Pub Date : 2026-09-01Epub Date: 2026-01-05DOI: 10.1016/j.imr.2026.101289
Jing Xia , Xinhe Wu , Zitao Wang , Lei Zhang , Ping Xu , Peipei Zhao , Peilong Liu , Yanan Shao , Xipeng Zhang , Yiran Lu , Xiaojie Qin , Xinjian Song
Background
This study evaluated the efficacy of combining personalized acupuncture with accelerated deep transcranial magnetic stimulation (adTMS) for mild cognitive impairment (MCI).
Methods
In this randomized, double-blind, controlled trial, 120 MCI patients were assigned to a Combined group (personalized acupuncture + active adTMS), a Single Stimulation group (active adTMS + sham acupuncture), or a Placebo group (sham TMS + sham acupuncture). The primary outcome was the change in Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score at 12 weeks. Secondary outcomes included P300 latency, magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) NAA/Cr ratio, serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and the Modified Barthel Index (MBI).
Results
The Combined group showed a significantly greater improvement in MoCA scores (3.2 ± 1.3 points) compared to the Single Stimulation (1.9 ± 1.2 points; mean difference 1.3, 95 % CI 0.4 to 2.2) and Placebo groups (1.1 ± 1.0 points; mean difference 2.1, 95 % CI 1.2 to 3.0). The Combined group also demonstrated greater reductions in P300 latency and increases in NAA/Cr ratio and serum BDNF levels than the other groups.
Conclusion
The combination of personalized acupuncture and adTMS significantly improves cognitive function in MCI patients, supported by positive changes in electrophysiological and metabolic markers. This integrative approach represents a promising non-pharmacological strategy for MCI.
Trial registration: International Traditional Medicine Clinical Trials Registry (ITMCTR2025000652).
本研究评价个体化针刺联合加速深经颅磁刺激(adTMS)治疗轻度认知障碍(MCI)的疗效。方法随机、双盲、对照试验将120例MCI患者分为联合组(个性化针灸+主动adTMS)、单刺激组(主动adTMS +假针灸)和安慰剂组(假TMS +假针灸)。主要结果是12周时蒙特利尔认知评估(MoCA)评分的变化。次要指标包括P300潜伏期、磁共振波谱(MRS) NAA/Cr比值、血清脑源性神经营养因子(BDNF)、c反应蛋白(CRP)、白细胞介素-6 (IL-6)和改良Barthel指数(MBI)。结果联合组MoCA评分(3.2±1.3分)较单纯刺激组(1.9±1.2分,平均差异1.3分,95% CI 0.4 ~ 2.2)和安慰剂组(1.1±1.0分,平均差异2.1分,95% CI 1.2 ~ 3.0)有显著性改善。与其他组相比,联合治疗组也表现出P300潜伏期的更大降低,NAA/Cr比率和血清BDNF水平的增加。结论个体化针刺与adTMS联合治疗可显著改善MCI患者的认知功能,并伴有电生理和代谢指标的积极变化。这种综合方法代表了一种有希望的MCI非药物治疗策略。试验注册:国际传统医学临床试验注册中心(ITMCTR2025000652)。
{"title":"Efficacy of personalized acupuncture combined with accelerated deep transcranial magnetic stimulation in mild cognitive impairment: A randomized controlled trial","authors":"Jing Xia , Xinhe Wu , Zitao Wang , Lei Zhang , Ping Xu , Peipei Zhao , Peilong Liu , Yanan Shao , Xipeng Zhang , Yiran Lu , Xiaojie Qin , Xinjian Song","doi":"10.1016/j.imr.2026.101289","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.imr.2026.101289","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>This study evaluated the efficacy of combining personalized acupuncture with accelerated deep transcranial magnetic stimulation (adTMS) for mild cognitive impairment (MCI).</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>In this randomized, double-blind, controlled trial, 120 MCI patients were assigned to a Combined group (personalized acupuncture + active adTMS), a Single Stimulation group (active adTMS + sham acupuncture), or a Placebo group (sham TMS + sham acupuncture). The primary outcome was the change in Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score at 12 weeks. Secondary outcomes included P300 latency, magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) NAA/Cr ratio, serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and the Modified Barthel Index (MBI).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The Combined group showed a significantly greater improvement in MoCA scores (3.2 ± 1.3 points) compared to the Single Stimulation (1.9 ± 1.2 points; mean difference 1.3, 95 % CI 0.4 to 2.2) and Placebo groups (1.1 ± 1.0 points; mean difference 2.1, 95 % CI 1.2 to 3.0). The Combined group also demonstrated greater reductions in P300 latency and increases in NAA/Cr ratio and serum BDNF levels than the other groups.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The combination of personalized acupuncture and adTMS significantly improves cognitive function in MCI patients, supported by positive changes in electrophysiological and metabolic markers. This integrative approach represents a promising non-pharmacological strategy for MCI.</div><div>Trial registration: International Traditional Medicine Clinical Trials Registry (ITMCTR2025000652).</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13644,"journal":{"name":"Integrative Medicine Research","volume":"15 3","pages":"Article 101289"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146024919","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 : 2026-09-01Epub Date: 2026-01-06DOI: 10.1016/j.imr.2026.101291
Yu-Ning Liao , Tsung-Hsien Yang , Yi-Chin Lu , Liang-Wei Tseng , Ching-Wei Yang , Yu-Tung Huang , Hsing-Yu Chen
Background
Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) is commonly used for weight control in Taiwan. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness and mechanisms of a fixed combination of CHM with liraglutide using a target trial emulation real-world study.
Methods
From January 1, 2013, to December 31, 2018, subjects from the multi-institutional Chang Gung Research Database (CGRD) with a BMI ≥ 25 kg/m² received a fixed combination of Ma-Xing-Gan-Shi-Tang and Coptis chinensis Franch, namely Ma-Xing-Gan-Shi-Tang and Coptis chinensis Franch LOwering Weight formula (MCLOW), were compared with those using liraglutide for weight control for a 12-month follow-up course with overlap weighting for baseline inequality.
Results
Among 376 subjects, 135 (35.9%) used MCLOW, who lost more weight from baseline (-6.07 [95% CI:6.90 to -5.24] vs. -1.66 [95% CI:2.22 to -1.1] kg; p-value < 0.001), and had a higher proportion achieved weight reductions of ≥ 5% and ≥ 10% (68.15% vs. 23.65%, p < 0.001 and 32.59% vs. 7.05%, p-value < 0.001, respectively). The results were consistent with overlap and inverse probability of treatment weighting models. By using network pharmacology, use of MCLOW was associated with lipid metabolism and immune-related pathways, while liraglutide was linked to insulin-secretion pathways.
Conclusion
The CHM formula MCLOW appears to have promising effects on weight loss, with mechanisms differing from but complementary to those of Western medicines.
{"title":"Comparative effectiveness of Chinese herbal medicine versus liraglutide for weight loss in adults with obesity: A 12-month real-world target trial emulation study","authors":"Yu-Ning Liao , Tsung-Hsien Yang , Yi-Chin Lu , Liang-Wei Tseng , Ching-Wei Yang , Yu-Tung Huang , Hsing-Yu Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.imr.2026.101291","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.imr.2026.101291","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) is commonly used for weight control in Taiwan. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness and mechanisms of a fixed combination of CHM with liraglutide using a target trial emulation real-world study.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>From January 1, 2013, to December 31, 2018, subjects from the multi-institutional Chang Gung Research Database (CGRD) with a BMI ≥ 25 kg/m² received a fixed combination of Ma-Xing-Gan-Shi-Tang and <em>Coptis chinensis</em> Franch, namely Ma-Xing-Gan-Shi-Tang and Coptis chinensis Franch LOwering Weight formula (MCLOW), were compared with those using liraglutide for weight control for a 12-month follow-up course with overlap weighting for baseline inequality.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Among 376 subjects, 135 (35.9%) used MCLOW, who lost more weight from baseline (-6.07 [95% CI:6.90 to -5.24] vs. -1.66 [95% CI:2.22 to -1.1] kg; p-value < 0.001), and had a higher proportion achieved weight reductions of ≥ 5% and ≥ 10% (68.15% vs. 23.65%, <em>p</em> < 0.001 and 32.59% vs. 7.05%, p-value < 0.001, respectively). The results were consistent with overlap and inverse probability of treatment weighting models. By using network pharmacology, use of MCLOW was associated with lipid metabolism and immune-related pathways, while liraglutide was linked to insulin-secretion pathways.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The CHM formula MCLOW appears to have promising effects on weight loss, with mechanisms differing from but complementary to those of Western medicines.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13644,"journal":{"name":"Integrative Medicine Research","volume":"15 3","pages":"Article 101291"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146075248","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 : 2026-09-01Epub Date: 2026-01-09DOI: 10.1016/j.imr.2026.101305
Dha-Hyun Choi , Beomku Kang , Heeyoung Moon , Minjae Lee , Da-Eun Yoon , In-Seon Lee , Younbyoung Chae
Background
Acupuncture needles are widely used to treat various medical conditions, but can occasionally lead to serious adverse events. The therapeutic index (TI), originally developed in pharmacology to quantify the safety margin between effective and toxic doses, provides a valuable potential framework for evaluating anatomical safety in acupuncture.
Methods
We applied the TI concept to two commonly used acupoints—GB21 and ST36—by quantifying the TI value, defined as the ratio of the median hazardous depth (HD₅₀) to the median effective depth (ED₅₀), based on ultrasound-guided measurement and de-qi responses. Using ultrasound-guided measurements in 39 participants, we calculated the TI for each point and constructed cumulative distribution functions to visualize the therapeutic window.
Results
GB21 demonstrated a TI of 1.54, indicating a relatively wide safety margin, whereas ST36 had a TI of 1.09, reflecting a narrow and potentially risk-prone margin.
Conclusions
These findings emphasize the impact of anatomical variability and highlight the need for personalized depth control in acupuncture practice. Our study provides preliminary evidence that integrating the TI concept into acupuncture safety assessment may support more individualized, data-driven needling strategies. These findings should be interpreted as exploratory and require confirmation in larger, demographically diverse populations and at additional acupoints before being generalized to routine clinical practice.
{"title":"Quantifying the therapeutic index of acupoints using measurements of effective and hazardous depths","authors":"Dha-Hyun Choi , Beomku Kang , Heeyoung Moon , Minjae Lee , Da-Eun Yoon , In-Seon Lee , Younbyoung Chae","doi":"10.1016/j.imr.2026.101305","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.imr.2026.101305","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Acupuncture needles are widely used to treat various medical conditions, but can occasionally lead to serious adverse events. The therapeutic index (TI), originally developed in pharmacology to quantify the safety margin between effective and toxic doses, provides a valuable potential framework for evaluating anatomical safety in acupuncture.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We applied the TI concept to two commonly used acupoints—GB21 and ST36—by quantifying the TI value, defined as the ratio of the median hazardous depth (HD₅₀) to the median effective depth (ED₅₀), based on ultrasound-guided measurement and <em>de-qi</em> responses. Using ultrasound-guided measurements in 39 participants, we calculated the TI for each point and constructed cumulative distribution functions to visualize the therapeutic window.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>GB21 demonstrated a TI of 1.54, indicating a relatively wide safety margin, whereas ST36 had a TI of 1.09, reflecting a narrow and potentially risk-prone margin.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>These findings emphasize the impact of anatomical variability and highlight the need for personalized depth control in acupuncture practice. Our study provides preliminary evidence that integrating the TI concept into acupuncture safety assessment may support more individualized, data-driven needling strategies. These findings should be interpreted as exploratory and require confirmation in larger, demographically diverse populations and at additional acupoints before being generalized to routine clinical practice.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13644,"journal":{"name":"Integrative Medicine Research","volume":"15 3","pages":"Article 101305"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146170584","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 : 2026-09-01Epub Date: 2025-12-31DOI: 10.1016/j.imr.2025.101287
DeYu Tian , KeunOh Choi , Yong-ung Kim , YoungJoo Lee
Background
As one of the most famous ginseng products, red ginseng has had a huge market and influence in the healthcare market.
Methods
We recruited 3000 adults of all ages and social classes from different parts of Korea to conduct a questionnaire survey for statistical analysis and analyzed the results of the questionnaire survey through logistic regression. The questionnaire included information on the experience of red ginseng intake in a year, whether or not they consumed red ginseng on a regular basis, as well as information on income, age, and family composition that may affect red ginseng intake.
Results
The results showed that men and high-income groups had a higher acceptance of red ginseng; children number of the family has a non-linear effect on the probability of trying red ginseng; and groups who take other dietary supplements were also more willing to take red ginseng.
Conclusions
These results provide valuable information for understanding the demographic and behavioral characteristics of red ginseng consumers and highlight the need to consider integrated health strategies, as well as providing data to inform the development of red ginseng products and the direction of campaigns to promote red ginseng applications.
{"title":"Demographic and behavioral correlation of red ginseng consumption in Korea","authors":"DeYu Tian , KeunOh Choi , Yong-ung Kim , YoungJoo Lee","doi":"10.1016/j.imr.2025.101287","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.imr.2025.101287","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>As one of the most famous ginseng products, red ginseng has had a huge market and influence in the healthcare market.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We recruited 3000 adults of all ages and social classes from different parts of Korea to conduct a questionnaire survey for statistical analysis and analyzed the results of the questionnaire survey through logistic regression. The questionnaire included information on the experience of red ginseng intake in a year, whether or not they consumed red ginseng on a regular basis, as well as information on income, age, and family composition that may affect red ginseng intake.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The results showed that men and high-income groups had a higher acceptance of red ginseng; children number of the family has a non-linear effect on the probability of trying red ginseng; and groups who take other dietary supplements were also more willing to take red ginseng.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>These results provide valuable information for understanding the demographic and behavioral characteristics of red ginseng consumers and highlight the need to consider integrated health strategies, as well as providing data to inform the development of red ginseng products and the direction of campaigns to promote red ginseng applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13644,"journal":{"name":"Integrative Medicine Research","volume":"15 3","pages":"Article 101287"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145986700","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 : 2026-09-01Epub Date: 2026-01-25DOI: 10.1016/j.imr.2026.101307
Pei Yong Loh , Dongsheng Ba , Xue Zhao , Xinru Yuan , Xiaoyan Lyu , Jiani Ma , Hui Zhang , Changqi Li , Xinyang Li , Moran Hei , Zecheng Xu , Huie Ma , Leilin Liu , Yiru Li , Tianyi Zhao , Zelin Chen , Xu Wang , Yaolong Chen , Yang Guo , Yi Guo , Bo Chen
Background
The methodological quality of current acupuncture and moxibustion clinical practice guidelines and technical operation norms remain unclear. Given their potential impact on clinical decision-making and health policy, this study aimed to evaluate their quality using the AGREE II and STAR tools, and to explore the need for a tailored appraisal tool for Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) technical operation norms.
Methods
A methodological evaluation was conducted using standardized appraisal instruments. A systematic search across 14 databases identified guidelines and norms related to acupuncture and moxibustion published up to December 31, 2025. Two independent reviewers assessed the included documents using Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II (AGREE II) and Scientific, Transparent, Applicable Rating (STAR) tools.
Results
Seventy-six publications were included: 31 clinical practice guidelines and 45 technical operation norms. AGREE II results showed that 29 guidelines scored >50% in 4 out of 6 domains, while 7 norms met the criterion. STAR evaluation showed an overall score of 64.4% for guidelines versus 15.3% for norms.
Conclusions
This study found that acupuncture and moxibustion clinical practice guidelines generally demonstrate moderate methodological quality, whereas technical operation norms consistently show low scores across multiple domains, indicating substantial room for improvement. These findings also suggest that commonly used appraisal tools, such as AGREE II and STAR, may not fully capture the unique characteristics of TCM technical documents. Future work should develop TCM-specific appraisal tools and improve implementation.
{"title":"Methodological quality of clinical practice guidelines and technical operation norms in acupuncture and moxibustion: Evaluation using AGREE II and STAR","authors":"Pei Yong Loh , Dongsheng Ba , Xue Zhao , Xinru Yuan , Xiaoyan Lyu , Jiani Ma , Hui Zhang , Changqi Li , Xinyang Li , Moran Hei , Zecheng Xu , Huie Ma , Leilin Liu , Yiru Li , Tianyi Zhao , Zelin Chen , Xu Wang , Yaolong Chen , Yang Guo , Yi Guo , Bo Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.imr.2026.101307","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.imr.2026.101307","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>The methodological quality of current acupuncture and moxibustion clinical practice guidelines and technical operation norms remain unclear. Given their potential impact on clinical decision-making and health policy, this study aimed to evaluate their quality using the AGREE II and STAR tools, and to explore the need for a tailored appraisal tool for Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) technical operation norms.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A methodological evaluation was conducted using standardized appraisal instruments. A systematic search across 14 databases identified guidelines and norms related to acupuncture and moxibustion published up to December 31, 2025. Two independent reviewers assessed the included documents using Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II (AGREE II) and Scientific, Transparent, Applicable Rating (STAR) tools.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Seventy-six publications were included: 31 clinical practice guidelines and 45 technical operation norms. AGREE II results showed that 29 guidelines scored >50% in 4 out of 6 domains, while 7 norms met the criterion. STAR evaluation showed an overall score of 64.4% for guidelines versus 15.3% for norms.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>This study found that acupuncture and moxibustion clinical practice guidelines generally demonstrate moderate methodological quality, whereas technical operation norms consistently show low scores across multiple domains, indicating substantial room for improvement. These findings also suggest that commonly used appraisal tools, such as AGREE II and STAR, may not fully capture the unique characteristics of TCM technical documents. Future work should develop TCM-specific appraisal tools and improve implementation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13644,"journal":{"name":"Integrative Medicine Research","volume":"15 3","pages":"Article 101307"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146170583","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 : 2026-09-01Epub Date: 2026-01-05DOI: 10.1016/j.imr.2026.101290
Chan-Young Kwon , Chen Shen , Tetsuhiro Yoshino , Jihyeon Lee , Yujin Han
{"title":"Integrating east Asian traditional medicine into National Dementia care: A comparative policy analysis of China, Japan, and South Korea","authors":"Chan-Young Kwon , Chen Shen , Tetsuhiro Yoshino , Jihyeon Lee , Yujin Han","doi":"10.1016/j.imr.2026.101290","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.imr.2026.101290","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":13644,"journal":{"name":"Integrative Medicine Research","volume":"15 3","pages":"Article 101290"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146024984","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 : 2026-06-01Epub Date: 2025-11-26DOI: 10.1016/j.imr.2025.101279
Yongjoo Kim , Nan-He Yoon , Soobin Jang , Kyeore Bae , Wonkyung Moon , Minjung Park , Sujin Kim
Background
Herbal medicine decoctions (HMD) are potential treatments for Bell’s palsy (BP), but real-world evidence regarding the safety is limited. This study investigated whether HMD use for BP was associated with risk of adverse events using a nationwide claims-based database in South Korea.
Methods
This retrospective cohort study used data from the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment database. We applied coarsened exact matching, through which 1627 BP patients who received at least one HMD prescription between November 2020 and February 2022 were matched with 1627 BP patients who did not use HMD. Difference-in-differences logistic regression modeling compared the incidences of safety outcomes between HMD users and non-users.
Results
No significant differences were observed in the risk of hepatotoxicity, renal failure, allergic events, hospitalization, and emergency department visits between HMD users and non-users with BP, assessed at 3, 6, 9 and 11 months after HMD prescription. All effect estimates and corresponding 95 % confidence intervals included the null value.
Conclusions
There was no significant difference in the risk of safety outcomes between HMD users and non-users with BP. Further research is warranted to understand the safety of specific herbal formulas or individual herbs using broader safety measures.
{"title":"Safety of herbal medicine decoction for facial palsy: Coarsened exact matching analysis of the national health insurance database","authors":"Yongjoo Kim , Nan-He Yoon , Soobin Jang , Kyeore Bae , Wonkyung Moon , Minjung Park , Sujin Kim","doi":"10.1016/j.imr.2025.101279","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.imr.2025.101279","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Herbal medicine decoctions (HMD) are potential treatments for Bell’s palsy (BP), but real-world evidence regarding the safety is limited. This study investigated whether HMD use for BP was associated with risk of adverse events using a nationwide claims-based database in South Korea.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This retrospective cohort study used data from the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment database. We applied coarsened exact matching, through which 1627 BP patients who received at least one HMD prescription between November 2020 and February 2022 were matched with 1627 BP patients who did not use HMD. Difference-in-differences logistic regression modeling compared the incidences of safety outcomes between HMD users and non-users.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>No significant differences were observed in the risk of hepatotoxicity, renal failure, allergic events, hospitalization, and emergency department visits between HMD users and non-users with BP, assessed at 3, 6, 9 and 11 months after HMD prescription. All effect estimates and corresponding 95 % confidence intervals included the null value.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>There was no significant difference in the risk of safety outcomes between HMD users and non-users with BP. Further research is warranted to understand the safety of specific herbal formulas or individual herbs using broader safety measures.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13644,"journal":{"name":"Integrative Medicine Research","volume":"15 2","pages":"Article 101279"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146074091","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 : 2026-06-01Epub Date: 2025-10-03DOI: 10.1016/j.imr.2025.101260
Xuan Yu , Jie Zhang , Janne Estill , Zhaoxiang Bian , Yaolong Chen
Background
Prospective registration of guidelines enhances transparency and reduces research waste. With the growing number of Traditional and Integrative Medicine (TIM) guidelines, the purpose of this study was to analyze the registrations of TIM guidelines and consensus statements on the Practice guideline REgistration for transPAREncy (PREPARE) platform.
Methods
All TIM guidelines and consensus statements registered on PREPARE by December 31, 2024, were included. Data on registration year, type, category, country, evidence grading, funding, use of systematic reviews, and protocols were extracted and summarized as frequencies and percentages.
Results
As of December 31, 2024, a total of 3434 projects had been registered on PREPARE, of which 587 (17.1%) pertained to traditional and integrative medicine. Among these, 380 (64.7%) were traditional medicine guidelines and consensus statements, and 207 (35.3%) involved integrative medicine. Of the TIM-related guidelines and consensus statements, 401 were standard guidelines and 150 were consensus statements; most (551/587, 93.9%) were registrations for original versions. Nearly half (268/587, 45.7%) addressed both diagnostic and treatment procedures. The majority of registrations (511/587, 87.1%) reported that systematic reviews would inform guidelines and consensus statements. Furthermore, 501 (85.3%) guidelines and consensus statements stated they would grade the strength of evidence and recommendations, with the grading methods specified. Approximately 80% (466/587) explicitly reported their sources of funding, amounting to 632 individual funding sources.
Conclusion
Despite increased use of public platforms for registration, further efforts are needed to improve awareness and practice. The PREPARE working group will collaborate with TIM guideline developers to implement initiatives that advance the rigor, transparency, and usability of TIM guidelines and consensus statements.
{"title":"Prospective registration of guidelines and consensus statements of traditional and integrative medicine: Current status and experience from the PREPARE platform","authors":"Xuan Yu , Jie Zhang , Janne Estill , Zhaoxiang Bian , Yaolong Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.imr.2025.101260","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.imr.2025.101260","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Prospective registration of guidelines enhances transparency and reduces research waste. With the growing number of Traditional and Integrative Medicine (TIM) guidelines, the purpose of this study was to analyze the registrations of TIM guidelines and consensus statements on the Practice guideline REgistration for transPAREncy (PREPARE) platform.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>All TIM guidelines and consensus statements registered on PREPARE by December 31, 2024, were included. Data on registration year, type, category, country, evidence grading, funding, use of systematic reviews, and protocols were extracted and summarized as frequencies and percentages.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>As of December 31, 2024, a total of 3434 projects had been registered on PREPARE, of which 587 (17.1%) pertained to traditional and integrative medicine. Among these, 380 (64.7%) were traditional medicine guidelines and consensus statements, and 207 (35.3%) involved integrative medicine. Of the TIM-related guidelines and consensus statements, 401 were standard guidelines and 150 were consensus statements; most (551/587, 93.9%) were registrations for original versions. Nearly half (268/587, 45.7%) addressed both diagnostic and treatment procedures. The majority of registrations (511/587, 87.1%) reported that systematic reviews would inform guidelines and consensus statements. Furthermore, 501 (85.3%) guidelines and consensus statements stated they would grade the strength of evidence and recommendations, with the grading methods specified. Approximately 80% (466/587) explicitly reported their sources of funding, amounting to 632 individual funding sources.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Despite increased use of public platforms for registration, further efforts are needed to improve awareness and practice. The PREPARE working group will collaborate with TIM guideline developers to implement initiatives that advance the rigor, transparency, and usability of TIM guidelines and consensus statements.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13644,"journal":{"name":"Integrative Medicine Research","volume":"15 2","pages":"Article 101260"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145690704","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 : 2026-06-01Epub Date: 2025-10-10DOI: 10.1016/j.imr.2025.101261
Matthew J. Leach , Yasamin Veziari , Simon DuBois , Reine DuBois
Background
Evidence suggests that some models of care may have a positive impact on health worker wellbeing and retention. This study set out to understand health practitioners’ experiences of working within an integrative health care (IHC) setting in Australia, and the impact of such on practitioners’ clinical behaviour and well-being.
Methods
The study employed a qualitative descriptive design and purposive sampling. Health care practitioners of any discipline working in an IHC setting in Australia in a clinical capacity were invited to participate in an online, semi-structured interview. Interview audio-recordings were transcribed verbatim and analysed using deductive thematic analysis.
Results
Twenty-four health practitioners from twelve distinct professions partook in an interview. Four themes emerged from the data, including (i) Transition to practice (e.g. Changed approach to patient care), (ii) Professional interactions (e.g. changing perceptions of, and relationships with other healthcare providers), (iii) Job satisfaction (e.g. rewards and frustrations of working in an IHC setting), and (iv) Impacts on health and wellbeing (e.g. positive and negative health impacts).
Conclusion
The study uncovered new insights into health practitioners’ experiences of working within an IHC setting; including impacts on clinical knowledge, skills, behaviours and relationships, as well as practitioner health, wellbeing and job satisfaction. Given the potential implications of these findings on health workforce supply, quality of care and patient satisfaction, there is a need to build upon this work to determine whether the implementation of IHC models of care in different settings yields meaningful and sustainable clinical, social and economic benefit.
{"title":"Practitioner Experiences of Integrative health CarE [PEICE]: A qualitative descriptive study","authors":"Matthew J. Leach , Yasamin Veziari , Simon DuBois , Reine DuBois","doi":"10.1016/j.imr.2025.101261","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.imr.2025.101261","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Evidence suggests that some models of care may have a positive impact on health worker wellbeing and retention. This study set out to understand health practitioners’ experiences of working within an integrative health care (IHC) setting in Australia, and the impact of such on practitioners’ clinical behaviour and well-being.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>The study employed a qualitative descriptive design and purposive sampling. Health care practitioners of any discipline working in an IHC setting in Australia in a clinical capacity were invited to participate in an online, semi-structured interview. Interview audio-recordings were transcribed verbatim and analysed using deductive thematic analysis.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Twenty-four health practitioners from twelve distinct professions partook in an interview. Four themes emerged from the data, including (i) Transition to practice (e.g. Changed approach to patient care), (ii) Professional interactions (e.g. changing perceptions of, and relationships with other healthcare providers), (iii) Job satisfaction (e.g. rewards and frustrations of working in an IHC setting), and (iv) Impacts on health and wellbeing (e.g. positive and negative health impacts).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The study uncovered new insights into health practitioners’ experiences of working within an IHC setting; including impacts on clinical knowledge, skills, behaviours and relationships, as well as practitioner health, wellbeing and job satisfaction. Given the potential implications of these findings on health workforce supply, quality of care and patient satisfaction, there is a need to build upon this work to determine whether the implementation of IHC models of care in different settings yields meaningful and sustainable clinical, social and economic benefit.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13644,"journal":{"name":"Integrative Medicine Research","volume":"15 2","pages":"Article 101261"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145525683","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 : 2026-06-01Epub Date: 2025-09-23DOI: 10.1016/j.imr.2025.101255
Fuming Li , Shimeng Liu , Yue Teng , Liu Liu , Juntao Yan , Yingyao Chen , Yan Wei
Background
Shared decision-making (SDM) is increasingly recognized as a preferred model for cancer care, yet its relationship with patient-reported outcomes remains unclear in the context of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). This study examined the associations of SDM with decision-making satisfaction, treatment decision usefulness, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in TCM.
Methods
This multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted among lung cancer patients treated with TCM anti-cancer injections in Shanghai, China. Participants completed questionnaires assessing SDM, decision-making satisfaction, treatment decision usefulness, and HRQoL. Structural equation modeling was conducted to examine the hypothetical model.
Results
A total of 347 participants (46.1% female, 64.8 ± 8.7 years) were included. Using the EQ-5D-5 L index value to represent HRQoL, SDM not only directly positively affected both decision-making satisfaction (β = 0.438, 95%CI: 0.206 – 0.639) and treatment decision usefulness (β = 0.380, 95%CI: 0.172 – 0.577), but indirectly positively affected HRQoL through treatment decision usefulness (β = 0.117, 95%CI: 0.028 – 0.290). A similar pattern was identified using the EQ-VAS score, with significant direct effects on decision-making satisfaction (β = 0.438, 95%CI: 0.206 – 0.639) and treatment decision usefulness (β = 0.380, 95%CI: 0.172 – 0.577), as well as an indirect effect on HRQoL through treatment decision usefulness (β = 0.083, 95%CI: 0.009 – 0.224).
Conclusions
SDM plays a positive role in improving decision-making satisfaction, treatment decision usefulness, and HRQoL among patients receiving TCM. These findings indicate its intrinsic value in patient–provider interactions and its associated benefits, potentially fostering the practice of SDM in TCM.
{"title":"The impact of shared decision-making on patient-reported outcomes in Traditional Chinese Medicine in Shanghai, China: a cross-sectional study using structural equation modeling","authors":"Fuming Li , Shimeng Liu , Yue Teng , Liu Liu , Juntao Yan , Yingyao Chen , Yan Wei","doi":"10.1016/j.imr.2025.101255","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.imr.2025.101255","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Shared decision-making (SDM) is increasingly recognized as a preferred model for cancer care, yet its relationship with patient-reported outcomes remains unclear in the context of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). This study examined the associations of SDM with decision-making satisfaction, treatment decision usefulness, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in TCM.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted among lung cancer patients treated with TCM anti-cancer injections in Shanghai, China. Participants completed questionnaires assessing SDM, decision-making satisfaction, treatment decision usefulness, and HRQoL. Structural equation modeling was conducted to examine the hypothetical model.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A total of 347 participants (46.1% female, 64.8 ± 8.7 years) were included. Using the EQ-5D-5 L index value to represent HRQoL, SDM not only directly positively affected both decision-making satisfaction (<em>β</em> = 0.438, 95%CI: 0.206 – 0.639) and treatment decision usefulness (<em>β</em> = 0.380, 95%CI: 0.172 – 0.577), but indirectly positively affected HRQoL through treatment decision usefulness (<em>β</em> = 0.117, 95%CI: 0.028 – 0.290). A similar pattern was identified using the EQ-VAS score, with significant direct effects on decision-making satisfaction (<em>β</em> = 0.438, 95%CI: 0.206 – 0.639) and treatment decision usefulness (<em>β</em> = 0.380, 95%CI: 0.172 – 0.577), as well as an indirect effect on HRQoL through treatment decision usefulness (<em>β</em> = 0.083, 95%CI: 0.009 – 0.224).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>SDM plays a positive role in improving decision-making satisfaction, treatment decision usefulness, and HRQoL among patients receiving TCM. These findings indicate its intrinsic value in patient–provider interactions and its associated benefits, potentially fostering the practice of SDM in TCM.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13644,"journal":{"name":"Integrative Medicine Research","volume":"15 2","pages":"Article 101255"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145270031","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}