European Journal of Integrative Medicine最新文献

{"title":"Effects and safety of scalp acupuncture on swallowing function in patients with post-stroke dysphagia: A meta-analysis","authors":"GuanChao Chen ,&nbsp;WeiYu Wang ,&nbsp;HangYu Li ,&nbsp;Hong Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102598","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102598","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>This study aimed to evaluate the safety and feasibility of scalp acupuncture (SA) on swallowing function in patients with post-stroke dysphagia (PSD).</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Data, VIP Database, SinoMed, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, and Web of Science were searched from database inception to 26 April 2025. The risk of bias was assessed using Cochrane Risk of Bias 2.0 (RoB 2.0). Statistical analysis was performed using Stata 18.0.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Eighteen eligible papers, involving 1410 patients with PSD, were included. Meta-analysis showed that compared to conventional interventions alone, SA combined with conventional interventions significantly reduced water swallowing test (WST) scores [SMD=-1.00, 95 % CI (-1.35, -0.66), <em>Z</em>=-5.701, <em>P</em> = 0.000], reduced standardized swallowing assessment (SSA) scores [MD=-3.78, 95 % CI (-4.89, -2.68), <em>Z</em>=- 6.692, <em>P</em> = 0.000], increased swallowing quality of life (SWAL-QOL) scores [MD = 33.26, 95 % CI (12.79, 53.73), <em>Z</em> = 3.185, <em>P</em> = 0.001], reduced videofluoroscopic dysphagia scale (VDS) scores [MD = 6.28, 95 % CI (4.01, 8.55), <em>Z</em> = 5.419, <em>P</em> = 0.000], and increased Barthel index (BI) scores [MD = 11.62, 95 % CI (9.76, 13.48), <em>Z</em> = 12.248, <em>P</em> = 0.000]. The WST scores, SSA scores, and SWAL-QOL scores exhibited high heterogeneity. A funnel plot suggested no publication bias in WST scores (<em>t</em> = 0.78, <em>P</em> = 0.457). Sensitivity analysis showed strong robustness in the meta-analysis results for WST scores and SSA scores, while potential sources of heterogeneity were identified in SWAL-QOL scores. The quality of evidence was low for SWAL-QOL scores and high for the remaining scores.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Compared with conventional interventions alone, SA combined with conventional interventions has more advantages in improving the scores in WST, SSA, and SWAL-QOL in the treatment of PSD. However, the reliability of this conclusion is constrained by the low quality of evidence for outcome measures, the lack of regular follow-up, and the unclear risk of adverse events. To consolidate research findings and provide more reliable clinical guidance, future studies should prioritize conducting multicenter double-blind trials that incorporate regular follow-up, objective assessments, and standardized protocols.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11932,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Integrative Medicine","volume":"81 ","pages":"Article 102598"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145786860","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":"Using explainable machine learning to identify predictors of Kangaroo mother care implementation in Sierra Leone's healthcare system","authors":"Afeez A. Soladoye ,&nbsp;David B. Olawade ,&nbsp;Joseph E. Origbo ,&nbsp;Kobloobase O. Usani ,&nbsp;Ayomide Israel Adekoya ,&nbsp;Ojima Z. Wada ,&nbsp;Augustus Osborne","doi":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102596","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102596","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) reduces neonatal mortality and improves thermoregulation and breastfeeding, yet uptake remains inconsistent in Sierra Leone. Predictive and explainable tools could target implementation where the need is most significant and resources are scarce. This study aimed to predict KMC adoption and identify actionable predictors using explainable machine learning.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We analysed a nationally representative dataset from Sierra Leone comprising 7737 births. The study setting was Sierra Leone's healthcare system, with participants including mothers who delivered in health facilities. Following data preprocessing (imputation, MinMax normalisation, categorical encoding, and SMOTE for class imbalance), forward-backward selection reduced 22 candidate variables to 10 key predictors. Five classifiers were trained using a 70:30 stratified split: K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN), logistic regression (LR), Support Vector Machine (SVM), Random Forest (RF), and XGBoost. The outcome was KMC adoption (binary: received/not received). Performance was evaluated using accuracy, precision, recall, F1-score, and ROC-AUC. Interpretability was achieved through SHAP and LIME for global and local explanations.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>XGBoost performed best (accuracy 0.72, precision 0.75, recall 0.81, F1 0.78, ROC AUC 0.7685), followed by Random Forest. Predictors associated with KMC included delivery by caesarean section, type of birth, maternal employment, number of antenatal visits, place of delivery, health insurance coverage, and region, while sampling design variables captured contextual heterogeneity. SHAP and LIME consistently highlighted delivery characteristics and socio-economic factors as primary drivers.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Explainable ensemble models can flag infants likely to receive or miss KMC and indicate modifiable levers for improvement. High recall supports use as a screening aid to prioritise counselling, facility preparedness, and postnatal support. Prospective validation, threshold calibration, and integration within routine health information systems are warranted to translate these insights into sustained increases in KMC coverage in Sierra Leone and similar settings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11932,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Integrative Medicine","volume":"81 ","pages":"Article 102596"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145786910","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":"Prakriti-based differences in olfactory perception and receptor gene expression: An Ayurgenomics approach","authors":"Deepika Saini ,&nbsp;Heena Saini ,&nbsp;Neha Singh ,&nbsp;Richa Tripathi ,&nbsp;Meera K. Bhojani","doi":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102599","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102599","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Ayurgenomics, a pioneering approach integrating Ayurveda and genomics, offers a novel perspective to examine inter-individual variability in terms of health, disease susceptibility, and its recovery. This study explores the relationship between <em>Ayurvedic Prakritis</em> (<em>Vata, Pitta, Kapha</em>) and olfactory perception, alongside its underlying genetic expression patterns, to better understand the biological basis of <em>Prakriti</em> classification. This study aimed to examine differences in olfactory perception and olfactory receptor gene expression among individuals with extreme <em>Prakriti</em> types, as classified by <em>Ayurveda</em>, and to explore potential correlations between these molecular variations and <em>Prakriti</em>-specific phenotypes.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A total of 400 candidates (staff, students and patients attendant) from All India Institute of Ayurveda were initially screened using the CCRAS-SAS. Out of these, 300 healthy participants were enrolled and later assessed for three extreme <em>Prakriti</em> phenotypes <em>Vata, Pitta</em>, and <em>Kapha</em>. Among them, 28 were identified with Ekdoshaja Prakriti and chosen for olfactory perception analysis and 24 participants were selected for olfactory receptor gene expression profiling. Olfactory performance was assessed using the <em>Sniffin Sticks Test,</em> evaluating domains, T-score, D-score, and I-score<em>.</em> Expression levels of olfactory genes were quantified using Quantitative PCR.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Significant differences in olfactory performance were observed across the three Prakriti phenotypes, where Kapha showed the best T score, Pitta showed the best D and I score, and Kapha and <em>Pitta</em> had the best TDI score. OR6K3 gene expression was significantly downregulated in <em>Pitta</em> and <em>Kapha Prakritis.</em> However, OR10Z1 gene expression was upregulated in <em>Kapha</em> relative to the other two <em>Prakriti</em>. We have taken <em>Vata Prakriti</em> as reference<em>.</em> Although the study was conducted on a relatively small sample size, the findings provide valuable preliminary insights into the association between Prakriti types, olfactory perception, and OR gene expression.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>This study reveals that individuals from different <em>Prakriti</em> groups display distinct phenotypic traits in olfactory perception along with specific molecular variations. However, these findings should be interpreted in light of the study’s limitations, including a narrow sample drawn from a single institution and a relatively small number of participants. Further studies with larger and more diverse populations are needed to validate these observations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11932,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Integrative Medicine","volume":"81 ","pages":"Article 102599"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145786909","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":"Cannabidiol (CBD): An acceptable non-hormonal treatment option for women suffering with chronic pelvic pain – a cross-sectional observational study","authors":"Aisha Anwar ,&nbsp;Tara Ajith ,&nbsp;Róisín Lewis ,&nbsp;Vickie Kimandi ,&nbsp;Andrew J Drakeley ,&nbsp;Dharani K Hapangama ,&nbsp;Nicola Tempest","doi":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102597","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102597","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) represents a significant health issue among women, profoundly impacting their quality of life. Current treatment modalities primarily include hormonal therapy, analgesics, or surgical interventions, which may have side effects or be unsuitable for women attempting to conceive. The objective of this study is to determine if cannabidiol (CBD) is an acceptable non-hormonal self-management option for women with CPP.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A prospective, cross sectional observational questionnaire study that included 200 women with CPP who attended the gynaecological department at the Liverpool Women’s Hospital (LWH), UK, over a six-month period. The main outcomes included acceptability of CBD as a non-hormonal treatment option for CPP, current treatments/self-management strategies utilised, and interest in participation in future trials investigating CBD for CPP management.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Sixteen % (<em>n</em> = 32) of the questioned cohort were taking alternative treatments, 16.3 % (<em>n</em> = 26) had tried cannabis (prescribed/illicit), and 21.3 % (<em>n</em> = 34) had tried Hemp/CBD oil as an alternative treatment option. A total of 82.5 % (<em>n</em> = 165) of respondents were willing to try CBD; 73.9 % (<em>n</em> = 139) oral, 69.7 % (<em>n</em> = 131) a skin patch, 72.3 % (<em>n</em> = 136) a balm/gel and 33 % (<em>n</em> = 62) a CBD infused tampon. Most women, 75.5 % (<em>n</em> = 151), revealed their willingness to take part in future trials involving CBD as a treatment option.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>CPP remains inadequately treated, leading many women to seek alternative therapies. CBD is considered an acceptable option, with a high proportion of surveyed women reporting current or past use to manage their symptoms.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11932,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Integrative Medicine","volume":"81 ","pages":"Article 102597"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145786859","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":"The effectiveness and safety of GeloMyrtol® forte in the treatment of acute and chronic bronchitis: A rapid review of clinical studies","authors":"Mohsen Sobh ,&nbsp;Mohammad Oli Al Islam ,&nbsp;Katrin Vagedes ,&nbsp;Rolf Heine ,&nbsp;Thomas Breitkreuz ,&nbsp;Henrik Szőke ,&nbsp;Holger Cramer ,&nbsp;Jan Vagedes","doi":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102594","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102594","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Bronchitis is a global health burden characterized by symptoms such as cough, sputum production, and respiratory distress. Although the efficacy of GeloMyrtol forte, an herbal product, in treating bronchitis has been evaluated in clinical trials, no reviews have yet been conducted.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This rapid review included the systematic search of PubMed, Cochrane, CINAHL, and CAMbase from inception to February 2025 for clinical trials that investigated the efficacy of GeloMyrtol forte in treating acute or chronic bronchitis. Two independent reviewers screened the resulting papers for eligibility criteria and extracted the relevant data for data synthesis. The risk of bias in the included randomized controlled trials was assessed using the Revised Cochrane Risk-of-Bias tool (RoB-2).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The systematic search in four databases yielded 28 papers, four of which met the inclusion criteria. These four studies included 1846 patients (511 children) with acute (three studies) or chronic (one study) bronchitis. GeloMyrtol forte reduced cough exacerbations and the need for antibiotics, improved respiratory function and sputum consistency, and led to a statistically significant reduction in symptom duration compared to placebo. Side effects were rare, mainly affecting the gastrointestinal tract, and resolved spontaneously. No study examined the effects of GeloMyrtol forte in pregnancy or lactation.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Oral administration of GeloMyrtol forte reduces the intensity and frequency of the signs and symptoms associated with bronchitis, provided that there is no severe infection and no underlying chronic disease.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11932,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Integrative Medicine","volume":"81 ","pages":"Article 102594"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145733032","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":"Acupoint catgut embedding for functional constipation: a meta-analysis and data mining of randomized controlled trials","authors":"Peijia Li ,&nbsp;Fumin Wang ,&nbsp;Rudan Zheng ,&nbsp;Yuxuan Chao ,&nbsp;Qinxiu Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102593","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102593","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Functional constipation (FC) is a common gastrointestinal disorder. Acupoint catgut embedding (ACE) is widely used for FC management. This review aimed to investigate the effectiveness, safety and core acupoint combinations of ACE for FC.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We searched 9 databases and several registration platforms from inception to July 2025 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing ACE with conventional drugs, manual acupuncture (MA), or sham ACE. Meta-analysis, risk of bias assessment, and GRADE evaluation of evidence certainty were performed. Gephi-0.9.2 was utilized for visualizing the complex networks.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A total of 27 RCTs (<em>n</em> = 2221) were included. ACE significantly improved complete spontaneous bowel movements (CSBM) compared with MA (MD, 1.12, 95 % CI [0.60, 1.64]) and sham ACE (MD, 1.70, 95 % CI [0.94, 2.46]), with the latter exceeding the minimal clinically important difference (MCID). ACE also demonstrated higher total effective rates compared to conventional drugs. (RR, 1.15, 95 % CI [1.09, 1.21]), MA (RR, 1.17, 95 % CI [1.09, 1.25]) and sham ACE (RR, 1.79, 95 % CI [1.18, 2.70]). Superior total effective rate at follow-up was observed over conventional drugs (RR, 1.46, 95 % CI [1.15, 1.84]) and MA (RR, 1.47, 95 % CI [1.06, 2.03]). Additionally, ACE outperformed conventional drugs in improving stool formation (MD, 0.52, 95 % CI [0.18, 0.86]). ACE exhibited a more significant improvement in quality of life compared to conventional drugs (MD, -6.95, 95 % CI [-10.36, -3.54]), MA (MD, -3.11, 95 % CI [-6.06, -0.16], <em>p</em> = 0.04) and sham ACE (MD, -8.18, 95 % CI [-11.63, -4.73]), and all the differences reached the MCID. Adverse events were minimal and occurred infrequently. The evidence certainty ranged from very low to moderate. Core acupoints included ST25, SP15, ST37, RN4, RN12, BL25, ST36, RN6, SJ6.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>ACE may be an effective and safe option for FC, and the analysis of core acupoints provided important treatment direction. Nevertheless, the review highlighted the necessity for well-designed, higher-quality experiments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11932,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Integrative Medicine","volume":"81 ","pages":"Article 102593"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145733035","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":"Integrative approaches to eye health and disease","authors":"Mojtaba Heydari ,&nbsp;Mohammad Hashem Hashempur","doi":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102587","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102587","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>NA</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11932,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Integrative Medicine","volume":"80 ","pages":"Article 102587"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145681378","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":"Opinion: A 2025 review of chiropractic spinal manipulation for headaches was bound for null results","authors":"Zachary E. Scott ,&nbsp;Robert J. Trager ,&nbsp;Casper Nim ,&nbsp;Dean L. Smith","doi":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102591","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102591","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>A systematic review by Ceballos-Laita et al. in 2025 published in the European Journal of Integrative Medicine (DOI: 10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102462) concluded the effectiveness of chiropractic spinal manipulation for cervicogenic, tension-type, and migraine headaches was uncertain, with very low evidence certainty. We highlight limitations in the review’s methods which were bound to lead to a null result that undermine its validity.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Methodological flaws, including, post-hoc protocol deviations, heterogeneity, inconsistencies and potential bias cast doubt on the review’s findings. Clinicians and stakeholders should interpret its results cautiously, considering existing meta-analyses examining spinal manipulation for specific headache types and populations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11932,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Integrative Medicine","volume":"81 ","pages":"Article 102591"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-11-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145733033","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":"Stakeholder preferences for traditional Chinese medicine services: A systematic review of discrete choice experiments in integrative healthcare","authors":"Meiyu Zhu ,&nbsp;Daiying Wu ,&nbsp;Xiaoting Sun ,&nbsp;Tongyu Zhang ,&nbsp;Chunmei Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102592","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102592","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is increasingly being integrated into modern healthcare systems worldwide. Understanding stakeholder preferences for TCM services is essential for developing culturally appropriate, patient-centered models of integrative care. This systematic review aims to synthesize and assess evidence from discrete choice experiments (DCEs) to reveal stakeholder preferences for TCM services.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A systematic literature review was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL, PsycINFO, CNKI, Wanfang, and SinoMed databases up to December 2024. Studies were included if they used DCE methodology to examine stakeholder preferences for TCM services among patients, healthcare providers, or the general population. Non-empirical articles and reviews were excluded. Two reviewers independently conducted the screening, data extraction, and quality appraisal. Data were synthesized narratively, and semi-quantitative analyses were used to evaluate the frequency, importance, and significance of each attribute. The review protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD420250632293).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A total of 23 studies were included. Attributes were primarily identified through literature review and expert consultation. Service cost and service convenience were the most frequently examined attributes. Among the 124 identified attributes, 87.1 % were statistically significant. Service experience, therapeutic effects, and service model were most often ranked as the most important attributes. Willingness-to-pay (WTP) varied considerably, with the highest values observed for service experience.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Stakeholders place considerable value on cost, convenience, and service quality when choosing TCM services. These findings provide important evidence to support the development of personalized, patient-centered TCM service models and inform health policy and practice to enhance the accessibility and acceptance of TCM.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11932,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Integrative Medicine","volume":"81 ","pages":"Article 102592"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-11-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145836857","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":"The efficacy and safety of Shensong Yangxin capsule combination therapy in chronic heart failure combined with atrial fibrillation: A systematic review and meta-analysis","authors":"Heng Sun ,&nbsp;Zuoying Xing ,&nbsp;Genhao Fan ,&nbsp;Jinyu Huang ,&nbsp;Yucai Hu ,&nbsp;Boyong Qiu ,&nbsp;Yankun Song ,&nbsp;Yongxia Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102590","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102590","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>In recent years, ShenSong YangXin capsule (SSYX) has gained widespread application in China as an adjunctive therapy for patients with chronic heart failure combined with atrial fibrillation (CHF-AF). However, its efficacy and safety profile remain subject to debate, and there is a notable lack of relevant systematic reviews and meta-analyses on this topic.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A comprehensive search was conducted across seven databases up to August 25, 2025, identifying eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Meta-analysis, subgroup analysis, and sensitivity analysis were performed using RevMan 5.4 and Stata 15.1. The Risk of Bias 2.0 tool was used to evaluate study quality, and publication bias was assessed with Egger’s test in Stata. Trial sequential analysis and the GRADE framework were utilized to assess the cumulative evidence and certainty of outcomes. The study protocol was prospectively registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023482018).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The meta-analysis included 17 RCTs comprising a total of 1756 patients from China. Results indicated that SSYX combined with conventional medication significantly improved clinical efficacy in patients with CHF-AF [RR 1.18 (95 % CI 1.11, 1.25), <em>p</em> &lt; 0.00001] and reduced the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) [RR 0.31 (95 % CI 0.23, 0.41), <em>p</em> &lt; 0.00001]. Statistically significant improvements were also observed in the following outcomes: B-type natriuretic peptide, N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide, left ventricular ejection fraction, left ventricular end-diastolic diameter, left ventricular end-systolic diameter, QT dispersion (QTd), ventricular rate, and AF duration. Adverse reactions were reported in 11 trials. According to the GRADE framework, one outcome (MACE) was supported by moderate-certainty evidence, three outcomes (clinical efficacy, QTd, and ventricular rate) were graded as low-certainty, and the remaining six outcomes were assessed as having very low-certainty evidence.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The combination therapy incorporating SSYX showed potential benefits compared to conventional treatment alone in patients with CHF-AF. However, the overall certainty of evidence is limited. Therefore, these findings require careful interpretation and further large-scale, rigorously designed RCTs are warranted to provide more robust evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of SSYX.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11932,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Integrative Medicine","volume":"81 ","pages":"Article 102590"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-11-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145733034","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}