Introduction: Mechanical neck pain (MNP) and mechanical low back pain (MLBP) can have a negative impact on the quality of life of patients and may be associated with high levels of disability. Magnetic field therapy has been used in the treatment of various diseases. This study was conducted to assess the effects of static magnetic field therapy generated by neodymium magnets in patients with MNP and MLBP.
Methods: In this randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled, crossover study, patients with MNP and MLBP were randomly assigned to either the magnetic band or sham band treatment groups. After the initial 2-week phase (with participants randomly assigned to either treatment or sham control), both groups underwent a 1-week washout period. Subsequently, the groups were swapped and proceeded with a second 2-week phase. Visual analogue scale (VAS), Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire (ODI), Neck Disability Index (NDI), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) were used to evaluate the patients' pain severity, functional disability, sleep quality, and levels of depressive symptoms, respectively.
Results: Of the 30 subjects, 17 (56.7%) had MLBP, whereas 13 (43.3%) had MNP. Magnetic band treatment (MBT) resulted in a significant decrease in the VAS score (p < 0.001) in all patients. MBT led to a significant decrease in the ODI score (p = 0.009) in patients with MLBP. A significant decrease in the NDI score was found in MBT (p < 0.001) in patients with MNP. The improvement in ISI and PHQ-9 scores was also significantly higher in MBT (p < 0.001).
Conclusion: For patients with MNP and MLBP who have not experienced sufficient benefits from conventional treatments, neodymium magnets can be considered as an alternative treatment option due to their significant properties.
{"title":"Efficacy of Static Magnetic Field Therapy on Pain Intensity, Functional Disability, Sleep Quality, and Depressive Symptoms in Patients with Mechanical Neck and Low Back Pain.","authors":"Onur Serdar Gencler, Duran Berker Cemil","doi":"10.1159/000542327","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000542327","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Mechanical neck pain (MNP) and mechanical low back pain (MLBP) can have a negative impact on the quality of life of patients and may be associated with high levels of disability. Magnetic field therapy has been used in the treatment of various diseases. This study was conducted to assess the effects of static magnetic field therapy generated by neodymium magnets in patients with MNP and MLBP.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled, crossover study, patients with MNP and MLBP were randomly assigned to either the magnetic band or sham band treatment groups. After the initial 2-week phase (with participants randomly assigned to either treatment or sham control), both groups underwent a 1-week washout period. Subsequently, the groups were swapped and proceeded with a second 2-week phase. Visual analogue scale (VAS), Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire (ODI), Neck Disability Index (NDI), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) were used to evaluate the patients' pain severity, functional disability, sleep quality, and levels of depressive symptoms, respectively.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of the 30 subjects, 17 (56.7%) had MLBP, whereas 13 (43.3%) had MNP. Magnetic band treatment (MBT) resulted in a significant decrease in the VAS score (p < 0.001) in all patients. MBT led to a significant decrease in the ODI score (p = 0.009) in patients with MLBP. A significant decrease in the NDI score was found in MBT (p < 0.001) in patients with MNP. The improvement in ISI and PHQ-9 scores was also significantly higher in MBT (p < 0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>For patients with MNP and MLBP who have not experienced sufficient benefits from conventional treatments, neodymium magnets can be considered as an alternative treatment option due to their significant properties.</p>","PeriodicalId":10541,"journal":{"name":"Complementary Medicine Research","volume":" ","pages":"1-10"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2024-11-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142602937","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Chunping Zhang, Jian Chen, Yiwen Zhang, Chuanzhu Yan
Introduction: Cancer patients are prone to experiencing negative emotions such as anxiety and depression after receiving chemotherapy. Research has shown that acupressure may be beneficial in relieving the anxiety and depression caused by chemotherapy, but high-quality evidence is lacking. This study was designed to systematically evaluate the efficacy of acupressure for relieving chemotherapy-induced anxiety and depression.
Methods: This review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA framework. Four English databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library) and four Chinese databases (CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, and CBM) were searched from inception to December 31, 2022, to identify randomized clinical trials examining the use of acupressure for the treatment of chemotherapy-induced anxiety and depression. Cochrane Review Manager 5.4 and RStudio were used for the meta-analysis.
Results: This meta-analysis included 1,119 patients from 12 randomized controlled trials. We mainly compared acupressure with sham acupressure and routine nursing. The results showed that acupressure alleviated chemotherapy-induced anxiety (standardized mean difference [SMD] = -0.72, 95% confidence interval [CI] [-1.15, -0.28], p = 0.001) and depression (SMD = -0.75, 95% CI [-1.36, -0.14], p = 0.02) more effectively than sham acupressure and routine nursing.
Conclusion: This meta-analysis found that acupressure (body point) can relieve chemotherapy-induced anxiety and depression and improve the quality of life of patients. However, the current relevant literature has low quality and is highly heterogeneous, which reduces the credibility of the research results. Therefore, more rigorously designed randomized controlled trials are needed to verify these conclusions.
{"title":"The Effect of Acupressure on Chemotherapy-Induced Anxiety and Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.","authors":"Chunping Zhang, Jian Chen, Yiwen Zhang, Chuanzhu Yan","doi":"10.1159/000542022","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000542022","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Cancer patients are prone to experiencing negative emotions such as anxiety and depression after receiving chemotherapy. Research has shown that acupressure may be beneficial in relieving the anxiety and depression caused by chemotherapy, but high-quality evidence is lacking. This study was designed to systematically evaluate the efficacy of acupressure for relieving chemotherapy-induced anxiety and depression.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA framework. Four English databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library) and four Chinese databases (CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, and CBM) were searched from inception to December 31, 2022, to identify randomized clinical trials examining the use of acupressure for the treatment of chemotherapy-induced anxiety and depression. Cochrane Review Manager 5.4 and RStudio were used for the meta-analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>This meta-analysis included 1,119 patients from 12 randomized controlled trials. We mainly compared acupressure with sham acupressure and routine nursing. The results showed that acupressure alleviated chemotherapy-induced anxiety (standardized mean difference [SMD] = -0.72, 95% confidence interval [CI] [-1.15, -0.28], p = 0.001) and depression (SMD = -0.75, 95% CI [-1.36, -0.14], p = 0.02) more effectively than sham acupressure and routine nursing.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This meta-analysis found that acupressure (body point) can relieve chemotherapy-induced anxiety and depression and improve the quality of life of patients. However, the current relevant literature has low quality and is highly heterogeneous, which reduces the credibility of the research results. Therefore, more rigorously designed randomized controlled trials are needed to verify these conclusions.</p>","PeriodicalId":10541,"journal":{"name":"Complementary Medicine Research","volume":" ","pages":"1-12"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2024-10-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142459778","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Introduction - Hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma has poor prognosis with only 25% chances of 5 years of relative survival in such patients in spite of conventional treatment including radical surgery, radiotherapy and concurrent chemotherapy. Case Presentation - A chronic tobacco - betel nut chewer 62-years-old male patient had dysphagia with hoarseness of voice diagnosed with stage III, grade II malignant pyriform fossa. The patient underwent 9 cycles of neo adjuvant chemotherapy with Inj Paclitaxel 100 mg and Inj Cisplatin 40 mg. He was then referred to our institute for Radical Radiotherapy with Concurrent Chemotherapy with adjunct Ayurvedic treatment. A total dose of 70 Gy of radiation with cobalt 60 source was administered to the bilateral face and neck, in 35 fractions. Patient also received 6 cycles of concurrent weekly chemotherapy with Inj Cisplatin 40 mg. He received well planned adjunct Ayurvedic treatment in the form of Oral Ayurvedic Medicines (OAM) and Detoxifying treatment, Panchakarma. All the measured adverse effects of radiotherapy such as Stomatitis, Xerostomia, Taste Alteration, Dysphagia, Nausea etc. were observed to be remarkably low during and post radiotherapy in this patient. Karnofsky and QoL scores revealed patient's wellbeing throughout the treatment course. After 5 years PET CT scan revealed no FDG avid loco regional recurrence or distant organ involvement implying Disease Free Survival (DFS). Various Chemokines, cytokines and oxidative stress were assessed during the course of treatment to observe tumour microenvironment. Conclusion - Present case of HNC, Stage III and Grade II belonged to high-grade, high-risk hypopharyngeal cancer with poor prognosis. The patient opted for Ayurvedic treatment besides radiotherapy which continued thereafter for 5 years. We therefore emphasize that in this case, minimum side effects of radiotherapy, immunomodulation and reduction in inflammation and oxidative stress along with good quality of life can be attributed to OAM and repeated detoxifying Panchakarma treatment supported with healthy diet and good lifestyle. The highlight of the study is the marked effect on the patient's immune response and reduction in oxidative stress leading to 5 years and beyond of DFS.
{"title":"Selective adjuvant Ayurvedic treatment modulates immune response and oxidative stress in patient with carcinoma of pyriform fossa, undergoing radiotherapy: A case study.","authors":"Vineeta Deshmukh,Shubhada Chiplunkar,Sadanand Sardeshmukh,Tushar Patil,Jagdish Shinde,Vidya Gupta,Shweta Gujar,Nilambari Sardeshmukh,Shridevi Pathak,Sandeep Chavan,Trupti Pradhan,Jueelee Godbole","doi":"10.1159/000541254","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1159/000541254","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction - Hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma has poor prognosis with only 25% chances of 5 years of relative survival in such patients in spite of conventional treatment including radical surgery, radiotherapy and concurrent chemotherapy. Case Presentation - A chronic tobacco - betel nut chewer 62-years-old male patient had dysphagia with hoarseness of voice diagnosed with stage III, grade II malignant pyriform fossa. The patient underwent 9 cycles of neo adjuvant chemotherapy with Inj Paclitaxel 100 mg and Inj Cisplatin 40 mg. He was then referred to our institute for Radical Radiotherapy with Concurrent Chemotherapy with adjunct Ayurvedic treatment. A total dose of 70 Gy of radiation with cobalt 60 source was administered to the bilateral face and neck, in 35 fractions. Patient also received 6 cycles of concurrent weekly chemotherapy with Inj Cisplatin 40 mg. He received well planned adjunct Ayurvedic treatment in the form of Oral Ayurvedic Medicines (OAM) and Detoxifying treatment, Panchakarma. All the measured adverse effects of radiotherapy such as Stomatitis, Xerostomia, Taste Alteration, Dysphagia, Nausea etc. were observed to be remarkably low during and post radiotherapy in this patient. Karnofsky and QoL scores revealed patient's wellbeing throughout the treatment course. After 5 years PET CT scan revealed no FDG avid loco regional recurrence or distant organ involvement implying Disease Free Survival (DFS). Various Chemokines, cytokines and oxidative stress were assessed during the course of treatment to observe tumour microenvironment. Conclusion - Present case of HNC, Stage III and Grade II belonged to high-grade, high-risk hypopharyngeal cancer with poor prognosis. The patient opted for Ayurvedic treatment besides radiotherapy which continued thereafter for 5 years. We therefore emphasize that in this case, minimum side effects of radiotherapy, immunomodulation and reduction in inflammation and oxidative stress along with good quality of life can be attributed to OAM and repeated detoxifying Panchakarma treatment supported with healthy diet and good lifestyle. The highlight of the study is the marked effect on the patient's immune response and reduction in oxidative stress leading to 5 years and beyond of DFS.","PeriodicalId":10541,"journal":{"name":"Complementary Medicine Research","volume":"196 1","pages":"1-23"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2024-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142247394","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
INTRODUCTIONThis systematic review examines the efficacy of a combination of Qi benefiting and blood circulation promoting herbs with Dapagliflozin in treating type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) combined with heart failure (HF).METHODSRandomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the combination of Qi benefiting and blood circulation promoting herbs with Dapagliflozin for T2DM and CHF was conducted. The search, spanning from the database's establishment to June 2023, included seven databases: China Knowledge Network (CNKI), Wanfang Database, VIP Database, PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database. Two researchers screened and extracted data based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. The Cochrane Handbook version 5.1 guided the quality assessment of studies, and the meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4 software.RESULTSEleven articles, encompassing a sample size of 1192 cases, were included. Meta-analysis results indicated that combining Qi benefiting and blood circulation promoting herbs with Dapagliflozin improved the clinical efficacy rate [OR=4.35, 95% CI (2.98, 6.35), P<0.00001]. It reduced blood glucose levels, evidenced by decreased fasting blood glucose (FBG) [MD=-1.19, 95% CI (-1.30, -1.09), P<0.00001], 2-hour postprandial blood glucose (2hPG) [MD=-1.95, 95% CI (-2.09, -1.80), P<0.00001], and glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) [MD=-1.40, 95% CI (-1.49, -1.31), P<0.00001]. Inflammatory factors also reduced, including C-reactive protein (CRP) [MD=-4.93, 95% CI (-5.38, -4.48), P<0.00001], tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) [MD=-2.91, 95% CI (-3.32, -2.49), P<0.00001], and interleukin-6 (IL-6) [MD=-11.10, 95% CI (-12.43, -9.43), P<0.00001]. Additionally, left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD) [SMD=-1.25, 95% CI (-1.45, -1.05), P<0.00001], left ventricular end-systolic diameter (LVESD) [SMD=-1.34, 95% CI (-1.51, -1.13), P<0.00001], and improved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF)[SMD=2.92, 95% CI (2.65, 3.19), P<0.00001], 6-minute walk test (6MWT) [MD=35.59, 95% CI (29.72, 41.47), P<0.00001], and Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ) scores [MD=35.59, 95% CI (29.72, 41.47), P<0.00001] were observed. The incidence of adverse events also decreased [RR=0.25, 95% CI (0.11, 0.56), P=0.0007].CONCLUSIONThe combination of Qi benefiting and blood circulation promoting herbs with Dapagliflozin shows potential in treating patients with T2DM and HF, suggesting its use as adjunctive therapy in clinical practice. However, the limited number and quality of the included studies necessitate further high-quality research to confirm these findings.
方法对益气活血中药联合达帕格列净治疗 2 型糖尿病（T2DM）合并心力衰竭（HF）的随机对照试验（RCT）进行了评估。检索时间跨度为数据库建立至 2023 年 6 月，包括 7 个数据库：中国知网（CNKI）、万方数据库、VIP数据库、PubMed、Embase、Cochrane图书馆和中国生物医学文献数据库。两名研究人员根据纳入和排除标准筛选和提取数据。结果共纳入 7 篇文章，样本量为 1192 例。荟萃分析结果表明，益气活血中药与达帕利洛嗪合用可提高临床有效率[OR=4.35，95% CI (2.98，6.35)，P<0.00001]。它降低了血糖水平，表现为空腹血糖（FBG）降低[MD=-1.19，95% CI（-1.30，-1.09），P<0.00001]，餐后 2 小时血糖（2hPG）降低[MD=-1.95，95% CI（-2.09，-1.80），P<0.00001]和糖化血红蛋白（HbA1c）[MD=-1.40，95% CI（-1.49，-1.31），P<0.00001]。炎症因子也有所降低，包括C反应蛋白（CRP）[MD=-4.93，95% CI（-5.38，-4.48），P<0.00001]、肿瘤坏死因子（TNF-α）[MD=-2.91，95% CI（-3.32，-2.49），P<0.00001]和白细胞介素-6（IL-6）[MD=-11.10，95% CI（-12.43，-9.43），P<0.00001]。此外，左心室舒张末期直径（LVEDD）[SMD=-1.25，95% CI（-1.45，-1.05），P<0.00001]、左心室收缩末期直径（LVESD）[SMD=-1.34，95% CI（-1.51，-1.13），P<0.00001]和左心室射血分数（LVEF）[SMD=2.92，95% CI (2.65，3.19)，P<0.00001]、6分钟步行测试（6MWT）[MD=35.59，95% CI (29.72，41.47)，P<0.00001]和明尼苏达心衰患者生活问卷（MLHFQ）评分[MD=35.59，95% CI (29.72，41.47)，P<0.00001]均有所改善。结论益气活血中药与达帕利洛嗪联合治疗T2DM合并HF患者显示出潜力，建议在临床实践中作为辅助治疗使用。然而，由于纳入研究的数量和质量有限，有必要进一步开展高质量的研究来证实这些发现。
{"title":"Combination of Qi benefiting and blood circulation promoting herbs with Dapagliflozin in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus combined with heart failure: a systematic evaluation and meta-analysis based on a randomized controlled trial.","authors":"Changxing Liu,Xinyi Guo,He Wang,Yabin Zhou","doi":"10.1159/000541234","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1159/000541234","url":null,"abstract":"INTRODUCTIONThis systematic review examines the efficacy of a combination of Qi benefiting and blood circulation promoting herbs with Dapagliflozin in treating type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) combined with heart failure (HF).METHODSRandomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the combination of Qi benefiting and blood circulation promoting herbs with Dapagliflozin for T2DM and CHF was conducted. The search, spanning from the database's establishment to June 2023, included seven databases: China Knowledge Network (CNKI), Wanfang Database, VIP Database, PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database. Two researchers screened and extracted data based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. The Cochrane Handbook version 5.1 guided the quality assessment of studies, and the meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4 software.RESULTSEleven articles, encompassing a sample size of 1192 cases, were included. Meta-analysis results indicated that combining Qi benefiting and blood circulation promoting herbs with Dapagliflozin improved the clinical efficacy rate [OR=4.35, 95% CI (2.98, 6.35), P<0.00001]. It reduced blood glucose levels, evidenced by decreased fasting blood glucose (FBG) [MD=-1.19, 95% CI (-1.30, -1.09), P<0.00001], 2-hour postprandial blood glucose (2hPG) [MD=-1.95, 95% CI (-2.09, -1.80), P<0.00001], and glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) [MD=-1.40, 95% CI (-1.49, -1.31), P<0.00001]. Inflammatory factors also reduced, including C-reactive protein (CRP) [MD=-4.93, 95% CI (-5.38, -4.48), P<0.00001], tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) [MD=-2.91, 95% CI (-3.32, -2.49), P<0.00001], and interleukin-6 (IL-6) [MD=-11.10, 95% CI (-12.43, -9.43), P<0.00001]. Additionally, left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD) [SMD=-1.25, 95% CI (-1.45, -1.05), P<0.00001], left ventricular end-systolic diameter (LVESD) [SMD=-1.34, 95% CI (-1.51, -1.13), P<0.00001], and improved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF)[SMD=2.92, 95% CI (2.65, 3.19), P<0.00001], 6-minute walk test (6MWT) [MD=35.59, 95% CI (29.72, 41.47), P<0.00001], and Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ) scores [MD=35.59, 95% CI (29.72, 41.47), P<0.00001] were observed. The incidence of adverse events also decreased [RR=0.25, 95% CI (0.11, 0.56), P=0.0007].CONCLUSIONThe combination of Qi benefiting and blood circulation promoting herbs with Dapagliflozin shows potential in treating patients with T2DM and HF, suggesting its use as adjunctive therapy in clinical practice. However, the limited number and quality of the included studies necessitate further high-quality research to confirm these findings.","PeriodicalId":10541,"journal":{"name":"Complementary Medicine Research","volume":"64 1","pages":"1-28"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2024-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142247391","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"What a Study Is about Should Be Clear.","authors":"Axel Wiebrecht","doi":"10.1159/000539409","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000539409","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":10541,"journal":{"name":"Complementary Medicine Research","volume":" ","pages":"1-2"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2024-06-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141300250","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-01-01Epub Date: 2024-03-08DOI: 10.1159/000537979
Karolina Königsberger, Konrad Urech, Marcus Reif, Stephan Baumgartner, David Martin, Wilfried Tröger
<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) and basal cell carcinoma (BCC) belong to the group of keratinocyte carcinomas (KC). Actinic keratosis (AK) is a precursor lesion of cSCC. The incidences of cSCC, BCC, and AK are currently strongly increasing. Different standard therapies exist for these conditions but are not always applicable or successful. Hydrophilic Viscum album extracts have been used in anthroposophic cancer therapy since 1917. Viscum album lipophilic extract (VALE) is prepared by means of supercritical CO2 extraction. This retrospective case series assessed the safety and clinical effects of a topical application of 10% VALE in individual cases of cSCC, BCC, and AK.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>For this retrospective case series, a positive vote was obtained from the Ethics Committee of the University of Witten/Herdecke (No. 146/2020). Eligible patients signed a declaration of consent prior to inclusion in the study. The main outcome parameters were the clinical response to treatment with VALE and adverse drug reactions. Risk factors, concomitant therapies and diseases, further diagnostic and therapeutic information were documented where available. Data analysis was performed on the level of patients and of individual lesions.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The study population consisted of 55 patients with 74 skin lesions. Individual case analysis accompanied by photographic documentation revealed typical and promising treatment courses. Clinical response rates (complete + partial remissions) for individual lesions were 78% for cSCC, 70% for BCC, and 71% for AK. Complete remission rates for individual lesions were 56% for cSCC, 35% for BCC, and 15% for AK. In cSCC and BCC, shorter times to best clinical response were observed. Adverse drug reactions were reported in 5 patients including erythema and inflammatory reactions of mostly moderate severity that resolved completely. In one case, therapy was temporarily paused, in four cases it was continued without interruption.</p><p><strong>Discussion/conclusion: </strong>The results of this study suggest that VALE is a safe and tolerable extract under whose application complete and partial remissions of KC could be observed. To improve and assess the efficacy of VALE, prospective investigations are necessary.</p><p><p><title>Einleitung</title>Das kutane Plattenepithelkarzinom (cSCC) und das Basalzellkarzinom (BCC) gehören zur Gruppe der Keratinozytenkarzinome (KC). Die aktinische Keratose (AK) ist eine Vorstufe des cSCC. Die Häufigkeit von cSCC, BCC und AK ist derzeit stark im Steigen begriffen. Es gibt verschiedene Standardtherapien für diese Erkrankungen, die jedoch nicht immer anwendbar oder erfolgreich sind. Hydrophile <italic>Viscum album</italic>-Extrakte werden seit 1917 in der anthroposophischen Krebstherapie eingesetzt. <italic>Viscum album</italic> Lipophilic Extract (VALE) wird mittels überkritischer CO2-Extraktion hergestellt. In dieser
{"title":"Viscum Album Lipophilic Extract in Actinic Keratosis, Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma, and Basal Cell Carcinoma: A Retrospective Case Series.","authors":"Karolina Königsberger, Konrad Urech, Marcus Reif, Stephan Baumgartner, David Martin, Wilfried Tröger","doi":"10.1159/000537979","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000537979","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) and basal cell carcinoma (BCC) belong to the group of keratinocyte carcinomas (KC). Actinic keratosis (AK) is a precursor lesion of cSCC. The incidences of cSCC, BCC, and AK are currently strongly increasing. Different standard therapies exist for these conditions but are not always applicable or successful. Hydrophilic Viscum album extracts have been used in anthroposophic cancer therapy since 1917. Viscum album lipophilic extract (VALE) is prepared by means of supercritical CO2 extraction. This retrospective case series assessed the safety and clinical effects of a topical application of 10% VALE in individual cases of cSCC, BCC, and AK.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>For this retrospective case series, a positive vote was obtained from the Ethics Committee of the University of Witten/Herdecke (No. 146/2020). Eligible patients signed a declaration of consent prior to inclusion in the study. The main outcome parameters were the clinical response to treatment with VALE and adverse drug reactions. Risk factors, concomitant therapies and diseases, further diagnostic and therapeutic information were documented where available. Data analysis was performed on the level of patients and of individual lesions.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The study population consisted of 55 patients with 74 skin lesions. Individual case analysis accompanied by photographic documentation revealed typical and promising treatment courses. Clinical response rates (complete + partial remissions) for individual lesions were 78% for cSCC, 70% for BCC, and 71% for AK. Complete remission rates for individual lesions were 56% for cSCC, 35% for BCC, and 15% for AK. In cSCC and BCC, shorter times to best clinical response were observed. Adverse drug reactions were reported in 5 patients including erythema and inflammatory reactions of mostly moderate severity that resolved completely. In one case, therapy was temporarily paused, in four cases it was continued without interruption.</p><p><strong>Discussion/conclusion: </strong>The results of this study suggest that VALE is a safe and tolerable extract under whose application complete and partial remissions of KC could be observed. To improve and assess the efficacy of VALE, prospective investigations are necessary.</p><p><p><title>Einleitung</title>Das kutane Plattenepithelkarzinom (cSCC) und das Basalzellkarzinom (BCC) gehören zur Gruppe der Keratinozytenkarzinome (KC). Die aktinische Keratose (AK) ist eine Vorstufe des cSCC. Die Häufigkeit von cSCC, BCC und AK ist derzeit stark im Steigen begriffen. Es gibt verschiedene Standardtherapien für diese Erkrankungen, die jedoch nicht immer anwendbar oder erfolgreich sind. Hydrophile <italic>Viscum album</italic>-Extrakte werden seit 1917 in der anthroposophischen Krebstherapie eingesetzt. <italic>Viscum album</italic> Lipophilic Extract (VALE) wird mittels überkritischer CO2-Extraktion hergestellt. In dieser ","PeriodicalId":10541,"journal":{"name":"Complementary Medicine Research","volume":" ","pages":"241-252"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140048914","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-01-01Epub Date: 2024-01-11DOI: 10.1159/000536193
Dorin Ritzmann
<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Urogenital atrophy and its sequelae, particularly genital dryness, urological problems, and pain on genital touching, are common medical problems for menopausal women and women undergoing antihormonal cancer treatment. To meet the requirements for a nonhormonal local treatment, a compounded herbal preparation was developed as a vaginal ovule (Dioscorea comp. ovulum), and the efficacy and applicability of this herbal treatment were investigated.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This was a retrospective chart review of patients' records. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Canton of Zurich (project number BASEC 2016-01982). Between 2007 and 2011, patients with urogenital atrophy and related symptoms, who wanted to initiate herbal treatment, were asked for consent to be interviewed (4-point rating scale) and examined gynecologically with photo documentation of their vaginal discharge. A total of 26 patients met the enrollment criteria and consented to the procedure. The first 8 weeks consisted of a daily application of low-dose Dioscorea comp. ovulum followed by high-dose Dioscorea comp. ovule twice weekly for at least 3 months.</p><p><strong>Result: </strong>A total of 23 patients completed the trial. Of the 19 patients in the subgroup with an atrophic vaginal maturation index (VMI), 16 achieved a eutrophic VMI. Four patients began therapy with hypotrophy. There was a 96% decrease in complaints (22/23). The genital dryness score decreased from 1.80 to 0.25 points, urological problems from 2.38 to 0.85 points, and pain on genital touching from 1.70 to 0.60 points. Application, tolerability, and medical safety of the formula were good.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The phytotherapeutic compounded preparation Dioscorea comp. ovule (Dioscorea villosa, Glycine max, Salvia officinalis) is suitable for the treatment of urogenital atrophy and its sequelae.</p><p><p><title>Hintergrund</title>Urogenitale Atrophie und ihre Folgeerscheinungen, insbesondere genitale Trockenheit, urologische Probleme und schmerzhafte genitale Berührungen, sind ein häufiges medizinisches Problem bei menopausalen Frauen und Frauen unter antihormoneller Krebstherapie. Um den Bedarf an einer nicht-hormonellen lokalen Behandlung zu decken, wurde ein pflanzliches Präparat in Form eines Vaginal-Ovulum (<italic>Dioscorea</italic> comp. Ovulum) entwickelt. Wirksamkeit und Anwendbarkeit dieser pflanzlichen Behandlung werden untersucht.<title>Patientinnen und Methoden</title>Es handelt sich um eine retrospektive Analyse. Das Studienprotokoll wurde von der Ethikkommission des Kantons Zürich genehmigt (Projekt Nummer BASEC 2016-01982). Zwischen 2007 und 2011 wurden geeignete Patientinnen mit urogenitaler Atrophie und assoziierten Beschwerden, die mit einer pflanzlichen Behandlung beginnen wollten, um ihr Einverständnis zu einer Befragung (4-Punkte-Score) und gynäkologischen Untersuchungen mit Fotodokumentation des Vaginalausflusses (Nat
{"title":"Herbal Treatment of Female Urogenital Atrophy: A Retrospective Cohort Analysis.","authors":"Dorin Ritzmann","doi":"10.1159/000536193","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000536193","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Urogenital atrophy and its sequelae, particularly genital dryness, urological problems, and pain on genital touching, are common medical problems for menopausal women and women undergoing antihormonal cancer treatment. To meet the requirements for a nonhormonal local treatment, a compounded herbal preparation was developed as a vaginal ovule (Dioscorea comp. ovulum), and the efficacy and applicability of this herbal treatment were investigated.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This was a retrospective chart review of patients' records. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Canton of Zurich (project number BASEC 2016-01982). Between 2007 and 2011, patients with urogenital atrophy and related symptoms, who wanted to initiate herbal treatment, were asked for consent to be interviewed (4-point rating scale) and examined gynecologically with photo documentation of their vaginal discharge. A total of 26 patients met the enrollment criteria and consented to the procedure. The first 8 weeks consisted of a daily application of low-dose Dioscorea comp. ovulum followed by high-dose Dioscorea comp. ovule twice weekly for at least 3 months.</p><p><strong>Result: </strong>A total of 23 patients completed the trial. Of the 19 patients in the subgroup with an atrophic vaginal maturation index (VMI), 16 achieved a eutrophic VMI. Four patients began therapy with hypotrophy. There was a 96% decrease in complaints (22/23). The genital dryness score decreased from 1.80 to 0.25 points, urological problems from 2.38 to 0.85 points, and pain on genital touching from 1.70 to 0.60 points. Application, tolerability, and medical safety of the formula were good.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The phytotherapeutic compounded preparation Dioscorea comp. ovule (Dioscorea villosa, Glycine max, Salvia officinalis) is suitable for the treatment of urogenital atrophy and its sequelae.</p><p><p><title>Hintergrund</title>Urogenitale Atrophie und ihre Folgeerscheinungen, insbesondere genitale Trockenheit, urologische Probleme und schmerzhafte genitale Berührungen, sind ein häufiges medizinisches Problem bei menopausalen Frauen und Frauen unter antihormoneller Krebstherapie. Um den Bedarf an einer nicht-hormonellen lokalen Behandlung zu decken, wurde ein pflanzliches Präparat in Form eines Vaginal-Ovulum (<italic>Dioscorea</italic> comp. Ovulum) entwickelt. Wirksamkeit und Anwendbarkeit dieser pflanzlichen Behandlung werden untersucht.<title>Patientinnen und Methoden</title>Es handelt sich um eine retrospektive Analyse. Das Studienprotokoll wurde von der Ethikkommission des Kantons Zürich genehmigt (Projekt Nummer BASEC 2016-01982). Zwischen 2007 und 2011 wurden geeignete Patientinnen mit urogenitaler Atrophie und assoziierten Beschwerden, die mit einer pflanzlichen Behandlung beginnen wollten, um ihr Einverständnis zu einer Befragung (4-Punkte-Score) und gynäkologischen Untersuchungen mit Fotodokumentation des Vaginalausflusses (Nat","PeriodicalId":10541,"journal":{"name":"Complementary Medicine Research","volume":" ","pages":"124-132"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11098024/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139424465","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is leading to unknown and unusual health conditions that are challenging to manage. Post-COVID-19 fatigue is one of those challenges, becoming increasingly common as the pandemic evolves, as it impairs the quality of life of an individual. This trial attempts to identify the preliminary evidence of the efficacy of individualized homeopathic medicines (IHMs) against placebos in the treatment of post-COVID-19 fatigue in adults.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A 3-month, single-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-arm trial was conducted at the outpatient department of The Calcutta Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, India. Sixty participants were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive either IHMs (n = 30) or identical-looking placebos (n = 30). The primary and secondary outcome measures were the Fatigue Assessment Scale (FAS) and Outcome in Relation to Impact on Daily Living (ORIDL), respectively, measured every month, for up to 3 months. Comparative analysis was carried out on the intention-to-treat sample to detect group differences.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Group differences in both the primary (FAS total: F1, 58 = 14.356, p < 0.001) and secondary outcomes (ORIDL: F1, 58 = 210.986, p < 0.001) after 3 months favored IHMs against placebos. Lycopodium clavatum (11.7%), sulfur (11.7%), Arsenicum album (10%), and Thuja occidentalis (10%) were the most frequently indicated medicines. No harm, unintended effects, homeopathic aggravations, or any serious adverse events were reported from either of the groups.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>IHMs produced significantly better effects than placebos in the treatment of post-COVID-19 fatigue in adults. Definitive robust trials may be undertaken to confirm the findings.</p><p><p><title>Einleitung</title>Die Coronainfektion (COVID-19) zieht unbekannte und ungewöhnliche gesundheitliche Probleme nach sich, deren Management oft eine Herausforderung darstellt. Das gilt unter anderem für Ermüdung nach einer COVID-19-Erkrankung, die mit zunehmender Dauer der Pandemie immer häufiger auftritt und die Lebensqualität der Betroffenen beeinträchtigt. In dieser Studie wird versucht, vorläufige Belege für die Wirksamkeit individualisierter homöopathischer Mittel (IHM) im Vergleich zu Placebo zur Behandlung von Ermüdung nach COVID-19 bei Erwachsenen zu identifizieren.<title>Methoden</title>Eine einfach verblindete, randomisierte, placebokontrollierte Parallelgruppenstudie von 3 Monaten Dauer wurde im ambulanten Bereich des Calcutta Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital in Indien durchgeführt. 60 Teilnehmer erhielten nach Randomisierung im Verhältnis 1:1 entweder IHM (<italic>n</italic> = 30) oder identisch aussehendes Placebo (<italic>n</italic> = 30). Die primäre und die sekundäre Zielgröße waren die Fatigue Assessment Scale (FAS) und das Outcome in Relation to Impact on Daily Living (ORIDL) für bis zu 3 Monate, je
{"title":"Individualized Homeopathic Medicines in the Treatment of Post-COVID-19 Fatigue in Adults: Single-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial.","authors":"Sangita Saha, Rakesh Singh, Ishika Mani, Kalyan Chakraborty, Paulami Sarkar, Subhranil Saha, Abhijit Rana, Rajat Chattopadhyay","doi":"10.1159/000535279","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000535279","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is leading to unknown and unusual health conditions that are challenging to manage. Post-COVID-19 fatigue is one of those challenges, becoming increasingly common as the pandemic evolves, as it impairs the quality of life of an individual. This trial attempts to identify the preliminary evidence of the efficacy of individualized homeopathic medicines (IHMs) against placebos in the treatment of post-COVID-19 fatigue in adults.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A 3-month, single-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-arm trial was conducted at the outpatient department of The Calcutta Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, India. Sixty participants were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive either IHMs (n = 30) or identical-looking placebos (n = 30). The primary and secondary outcome measures were the Fatigue Assessment Scale (FAS) and Outcome in Relation to Impact on Daily Living (ORIDL), respectively, measured every month, for up to 3 months. Comparative analysis was carried out on the intention-to-treat sample to detect group differences.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Group differences in both the primary (FAS total: F1, 58 = 14.356, p < 0.001) and secondary outcomes (ORIDL: F1, 58 = 210.986, p < 0.001) after 3 months favored IHMs against placebos. Lycopodium clavatum (11.7%), sulfur (11.7%), Arsenicum album (10%), and Thuja occidentalis (10%) were the most frequently indicated medicines. No harm, unintended effects, homeopathic aggravations, or any serious adverse events were reported from either of the groups.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>IHMs produced significantly better effects than placebos in the treatment of post-COVID-19 fatigue in adults. Definitive robust trials may be undertaken to confirm the findings.</p><p><p><title>Einleitung</title>Die Coronainfektion (COVID-19) zieht unbekannte und ungewöhnliche gesundheitliche Probleme nach sich, deren Management oft eine Herausforderung darstellt. Das gilt unter anderem für Ermüdung nach einer COVID-19-Erkrankung, die mit zunehmender Dauer der Pandemie immer häufiger auftritt und die Lebensqualität der Betroffenen beeinträchtigt. In dieser Studie wird versucht, vorläufige Belege für die Wirksamkeit individualisierter homöopathischer Mittel (IHM) im Vergleich zu Placebo zur Behandlung von Ermüdung nach COVID-19 bei Erwachsenen zu identifizieren.<title>Methoden</title>Eine einfach verblindete, randomisierte, placebokontrollierte Parallelgruppenstudie von 3 Monaten Dauer wurde im ambulanten Bereich des Calcutta Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital in Indien durchgeführt. 60 Teilnehmer erhielten nach Randomisierung im Verhältnis 1:1 entweder IHM (<italic>n</italic> = 30) oder identisch aussehendes Placebo (<italic>n</italic> = 30). Die primäre und die sekundäre Zielgröße waren die Fatigue Assessment Scale (FAS) und das Outcome in Relation to Impact on Daily Living (ORIDL) für bis zu 3 Monate, je","PeriodicalId":10541,"journal":{"name":"Complementary Medicine Research","volume":" ","pages":"1-9"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138440346","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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