Complementary therapies in medicine
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Complement Ther Med · Jun 2015
Review Meta AnalysisZusanli (ST36) acupoint injection for preventing postoperative ileus: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.
To evaluate the preventive effect of Zusanli (ST36) acupoint injections with various agents, for postoperative ileus (POI). ⋯ ST36 acupoint injections with various agents may have a preventive effect for POI. Safety is inconclusive as few of included trials reported adverse events. Due to the poor methodological quality and likely publication bias further robust clinical trials are required to arrive at a definitive conclusion.
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Complement Ther Med · Apr 2015
Review Meta AnalysisOral Chinese herbal medicine for kidney nourishment in Alzheimer's disease: a systematic review of the effect on MMSE index measures and safety.
To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the Chinese herbal medicine for kidney nourishment (CHMK) assessed with the Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE) index objective outcome measures in individuals with Alzheimer's disease. ⋯ The effectiveness and safety of oral administration of CHMK cannot be currently determined because of publication bias and the low quality level of the included trials. Further studies on a larger scale and with more rigorous designs are required to define the role of CHMK in the treatment of AD.
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Complement Ther Med · Aug 2014
Review Meta AnalysisThe efficacy and safety of Chinese herbal medicine, Rhodiola formulation in treating ischemic heart disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Rhodiola formulation is widely used in treating ischemic heart disease (IHD), angina pectoris in China. A number of clinical studies have reported and claimed that Rhodiola formulation can relieve the symptoms of IHD. This study provides the first Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews (PRISMA)-compliant systematic review to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Rhodiola formulation in treating ischemic heart disease either as a sole agent or in combination with routine western medicine (RWM). ⋯ Rhodiola formulations may have a positive effect on treating IHD alone and in combination with RWM. However, poor quality of methodology and heterogeneity of the included trials means that larger sample size, multi-center, placebo-controlled, double blind studies are needed.
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Complement Ther Med · Feb 2014
Review Meta AnalysisHealth benefits of qigong or tai chi for cancer patients: a systematic review and meta-analyses.
Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide. Mind-body interventions are widely used by cancer patients to reduce symptoms and cope better with disease- and treatment-related symptoms. In the last decade, many clinical controlled trials of qigong/tai chi as a cancer treatment have emerged. This study aimed to quantitatively evaluate the effects of qigong/tai chi on the health-related outcomes of cancer patients. ⋯ This study found that qigong/tai chi had positive effects on the cancer-specific QOL, fatigue, immune function and cortisol level of cancer patients. However, these findings need to be interpreted cautiously due to the limited number of studies identified and high risk of bias in included trials. Further rigorous trials are needed to explore possible therapeutic effects of qigong/tai chi on cancer patients.
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Complement Ther Med · Aug 2013
Review Meta AnalysisA systematic review and meta-analysis of Tai Chi for osteoarthritis of the knee.
This paper aimed to systematically review and meta-analyze the effectiveness of Tai Chi for osteoarthritis of the knee. ⋯ This systematic review found moderate evidence for short-term improvement of pain, physical function and stiffness in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee practicing Tai Chi. Assuming that Tai Chi is at least short-term effective and safe it might be preliminarily recommended as an adjuvant treatment for patients with osteoarthritis of the knee. More high quality RCTs are urgently needed to confirm these results.