Complementary Medicine Research最新文献

Background: The increasing prevalence of myopia among Chinese children and adolescents, especially at younger ages, has emerged as a significant concern in recent years. Pre-myopia is a key period for myopia prevention and control in children and adolescents. Previous studies suggested auricular acupressure (AA) therapy might offer a viable approach to prevent and slow down myopia progression. Nonetheless, these studies lack robust, high-quality, large-scale, multi-center evidence to conclusively support such assertions. The purpose of this research is to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and economic benefits of AA therapy in preventing myopia in Chinese children aged 6-12 years with pre-myopia.

Methods: The single-blind, multi-center, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial will involve 318 pre-myopic children from 20 different centers across China. After recruitment, these participants will be randomly assigned to two groups (the AA group and the control group) at a 1:1 ratio. The AA group will receive auricular point sticking therapy along with health education for a period of 24 weeks, while the control group will be provided the sham AA treatment and routine health education. The assessments of outcomes will be conducted at the start of this study, and then after 4, 8, 12, and 24 weeks. The primary outcome is the change in spherical equivalent refraction at various follow-up times. The secondary outcomes include the number of myopia cases, uncorrected visual acuity, axial length, corneal curvature radius, accommodation amplitude, retinal and choroidal thickness, and eye behavior management. In addition, the cost-effectiveness analysis will be used as the evaluation index for economic assessment.

Discussion: The results of this research will provide evidence on the efficacy, safety, and economic benefits of AA therapy in preventing myopia among children aged 6-12 years with pre-myopia in China.

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.

Background: Low back pain (LBP) is a prevalent condition that significantly affects work productivity and quality of life. Despite advancements in treatment, LBP continues to pose a global health challenge, with increasing research on manipulative therapy as a non-invasive treatment option. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of global research trends in manipulative therapy for LBP.

Summary: This study utilized the Web of Science Core Collection database to analyze global research dynamics on manipulative therapy for LBP from 1998 to 2023. A total of 2,879 articles were identified and analyzed using CiteSpace software, revealing key research trends, leading countries, and influential contributors. The analysis demonstrated that research on manipulative therapy for LBP has been steadily increasing, particularly between 2019 and 2021. The USA, the Netherlands, and Denmark were among the leading countries in this field. Core research concepts identified through keyword co-occurrence analysis include "low back pain," "manipulative therapy," and "spinal manipulation."

Key messages: Manipulative therapy for LBP is a growing field with increasing global interest, particularly between 2019 and 2021. The USA, Netherlands, and Denmark are leading contributors to the research, with notable academic collaborations. Future research should focus on comparative treatment effectiveness, safety assessments, and mechanistic analyses to further validate the role of manipulative therapy in LBP management.

Introduction: Breast cancer is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality among female cancers globally. Hot flashes are among the most bothersome complications in women with breast cancer. Acupuncture is a common complementary approach for cancer worldwide. Here we aimed to determine the differential effect between acupuncture and sham acupuncture on hot flashes among breast cancer patients.

Methods: Eight English and Chinese databases through 10 October 2024, such as PubMed, Cochrane Library, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, etc., were searched to identify the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) about acupuncture relative to sham control treating breast cancer patients experiencing hot flashes. Outcomes included hot flash frequency per day, hot flash severity score, quality of life related to hot flashes, response rate. Continuous variables and categorical ones were expressed as standardized mean difference (SMD) or MD, and risk ratio (RR), with 95% confidence interval (CI), respectively, for meta-analysis. Sensitivity analysis and Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE) of evidence were conducted additionally.

Results: Eight RCTs involving 493 participants were included. Relative to sham control, acupuncture was significantly more efficacious in improving the quality of life of breast cancer patients experiencing hot flashes (165 participants, SMD [95% CI]: -1.01 [-1.99, -0.03], I2 = 88%, p = 0.04) at the end of treatment, as well as at follow-up of over 3 months (59 participants, MD [95% CI]: -3.38 [-4.83, -1.93]). With respect to response rate, acupuncture achieved a higher rate versus sham acupuncture (118 subjects, RR [95% CI]:2.66 [1.63, 4.36], I2 = 0, p < 0.0001). Sensitivity analysis solely supported the statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of response rate (RR [95% CI]: 2.14 [1.03, 4.44]) or 3.20 [1.64, 6.23]). As for frequency and hot flash severity, no difference was noted between groups. GRADE of evidence showed low to very low quality.

Conclusions: Acupuncture reached a significantly higher response rate compared to sham control in breast cancer patients with hot flashes, whereas its efficacy on the quality of life showed inconsistency. Given significant heterogeneity and low quality of evidence, future large-sample-size and high-quality RCTs are warranted.

Background: Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is widely used as an adjuvant therapy for advanced gastric cancer (AGC), yet its underlying mechanisms and targets remain inadequately characterized.

Methods: This study integrated meta-analysis and network pharmacology to evaluate the therapeutic effects of TCM, identify core-effective prescriptions (CEPs), and predict potential molecular targets.

Results: Seventeen studies comparing TCM combined with chemotherapy versus chemotherapy alone for AGC were identified through a search of seven databases. Meta-analysis showed that TCM significantly improved overall survival (OS) (hazard ratio: 1.65, 95% confidence interval: 1.23-2.22, p < 0.001, I2 = 0%). CEPs and their chemical constituents were identified. A component-target (C-T) network was constructed, revealing the top 10 core genes were TP53, AKT1, CASP3, MYC, IL6, ESR1, EGFR, TNF, PTEN, and HIF1A.

Conclusion: This meta-analysis demonstrates that TCM combined with chemotherapy improves OS in AGC patients more effectively than chemotherapy alone. Network pharmacology offered complementary mechanistic insights, laying a foundation for future experimental research.

Introduction: The popularity of yoga practice is steadily increasing. Previous studies have highlighted numerous beneficial effects of yoga. The present study aimed to investigate gratitude as a mediator of the relationship between yoga and well-being. Additionally, we examined the role of the involvement in yoga philosophy.

Methods: A total of 344 yoga practitioners aged between 19 and 87 years completed an online survey. Yoga practice was operationalized via the frequency of practice in days per week. The Yoga Immersion Scale was used to measure the respondents' involvement in yoga philosophy.

Results: We found positive associations between yoga frequency and well-being and between gratitude and well-being. There was no evidence for the hypothesized mediating effect of gratitude. Furthermore, yoga immersion did neither moderate the direct relationship between yoga and well-being nor the indirect relationship via gratitude; however, significant correlations between yoga immersion and gratitude and between yoga immersion and well-being were found.

Conclusion: The results underscore the relevance of yoga immersion for yoga practice, but at the same time, new questions arise, particularly concerning the role of gratitude. Future research is needed to further gain a better understanding of these relationships.

Background: Constipation is a common gastrointestinal disease that seriously affects quality of life. Although abdominal massage (AM) has shown some therapeutic effects in some clinical practices, high-quality evidence on AM treating constipation is still scarce.

Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to thoroughly investigate the efficacy and safety of AM treatment for constipation.

Methods: According to the PRISMA guidelines, we searched the PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Embase, and Scopus databases for English-language studies published up to July 2025. We searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating AM for constipation and screened them according to predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration tool (RevMan 5.30). Heterogeneity among trials was measured using the I2 statistic. Effect sizes were expressed as standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Additionally, sensitivity analyses, subgroup analyses, and meta-regression analyses were conducted to further explore sources of heterogeneity.

Results: A total of 25 RCTs published from 2009 to 2024 involving 1,508 subjects were included after screening, of which 19 were included in the meta-analysis. The overall risk of bias in the included studies was low. Our findings demonstrated that AM significantly improved constipation severity in patients with constipation (SMD = -1.64, 95% CI = [-2.26, -1.01], p < 0.00001); quality of life (SMD = -1.71, 95% CI = [-2.31, -1.11], p < 0.00001); number of bowel movements per week (SMD = 1.17, 95% CI = [0.70, 1.65], p < 0.00001); stool consistency (SMD = 1.2, 95% CI = [0.05, 2.36], p = 0.04); and pain intensity associated with constipation (SMD = -1.26, 95% CI = [-1.74, -0.77], p < 0.00001). Subgroup analyses further indicated that even short-term AM interventions may positively impact on patients with constipation. Additionally, regarding safety, most included trials did not report adverse events.

Conclusion: AM is safe and effective in the treatment of constipation. Although the results of sensitivity analysis and subgroup analysis provide important guidance for clinical selection of AM treatment options, these results need to be interpreted with caution given the diversity of constipation etiologies.

Introduction: Infertility is a significant health problem with psycho-social burden for couples. Ayurveda considers a holistic approach, including complex multimodal regimens in managing infertility. Increasing evidence has shown that Yoga as an adjuvant to infertility treatment increases pregnancy rates. Therefore, this research will investigate the comparative efficacy of Ayurveda regimen and letrozole, along with integration of Yoga in both groups in female infertility.

Methods: The primary outcome, ovulation rate, will be measured through serial transvaginal sonography (TVS) for six consecutive menstrual cycles. The secondary outcome, conception rate, will be measured by definitive signs of pregnancy. Participants' quality of life will be assessed using the Ferti Quality of Life (FertiQOL) tool. The study will randomize 160 women aged 21-40 years diagnosed with anovulatory or unexplained infertility into two groups using permuted block randomization. Participants in group I will receive internal oleation with Phala Ghrita and mild purgation with Gandharvahasta (GH) oil for three consecutive cycles. Standard care group II participants will receive letrozole tablet once daily from day 3 to day 7 of the menstrual cycle for three cycles. The yoga instructor will take yoga sessions for participants of both groups for 6 months. This study will also use machine learning (ML) models to compare two regimens to predict improvements in outcome variables. The goal was to develop an online platform that aids personalized treatment planning and enhances clinical decision-making.

Discussion: This will be the first study to generate evidence on the efficacy of integrated treatment regimens in female infertility, where predictive ML models will be developed.

Introduction: The study evaluated the recurrence of acute upper respiratory tract infections (aURTIs) and the number of antibiotic prescriptions within a 12-month follow-up period in patients prescribed with either homeopathic medicines or medicines from one of four conventional medication classes for aURTI therapy.

Methods: This explorative cohort study used real-world electronic healthcare data from the Disease Analyzer database (IQVIA). Included were patients of all ages from Germany with an index diagnosis of aURTI between 2010 and 2018, who had prescriptions for either homeopathic, conventional cough and cold, nasal, or throat medicines or nonopioid analgesics on the day of diagnosis or within 6 days afterwards. aURTI recurrence was assessed by multivariable logistic regression, the number of antibiotic prescriptions by multivariable negative binomial regression.

Results: From 3,628,295 patients with aURTI diagnosis initially identified in the database in the relevant time interval, a total of 610,118 patients, fulfilling the in- and not violating the exclusion criteria, were retained for analysis. In the multivariate analyses on all patients, prescriptions of nasal medicines were associated with a significant, slightly higher (OR: 1.18, CI: 1.10-1.26, p < 0.001) risk of aURTI recurrence compared to homeopathic medicines within 12 months. Prescriptions of cough and cold (OR: 0.92, CI: 0.86-0.97, statistically significant, p = 0.005) as well as throat medicines (OR: 0.93, CI: 0.86-1.01, p = 0.086) and nonopioid analgesics (OR: 0.95, CI: 0.89-1.02, p = 0.181) were associated with slightly lower risk of aURTI recurrence compared to homeopathic medicines. In the analysis of the age-dependent subgroups, there were some deviations from the overall population in terms of statistical significance; however, the directions of the effect estimates were unchanged. Almost all results of negative binomial regression analyses assessing differences in the frequency of antibiotic prescriptions during follow-up, both in all patients and in the age-dependent subgroups, were statistically significant in favor of homeopathic medicines.

Conclusion: The study demonstrated that follow-up recurrence and antibiotic prescriptions in patients with uncomplicated aURTI are at least comparable between patients treated with homeopathic and conventional medicines in real-world practice. Despite some methodological limitations inherent to the database used, the results of this study indicate that homeopathic medicines present a valuable therapeutic option for managing aURTI.

Introduction: The study evaluated the recurrence of acute upper respiratory tract infections (aURTIs) and the number of antibiotic prescriptions within a 12-month follow-up period in patients prescribed with either homeopathic medicines or medicines from one of four conventional medication clas