventions, and 16 included both. Common conditions were neurological (18.6%), falls/balance (14.7%), cardiovascular (14.7%), musculoskeletal (11.0%), cancer (7.1%), and diabetes mellitus (6.7%). Except for stroke, no evidence for disease prevention was found; however, multiple proxy-outcomes/risks factors were evaluated. One hundred and fourteen effect estimates were extracted from 37 SRs (2 high, 6 moderate, 18 low, and 11 critically low quality), representing 59,306 adults. Compared to active and/or inactive controls, 66 of the 114 effect estimates reported clinically important benefits from Tai Chi, 53 reported an equivalent or marginal benefit, and 6 an equivalent risk of adverse events. Eight of the 114 effect estimates (7.0%) were rated as high, 43 (37.7%) moderate, 36 (31.6%) low, and 27 (23.7%) very low certainty evidence due to concerns with risk of bias (92/114, 80.7%), imprecision (43/114, 37.7%), inconsistency (37/114, 32.5%), and publication bias (3/114, 2.6%). SR quality was often limited by the search strategies, language bias, inadequate consideration of clinical, methodological, and statistical heterogeneity, poor reporting standards, and/or no registered SR protocol. Conclusions: The findings suggest Tai Chi has multidimensional effects, including physical, psychological and quality of life benefits for a wide range of conditions, as well as multimorbidity. Clinically important benefits were most consistently reported for Parkinson's disease, falls risk, knee osteoarthritis, low back pain, cerebrovascular, and cardiovascular diseases including hypertension. For most conditions, higher-quality SRs with rigorous primary studies are required.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the benefits and risks of any type of zinc intervention to prevent or trea... more OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the benefits and risks of any type of zinc intervention to prevent or treat SARS-CoV-2. DESIGN: A living, systematic review and meta-analysis, incorporating rapid review methods. DATA SOURCES: 17 English and Chinese databases and clinical trial registries were searched in April/May 2020, with additional covid-19 focused searches in June and August 2020. Eligibility criteria and analysis: Randomized control trials (RCTs) published in any language comparing zinc to a control to prevent or treat SARS-CoV-2. Other viral respiratory tract infections (RTIs) were included, but the certainty of evidence downgraded twice for indirectness. Screening, data extraction, risk of bias appraisal (RoB-2 tool) and verification was performed by calibrated, single reviewers. RCTs with adult populations were prioritised for analysis. RESULTS: 123 RCTs were identified. None were specific to SARS-CoV-2 nor other coronaviruses. 28 RCTs evaluated oral (15-45mg daily), sublingual (45-3...
This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the ad... more This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the addition of a cover page and metadata, and formatting for readability, but it is not yet the definitive version of record. This version will undergo additional copyediting, typesetting and review before it is published in its final form, but we are providing this version to give early visibility of the article. Please note that, during the production process, errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2021
Objective. To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of Chinese patent medicine for mild-to-modera... more Objective. To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of Chinese patent medicine for mild-to-moderate active ulcerative colitis (UC) using network meta-analysis (NMA). Methods. We systematically searched PubMed, Cochrane library, Embase, Sino-Med, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang, and Chinese Scientific Journal Database (VIP) databases to October, 2020. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on Chinese patent medicine for mild-to-moderate active UC. The main analysis was complemented by network subanalyses and standard pairwise comparisons. Statistical heterogeneity, inconsistencies, and ranking probability were also evaluated. Results. The databases search identified 3222 citations, of which 33 RCTs involving 2971 patients met the inclusion criteria. A total of 15 Chinese patent medicines were analyzed. The overall quality of the included studies was low. Pairwise meta-analysis showed that Chinese patent medicine was superior to Mesalazine in improving...
Corrigendum Corrigendum to "Rapid review protocol: Zinc for the prevention or treatment of COVID-... more Corrigendum Corrigendum to "Rapid review protocol: Zinc for the prevention or treatment of COVID-19 and other coronavirus-related respiratory tract infections" [Integr Med Res 9 (2020): 100457]
Background: The global COVID-19 pandemic has prompted an urgent search for effective intervention... more Background: The global COVID-19 pandemic has prompted an urgent search for effective interventions. SARS-CoV-2 mortality/morbidity risk increases with age and for those chronic disease co-morbidities, both of which are associated with lower zinc status, as is the risk of infection. Methods: Rapid review methods will be applied to a systematic review of zinc for the prevention or treatment of SARS-CoV-2 and viral respiratory tract infections in humans. Included are published studies reporting randomised and quasi-randomised controlled trials that compare zinc intervention to placebo and/or other comparator interventions. English and Chinese language databases will be searched for primary studies of viral respiratory tract infections and clinical trial registries for SARS-CoV-2 infections. Due to concerns about indirectness, studies evaluating non-SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infections will be rated down by one level, and non-specific or confirmed non-coronavirus viral infections will be rated down by two levels. Review constraints include (1) using Google translate when screening articles published in languages other than English or Chinese and limited translation (2) following calibration, only one reviewer will screen articles, extract data, appraise quality and conduct the analysis, (3) prioritising data extraction and meta-analyses of SARS-CoV-2 studies and critical outcomes of other viral infections, followed by high risk groups and (4) reporting important preliminary findings prior to peer review if necessary. Discussion: The application of these rapid review methods and broadening the inclusion criteria to include other coronavirus-related viral respiratory tract infections aims to enable a timely evidence appraisal of priority research questions and dissemination of results. Study registration: PROSPERO CRD42020182044.
Background Saffron (stigma of Crocus sativus L.) from Iridaceae family is a well-known traditiona... more Background Saffron (stigma of Crocus sativus L.) from Iridaceae family is a well-known traditional herbal medicine that has been used for hundreds of years to treat several diseases such as depressive mood, cancer and cardiovascular disorders. Recently, anti-dementia property of saffron has been indicated. However, the effects of saffron for the management of dementia remain controversial. The aim of the present study is to explore the effectiveness and safety of saffron in treating mild cognitive impairment and dementia. Methods An electronic database search of some major English and Chinese databases was conducted until 31st May 2019 to identify relevant randomised clinical trials (RCT). The primary outcome was cognitive function and the secondary outcomes included daily living function, global clinical assessment, quality of life (QoL), psychiatric assessment and safety. Rev-Man 5.3 software was applied to perform the meta-analyses. Results A total of four RCTs were included in t...
Objectives To investigate the consistency of adverse events (AEs) and adverse drug reactions (ADR... more Objectives To investigate the consistency of adverse events (AEs) and adverse drug reactions (ADRs) reported in the literature, monitoring and social media data. Methods Using one Chinese patent medicine-Cordyceps sinensis extracts (CSE) as an example, we obtained safety data from the national monitoring system (July 2002 to February 2016), literature (up to November 2016) and social media (May 2019). For literature data, we searched the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure Database (CNKI), WanFang database, Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database (VIP), Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (SinoMed), PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library. Social media data was from the Baidu post bar and Sina micro-blog. Two authors independently screened the literature and extracted data by PRISMA Harms checklist was followed. AEs and ADRs were coded using the World Health Organization Adverse Reaction Terminology (WHO-ART). AEs and ADRs were grouped into thirty-one organ-system classes for comparisons. Frequencies, relative frequencies and rank were used as metrics. Radar chart was used to manifest the features of the distributions and proportions. Results 610 AEs reported in CFDA monitoring data were associated with CSE, of which 537 (88.03%) were suspected ADRs (10.49% certain). 5568 AEs were identified from 172 papers (63% RCTs, 37% other types of studies including case series, case reports, ADR monitoring reports and reviews), in which 86 (1.54%) were ADRs (1.54% certain).
With a rapidly aging population, the prevalence of hypertension in adults continues to rise, plac... more With a rapidly aging population, the prevalence of hypertension in adults continues to rise, placing a substantial and escalating social and economic burden. Merr. is commonly used as a folk remedy for treating hypertension, dyslipidemia, and inflammation in China. This systematic review aims to evaluate current evidence for the therapeutic effect of Merr. extract (EIH) on essential hypertension. Six electronic databases (Pubmed, MEDLINE, The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Chinese Scientific Journals Database, Wanfang and CNKI) were searched to identify eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) relevant to EIH on essential hypertension up to Jan 2018. Six RCTs including 772 participants met eligibility criteria. Methodological quality of the trials was generally low. Meta-analysis showed that EIH demonstrated a beneficial effect for lowering systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP/DBP), left ventricular mass (LVM) in participants with essential hypertension. T...
Question "Kneipp Therapy" (KT) is a form of Complementary and Integrative Medicine (CIM) that inc... more Question "Kneipp Therapy" (KT) is a form of Complementary and Integrative Medicine (CIM) that includes a combination of hydrotherapy, herbal medicine, mind-body medicine, physical activities and healthy nutrition. Several Nursing homes (NH) in Germany started to integrate KT in the routine care of residents. The aim of this study was to investigate if caring with KT has effects on caregivers. Methods We conducted a prospective, exploratory, two-armed cohort study to compare NH with (KT group) and without KT (but with routine health preventive interventions; control group) over 12 months. Each NH with KT was matched to a control. Outcomes for caregivers included the SF-12 Health Survey, the Work Ability Index (WAI) and the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ). Results Altogether 111 caregivers were included from 7 NH (KT group, n = 48) respectively 6 NH (control group, n = 63). 95% of caregivers were female (43.4 ± 11.3 years, BMI 26.6 ± 5.3). At baseline, caregivers of the KT group showed better values for the COP-SOQ scales "feedback" (p = 0.043), "job satisfaction" (p < 0.001) and "burnout" (p = 0.008). After 6 months the control group was better in the COPSOQ scales "predictability of work" (p = 0.045) and after 12 months for "sense of community" (p = 0.047) and the physical component scale of the SF-12 (p = 0.039) compared to the KT group. Conclusions The study showed only minor differences between the caregivers of both groups. Caregivers´workability, quality of life and psychosocial burden at work seems to be less influenced by a CIM-oriented working-place approach. Trial Registration DRKS-ID: DRKS00005049 P246 Efficacy of adjuvant topical Juniperus excelsa versus cryotherapy alone in the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis: a double-blind randomized controlled clinical trial
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medical Sciences, 2016
To assess the effectiveness and safety of acupoint injection for the treatment of asthma. Methods... more To assess the effectiveness and safety of acupoint injection for the treatment of asthma. Methods: Six electronic databases were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of acupoint injection for asthma. Two authors extracted data and assessed methodological quality independently using the Cochrane Collaboration Risk of Bias tool. Data were evaluated using RevMan v5.2. Results: Eighteen RCTs involving 1913 participants with asthma were identified. Overall methodological quality of the RCTs was classified as unclear risk of bias. Western medicine (12 RCTs) was injected most frequently into acupoints, followed by Chinese herbal medicine (four RCTs), vitamins (one RCT), and Chinese herbal medicine combined with Western medicine (one RCT). Four RCTs used only one acupoint [ST36 (two RCTs), BL13, CV22], whereas the other RCTs selected multiple acupoints (among which BL13 was used most frequently). One RCT reported mortality, no RCT reported quality of life, 15 RCTs reported the symptom improvement rate, one RCT reported asthma control test (ACT) data, one RCT reported the duration of asthma, three RCTs reported the mean time that asthma was controlled (MTAC), and 13 RCTs reported lung-function tests (LFTs). Some RCTs showed acupoint injection may improve the attack time of asthma, MTAC, and LFTs. Five RCTs reported the outcome of adverse events and showed no significant differences between the acupoint injection group and control group. Conclusions: The findings suggest that acupoint injection may be effective for improving ACT data, duration of asthma, MTAC and LFTs. However, the evidence is insufficient owing to the poor methodological quality of the RCTs.
Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM, 2015
Deqi, according to traditional Chinese medicine, is a specific needle sensation during the retent... more Deqi, according to traditional Chinese medicine, is a specific needle sensation during the retention of needles at certain acupoints and is considered to be necessary to produce therapeutic effects from acupuncture. Although some modern researches have showed that Deqi is essential for producing acupuncture analgesia and anesthesia, the data are not enough. It is a paper of a multicenter, randomized controlled study protocol, to evaluate the influences of Deqi on acupuncture SP6 in Cold and Dampness Stagnation pattern primary dysmenorrhea patients, in terms of reducing pain and anxiety, and to find out the relationship between Deqi and the temperature changes at SP6 (Sanyinjiao) and CV4 (Guanyuan). The results of this trial will be helpful to explain the role of Deqi in acupuncture analgesia and may provide a new objective index for measuring Deqi in the future study. This trial is registered with ChiCTR-TRC-13003086.
Evidence-based medicine promotes and relies on the use of evidence in developing clinical practic... more Evidence-based medicine promotes and relies on the use of evidence in developing clinical practice guidelines (CPGs). The Chinese healthcare system includes both traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Western medicine, which are expected to be equally reflected in Chinese CPGs. To evaluate the inclusion of TCM-related information in Western medicine CPGs developed in China and the adoption of high level evidence. All CPGs were identified from the China Guideline Clearinghouse (CGC), which is the main Chinese organisation maintaining the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health of China, the Chinese Medical Association and the Chinese Medical Doctors' Association.TCM-related contents were extracted from all the CPGs identified. Extracted information comprised the institution issuing the guideline, date of issue, disease, recommendations relating to TCM, evidence level of the recommended content and references supporting the recommendations. A total of 604 CPGs were identified,...
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