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Background. A concomitant increase in pregnancy complications has accompanied the growing global trend of excessive weight gain during pregnancy. This study evaluates the effect of ear acupressure (auriculotherapy) on the weight-gaining pattern of overweight women during pregnancy. Materials and Methods. This study was a single-blinded randomized clinical trial conducted between January and September 2022. This study took place in health centers of Qom University of Medical Sciences in Iran. One-hundred thirty overweight pregnant women were selected by a purposeful sampling method and then divided into two groups by block randomization method. In the intervention group, two seeds were placed in the left ear on the metabolism and stomach points, while two seeds were placed in the right ear on the mouth and appetite points. Participants in the intervention group must press the seeds six times a day, 20 minutes before a meal for five weeks. For the placebo group, the Vaccaria seedless label was placed at the same points as the intervention group. A digital scale with an accuracy of 0.1 kg was used to weigh the pregnant women during each visit. Descriptive statistics, independent T-test, chi-square, and repeated measure ANOVA (analysis of variance) test were used to check the research objectives. Results. There was a statistically significant difference between the auriculotherapy and placebo groups immediately after completing the study (1120.68 ± 425.83 vs. 2704.09 ± 344.96 (g); P = 0.018), respectively. Also, there was a substantial difference in the weight gain of women two weeks (793.10 ± 278.38 vs. 1090.32 ± 330.31 (g); P < 0.001) and four weeks after the intervention (729.31 ± 241.52 vs. 964.51 ± 348.35 (g); P < 0.001) between the auriculotherapy and placebo groups. Discussion. The results of the present study indicated the effectiveness of auriculotherapy in controlling the weight gain of overweight pregnant women. This treatment could be used as a safe method, with easy access, and low cost in low-risk pregnancies. Trial Registration. This trial is registered with IRCT20200104046002N1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Genital warts are sexually transmitted diseases for which there is no definitive cure. This study aimed to determine the effect of the combination of olive leaf extract and curcumin on the number of lesions and the duration of recovery in patients with external anogenital warts. Methods. This study is a three-blind randomized controlled clinical trial conducted in 2020. In this study, women with external anogenital warts were enrolled by the consecutive nonprobability sampling method and then assigned by stratified block randomization to two groups: placebo (n = 28) and intervention (n = 26). In the intervention group, the combined olive leaf and curcumin extract was applied topically three times a day until recovery and up to 12 weeks. Routine treatment was administered to both groups in addition to the interventions. The number of warts, the duration of recovery, and the severity and duration of treatment side effects were assessed in all participants. Results. The results showed that the mean number of warts was significantly lower in the intervention group (5.65 ± 5.223) than in the placebo group (7.61 ± 5.245) from the fifth day of treatment onwards (p = 0.027). The mean duration of recovery in days in the intervention group (14.73 ± 9.735)) was significantly less than the placebo group (34.25 ± 18.863) (p = 0.001). In addition, there was no significant difference between the two groups in the frequency of drug side effects such as burning (p = 0.083), redness (p = 0.413), and itching (p = 0.706). The intervention group experienced side effects for a shorter duration of time (1.50 ± 1.924) compared to the placebo group (4.93 ± 8.366) (p = 0.043). Conclusion. The combined 10% olive leaf and curcumin extract can be effective in reducing the number of warts, duration of healing, and reducing the duration of complications in patients with external anogenital warts and is recommended as a complementary treatment for these patients. This trail is registered with IRCT20200509047350N1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. This overview is to evaluate the current evidence from systematic reviews (SRs) of Danhong injection (DHI) for ischemic stroke (IS). Methods. SRs of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) concerning DHI and IS were searched in six databases without language restrictions until September 2015. Assessment of multiple systematic reviews (AMSTAR) was used to evaluate the methodological quality of all included SRs. Result. A total of 8 articles were included. After the administration of DHI, clinical efficiency and neurological deficits score have marked advantages over those of the control group. However, the overall poor quality of meta-analysis and original studies affected the reliability of the results. Evaluation of methodological quality found that no one paper meets the requirements of all 11 items. The main flaws of the methodology quality included the following: not providing “a priori” design and reasonable objectives, duplicate study selection not given enough attention, performing an incomprehensive literature search, not paying attention to publication bias and other bias reports, characteristics of included studies not provided in detail, and ignoring clinical heterogeneity when performing meta-analyses. Conclusion. The current published SRs suggest DHI appears to be a safe and effective way for IS treatment in general. However, it lacks a high quality systematic evaluation and analysis. The quality of SRs should be improved. Further large sample-size and well-designed RCTs are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. This paper systematically assessed the efficacy and safety of Jingtong granule (JG) for cervical radiculopathy (CR). Methods. Randomized controlled trials comparing JG with no intervention, placebo, or conventional therapies were retrieved. The trials testing JG combined with conventional therapies versus conventional therapies were also enrolled. Study selection, methodological assessment, data extraction, and analysis were conducted in accordance with the Cochrane standards. The strength of evidence was evaluated according to GRADE approach. Results. Three trials with 400 participants were included. Methodological quality was evaluated as generally low. One study found that JG showed significant difference on decreasing pain scores compared with placebo. Meta-analysis indicated that JG plus conventional analgesic exhibited a significant immediate effect on the pain scores (WMD = 1.63; 95% CI: 1.29 to 1.98; P < 0.00001). Additionally, JG combined with analgesic presented beneficial immediate effect on neck disability index. However, the treatment effects of JG demonstrated in the trials were not large, and the safety of JG was unproven. Finally the evidence level was evaluated to be low. Conclusions. Our results indicated that JG showed some potential benefits for CR. Nevertheless, treatment effects are uncertain due to both the methodological concerns and the very modest reported improvements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we carried out a randomized controlled clinical trial to explore the effect of 12-words-for-life-nurturing exercise on patients presenting with cervical spondylosis. After exercise intervention, the mean VAS and NDI scores of the patients decreased significantly and the scores of BP, VT, and MH in SF-36 Health Questionnaire were significantly higher. Exercise therapy showed significant effect on relieving pain and improving vitality and mental health. The 12-words-for-life-nurturing exercise may be a potential effective therapy for patients with cervical spondylosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The restricted usage of existing pharmacological methods which do not seem to provide the treatment of diabetic neuropathy may lead to exploring the efficacy of a complementary therapy. In this context, this paper was devoted to evaluate the efficacy of foot reflexology. This health science works on the hypothesis that the dysfunctional states of body parts could be identified by observing certain skin features and be rectified by stimulating certain specific areas mapped on feet. Method. Subjects (N = 58) with diagnosed diabetic neuropathy were randomly distributed into reflexology and control groups in which both group patients were treated with ongoing pharmacological drugs. Reflexology group patients were additionally treated holistically with the hypothesis that this therapy would bring homeostasis among body organ functions. This was a caregiver-based study with a follow-up period of 6 months. The outcome measures were pain reduction, glycemic control, nerve conductivity, and thermal and vibration sensitivities. The skin features leading to the detection of the abnormal functional states of body parts were also recorded and analyzed. Results. Reflexology group showed more improvements in all outcome measures than those of control subjects with statistical significance. Conclusion. This study exhibited the efficient utility of reflexology therapy integrated with conventional medicines in managing diabetic neuropathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been commonly used for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Syndrome differentiation is one of the important characteristics of TCM. To assess the application and basic characteristics of syndrome differentiation in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of Chinese herbal medicine for IBS, we performed this paper. We conducted electronic searches in main Chinese and English databases till March 2012. A total of 735 RCTs involving 67,784 IBS participants were included. 224 (30.5%) studies applied syndrome differentiation. The major syndromes of IBS patients were the syndrome of liver stagnation and spleen deficiency (56.8%), spleen-stomach weakness (49.4%), spleen-kidney yang deficiency (48.1%), and cold and heat in complexity (29.6%). Herbal formulas were prescribed based on syndrome differentiation in 202 studies. Chinese patent medicine was more commonly used in studies that only enrolled patients with a specific syndrome. 15 studies compared the therapeutic effect among different syndromes, of which 6 studies showed that there were significant differences among different syndromes. The low use of TCM syndrome differentiation in randomized trials of Chinese herbal medicine for IBS results in the poor pertinence of treatment. TCM syndrome differentiation should be used in further studies at the stage of recruitment, treatment, and data analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims. To explore whether Astragalus or its formulations could prevent upper respiratory infection in children with nephrotic syndrome and how best to use it. Methods. We transformed a common clinical question in practice to an answerable question according to the PICO principle. Databases, including the Cochrane Library (Issue 5, 2012), PUBMED (1966-2012.8), CBM (1978-2012.8), VIP (1989-2012.8), and CNKI (1979-2012.8), were searched to identify Cochrane systematic reviews and clinical trials. Then, the quality of and recommendations from the clinical evidence were evaluated using the GRADEpro software. Results. The search yielded 537 papers. Only two studies with high validity were included for synthesis calculations. The results showed that Astragalus granules could effectively reduce URTI in children with nephrotic syndrome compared with prednisone treatment alone (23.9% versus 42.9%; RR = 0.56 and 95% CI = 0.33-0.93). The dose of Astragalus granules was 2.25 gram (equivalent to 15 gram crude Astragalus) twice per day, at least for 3-6 months. The level of evidence quality was low, but we still recommended the evidence to the patient according to GRADEpro with the opinion of the expert. Followup showed the incidence of URTI in this child decreased significantly. Conclusions. Astragalus granules may reduce the incidence of URTI in children with nephrotic syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acupuncture is an alternative therapy to induce ovulation in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), but there is no study reporting the live birth rate following ovulation induction by acupuncture or its potential as an adjuvant treatment to clomiphene citrate (CC). We assess the efficacy of acupuncture with or without CC in achieving live births among 1000 PCOS women in Mainland China. This paper reports the methodology of an ongoing multicenter randomized controlled trial. The randomization scheme is coordinated through the central mechanism and stratified by the participating sites. Participants will be randomized into one of the four treatment arms: (A) true acupuncture and CC, (B) control acupuncture and CC, (C) true acupuncture and placebo CC, and (D) control acupuncture and placebo CC. To ensure the quality and integrity of the trial we have developed a unique multinational team of investigators and Data and Safety Monitoring Board. Up to the end of April 2013,326 subjects were recruited. In conclusion, the success of this trial will allow us to evaluate the additional benefit of acupuncture beyond the first line medicine for fertility treatment in PCOS women in an unbiased manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. The fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a chronic condition with only few evidence-based complementary and alternative therapies available. This paper presents a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effectiveness of Qigong for fibromyalgia syndrome. Methods. The PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, Embase, PsycINFO, and Cambase databases were screened in December 2012 to identify randomized controlled trials comparing Qigong to control interventions. Major outcome measures were pain and quality of life; and secondary outcomes included sleep quality, fatigue, depression, and safety. Standardized mean differences (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. Results. Seven trials were located with a total of 395 FMS patients. Analyses revealed low quality evidence for short-term improvement of pain, quality of life, and sleep quality and very low quality evidence for improvement of fatigue after Qigong for FMS, when compared to usual care. No evidence was found for superiority of Qigong compared to active treatments. No serious adverse events were reported. Discussion. This systematic review found that Qigong may be a useful approach for FMS patients. According to the quality of evidence, only a weak recommendation for Qigong can be made at this point. Further high quality RCTs are required for the conclusive judgment of its long-term effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The characteristics of treatment based on syndrome differentiation (TBSD) cause great challenges to evaluate the effectiveness of the clinical methods. Objectives. This paper aims to evaluate the influence of physician to personalized medicine in the process of TBSD. Methods. We performed a randomized, triple-blind trial involving patients of primary insomnia treated by 3 physicians individually and independently. The patients (n = 30) were randomly assigned to receive treatments by the 3 physicians for every visit. However, they always received the treatment, respectively, prescribed by the physician at the first visit. The primary outcome was evaluated, respectively, by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the TCM symptoms measuring scale. The clinical practices of the physicians were recorded at every visit including diagnostic information, syndrome differentiation, treating principles, and prescriptions. Results. All patients in the 3 groups (30 patients) showed significant improvements (>66%) according to the PSQI and TCM symptoms measuring scale. Conclusion. The results indicate that although with comparable effectiveness, there exist significant differences in syndrome differentiation, the treating principles, and the prescriptions of the approaches used by the 3 physicians. This means that the physician should be considered as an important factor for individualized medicine and the related TCM clinical research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. A randomized trial suggests that meditation and exercise may prevent acute respiratory infection (ARI). This paper explores potential mediating mechanisms. Methods. Community-recruited adults were randomly assigned to three nonblinded arms: 8-week mindfulness-based stress reduction (N = 51), moderate-intensity exercise (N = 51), or wait-list control (N = 52). Primary outcomes were ARI illness burden (validated Wisconsin Upper Respiratory Symptom Survey). Potential mediators included self-reported psychophysical health and exercise intensity (baseline, 9 weeks, and 3 months). A Baron and Kenny approach-based mediational analysis model, adjusted for group status, age, and gender, evaluated the relationship between the primary outcome and a potential mediator using zero-inflated modeling and Sobel testing. Results. Of 154 randomized, 149 completed the trial (51, 47, and 51 in meditation, exercise, and control groups) and were analyzed (82% female, 94% Caucasian, 59.3 ±SD 6.6 years old). Mediational analyses suggested that improved mindfulness (Mindful Attention Awareness Scale) at 3 months may mediate intervention effects on ARI severity and duration (P < 0.05); 1 point increase in the mindfulness score corresponded to a shortened ARI duration by 7.2-9.6 hours. Conclusions. Meditation and exercise may decrease the ARI illness burden through increased mindfulness. These preliminary findings need confirmation, if confirmed, they would have important policy and clinical implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]