Objective: The objectively was to study the effect of long-snake moxibustion intervention on gut microbiota of patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) by 16S rDNA sequencing technology.
Methods: Thirty AS patients and 30 healthy volunteers were recruited and treated with long-snake moxibustion once a week for 12 weeks. AS patients were divided into pretreatment and posttreatment groups. VAS, BASDAI, and BASFI scores of AS patients before and after treatment were collected. 16S rDNA high-throughput sequencing technology was used to analyze the characteristics and differences of gut microbiota in AS patients before and after treatment and in healthy volunteers.
Results: VAS, BASDAI, and BASFI scores of AS patients after long-snake moxibustion treatment were lower than those of pretreatment group (p < 0.05). The results of gut microbiota alpha diversity showed that Ace and Chao1 index of the posttreatment group were higher than those of the health group (p < 0.05), but there was no statistical significance in Ace and Chao1 index between the pretreatment group and the posttreatment group (p > 0.05). Beta diversity analysis showed that mild classification aggregation occurred between the health group and the pretreatment group but did not reach a significant level, and there was no significant difference between the pretreatment group and the posttreatment group. The results of species abundance showed that, at the phylum level, compared with the health group, the relative abundance of Firmicutes and Proteobacteria decreased in the pretreatment group, while the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria increased. Compared with the pretreatment group, the relative abundance of Firmicutes increased and the relative abundance of Actinobacteria decreased in the posttreatment group, but there were no statistically significant differences in the above changes (p > 0.05). At the genus level, compared with the health group, the relative abundances of Subdoligranulum in the pretreatment group were increased (p < 0.05), while the relative abundances of Bifidobacterium and Streptococcus were decreased (p < 0.05). Compared with the pretreatment group, the relative abundance of Romboutsia in the posttreatment group was increased (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: Long-snake moxibustion can obviously improve the clinical symptoms of AS patients. The possible mechanism of action is related to regulating the abundance of gut microbiota, increasing beneficial bacteria, and restoring the homeostasis of gut microorganisms.
Introduction: The aim of this study was to analyze the effectiveness of acupuncture as an early intervention in the treatment of osteoporosis and prevention of osteoporosis.
Methods: This multicenter, randomized, controlled clinical trial was conducted in 226 patients with osteoporosis for 6 months. Participants were randomized to the control group (n = 110) and the acupuncture group (n = 116), both groups received basic treatment with daily calcium carbonate and vitamin D3 tablet (containing calcium 600 mg/tablet) supplementation (n = 116), and the acupuncture group received additional acupuncture treatment. Bone mineral density (BMD), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), bone metabolism indexes, and lower limb muscle strength and balance indexes were tested to evaluate the therapy outcomes of the two groups.
Results: After 6 months of treatment, BBS11 (p = 0.046), BBS12 (p = 0.042), and total BBS scores (p = 0) in the acupuncture group were significantly higher than those before treatment; comparing between groups, BBS8 in the acupuncture group was higher than that in the control group after 3 and 6 months, with statistically significant differences (p = 0.036 and 0.0270). After 6 months of treatment, the total BBS score of the acupuncture group was significantly higher than that of the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (p = 0.039). After 6 months of treatment, the BMD of total bone of femoral neck (p = 0.031) and hip joint (p = 0.013) in the acupuncture group was significantly higher than that before treatment, but there was no statistical difference with the control group. The time of five sit-to-stand test (FTSST) was shortened in the acupuncture group, and the difference was statistically significant (p = 0.023), but there was no significant change in the control group (p > 0.05). In addition, the specific sequences of blood phosphorus (p = 0.007), β-collagen (p = 0.009), and N-osteocalcin (p = 0.007) were significantly lower than before treatment after 3 months of acupuncture treatment, and the blood phosphorus level continued to decrease after 6 months of treatment (p = 0.007). In addition, the levels of N-osteocalcin in the acupuncture group were significantly lower than those in the control group after 3 months of treatment (p = 0.008).
Conclusion: Acupuncture can increase hip bone density, improve bone metabolism, reduce bone turnover rate, and improve body balance and lower limb muscle strength in patients with osteoporosis.
Introduction: Alternatives are needed to traditional care to help patients manage pain and discomfort in acute care settings. Complementary and integrative therapies (CITs) involve alternative medicine practices that are assimilated into conventional care. The degree to which registered nurses (RNs) use CIT in acute care settings, however, remains unclear. This study identified determinants of CIT use among RNs in a US hospital.
Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted. Nurse managers emailed invitations to study-eligible RNs, and the survey captured recent CIT use, as well as sociodemographic and training/experience exposures. Participants were employees in a western Wisconsin hospital. All participants were RNs at the target hospital and worked in acute care. CIT use was assessed with a single item that asked respondents to indicate which of 25 common CIT methods they have used or offered to patients.
Results: There were 164 respondents from 463 invited RNs (35% response rate). In the past 6 months, 79% reported the use of CIT with their patients. The most common practices were relaxed breathing, music therapy, essential oils, massage, and aromatherapy. The final multivariable logistic regression model found that RNs with ≥14 years of clinical experience had 72% lower odds of CIT use relative to those with 0-2 years of experience (p = 0.023). In addition, RNs who were married had 76% lower odds of CIT use relative to those not married (p = 0.017). Other factors such as age, gender, specialized CIT education, or nursing degree type had limited influence on CIT use.
Conclusion: The use of CIT was generally high in this sample of hospital RNs, particularly among those who were not married and who were trained more recently. Future research should examine RN-led CIT effectiveness on patient outcomes in clinical settings.
Background: Integrative oncology combines conventional and complementary, or integrative, therapies for a holistic treatment of cancer patients. Yoga is increasingly used as a complementary therapy for cancer patients, but there is no direct evidence for its effect on cancer pathophysiology like tumor response, or patient outcome like overall survival.
Summary: In this narrative review, we present in detail published studies from randomized clinical trials on complementary yoga therapy for cancer patients, including details about the biochemical mechanisms involved. Medicinal hatha yoga with breathing, postures, meditation, and relaxation enhances the quality of life of cancer patients by providing both psychological and physiological health benefits, highlighting the interconnectedness of mind and body. Yoga therapy reduces stress levels improving heart rate variability, leading to changes in hormonal regulation (e.g., cortisol), reduced oxidative stress, and improved immune function with reduced inflammation. Still, the biochemical effects of yoga on the cancer disease itself are unrevealed.
Key messages: More clinical and basic research is needed for further establishment of yoga as complementary therapy in oncology.
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