Complementary Medicine Research最新文献

Introduction: Postpartum depressive symptoms (PDS) are common in women after delivery and often progress to postpartum depression (PPD). This secondary analysis aimed to evaluate the effect of acupoint hot compress in patients with different PPD risks.

Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of data from a multicenter randomized controlled trial involving 1,085 participants. Of these, 537 received acupoint hot compress treatment, while 548 received routine postpartum care. Participants were categorized into two groups based on Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) scores measured 76.5 h after delivery. Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics were compared, and logistic regression models were used to assess the association between acupoint hot compress and PDS. Subgroup analyses were used to determine the effect of acupoint hot compress on participants with different PPD risks.

Results: Among the 1,085 participants, 866 were in the low-risk PPD group (EPDS score <9), and 219 in the high-risk PPD group (EPDS score ≥9). Educational level, labor induction, postpartum uterine contraction pain intensity, sleep and appetite during pregnancy significantly impacted PDS. Acupoint hot compress significantly improved PDS after vaginal delivery, particularly in high-risk PPD patients with lower educational levels, abnormal pregnancy appetite or sleep, and serve postpartum uterine contraction pain.

Conclusion: Acupoint hot compress is an effective, non-invasive intervention with minimal side effects for improving PDS.

In the article "Commonality Analysis of High-Quality Acupuncture Clinical Trial Articles" [Complement Med Res. 2025;32:314-325; https://doi.org/10.1159/000547403] by Ou et al., the equal contribution of Silin Ou and Ming Dong as co-first authors was inadvertently omitted in the published version.Silin Ou and Ming Dong contributed equally to this work and are co-first authors.

Introduction: Dizziness and vertigo are prevalent reasons for medical consultation, stemming from various benign and pathological conditions. Although traditional treatments are available, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) approaches are increasingly sought by patients for almost all diseases. This study aimed to investigate the use of CAM approaches in individuals with and without vertigo/dizziness and to compare the results.

Methods: The study enrolled 208 participants, 104 of them had complaints of vertigo/dizziness (patient group) and the remaining were without such symptoms (control group). Participants were queried about used CAM approaches, and study participants underwent vestibular assessment.

Results: It was revealed that there was a significant higher prevalence of herbal supplement usage among individuals with vertigo/dizziness complaints compared to without vertigo/dizziness. However, no significant differences were found in the usage of other CAM approaches between the groups. Among CAM users in the patient group, the majority did not aim to alleviate vertigo/dizziness symptoms.

Conclusions: This study contributes to understanding CAM utilization patterns among vertigo/dizziness patients and underscores the importance of further research to explore the efficacy and safety of CAM approaches in managing these symptoms. Future studies should take into account socioeconomic and sociocultural factors affecting the use of CAM approaches and should aim to evaluate the effectiveness of specific CAM approaches in the treatment of vertigo/dizziness.

Background: Previous studies on nostril-regulated breathing have contrasting findings attributed to lack of controls or not taking into account baseline nostril patency. This randomized crossover study on the effects of three nostril-regulated yoga breathing practices and two controls on mood states and attention attempted to address these issues.

Materials and methods: Forty-five participants between 20 and 45 years (group mean age ± SD; 24.3 ± 3.8 years; M:F: 23:22) were assessed in five sessions in random order on five separate days. Nostril patency-recorded pre-interventions in 225 sessions showed right nostril dominant at rest (RNDR) in 136 and left nostril dominant at rest (LNDR) in 89 sessions. The sessions were (i) SAV or right uninostril breathing, (ii) CAV or left uninostril breathing, (iii) AV or alternate nostril yoga breathing, (iv) breath awareness, and (v) quiet seated rest (QS). The practices were for 15 min each. Nostril patency was recorded pre, and Brief Mood Introspection Scale (BMIS), Global Vigor and Affect Scale (GVAS), and Six-Letter Cancellation Test (SLCT) were recorded pre- and post-each session. Data analysis used general linear mixed model analysis, with fixed effects of states (pre and post), sessions, and baseline nostril dominance (right or left).

Results: A significant interaction of sessions, states, and nostril dominance at baseline was observed for total global affect (F9,396.194 = 2.871, p = 0.003) which increased after SAV, CAV, AV, and QS in participants' RNDR (padj < 0.05 in all cases). A significant main effect of states was observed followed by significant post hoc pairwise comparison in RNDR for (i) pleasant mood after SAV, CAV, AV, and QS, (ii) positive mood after SAV and AV, (iii) global vigor (GV) after SAV, CAV, AV, and QS, and (iv) a decrease in negative mood after CAV and AV, while the volunteers who had LNDR showed a significant increase in (i) PU after CAV, AV, and QR, (ii) PT after CAV, and (iii) GV after CAV and QS.

Conclusion: Nostril dominance pre-intervention appears to influence the effects of nostril-regulated yoga breathing practices.

Introduction: Various aspects of yoga have been researched for their psychological benefits, yet the neurological mechanisms underlying physical yoga postures (asana) remain inadequately explored due to limitations in prior neuroimaging techniques. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) has been established as an important region of interest concerning psychological health. Therefore, this study aimed to characterize changes in the PFC before, during, and after asana by applying the functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) mobile neuroimaging technique.

Methods: Twenty-seven healthy adults completed two 6-min, task-independent resting states before and after a 23-min asana routine. With the fNIRS device positioned on the frontal region of the skull, PFC activity was measured during each asana and resting state. The block design involved alternating between three active postures and one control posture. Each active posture was performed for 30 s and repeated 8 times, while the control posture was held during inter-trial intervals lasting 25-30 s. Across the session, this block design resulted in a total of 24 active blocks (8 repetitions of each active posture) and 25 baseline blocks (control posture intervals).

Results: All three active asanas significantly increased PFC activity versus baseline, particularly in the right PFC. Furthermore, analysis of short-term changes in resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) revealed a significant decrease, primarily in the left medial PFC, a key region of the default mode network (DMN), an area known to exhibit heightened activity in individuals suffering from depression and anxiety.

Conclusion: This study provides neurological insight into the effects of yoga asana and supports fNIRS for assessing movement-based practices in real-world settings.

Background: Despite the potential cognitive benefits of ginseng, evidence of its effects on cognitive function remains limited. We aimed to evaluate the association between ginseng and cognitive function in individuals with cognitive or memory impairment including those with subjective memory impairment, mild cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer's disease through a systematic review and meta-analysis of recent randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

Methods: We searched six databases: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Korean Studies Information Service System (KISS), Research Information Sharing Service (RISS), and ScienceON, for RCTs investigating the effects of ginseng on cognitive function up to April 26, 2024. Two independent researchers assessed the methodological quality and risk of bias of the extracted studies. Data were presented as the mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence interval (CI), and a subgroup analysis was performed based on ginseng dosage.

Results: Eight studies were included in this meta-analysis. The results suggested that ginseng may have a potential effect on cognitive improvement. Ginseng consumption showed a significant effect on increasing Mini-Mental State Examination scores (MD = 0.68; 95% CI: 0.03, 1.32; p = 0.04; I2 = 66%). For Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale, a significant reduction in scores was observed in both the total (MD = -1.10; 95% CI: -1.82, -0.38; p = 0.003; I2 = 0%) and low-dose groups (MD = -1.09; 95% CI: -1.96, -0.22; p = 0.01; I2 = 0%).

Conclusion: Ginseng consumption was found to be beneficial for changes in certain cognitive function-related indicators. However, further research is required to determine the long-term effects of ginseng based on dosage.

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.