Tzu Chi Medical Journal最新文献

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has gained considerable attention over the past few years for its multicomponent, multitarget, and multi-pathway approach to treating different diseases. Studies have shown that TCMs as adjuvant therapy along with conventional treatment may benefit in safely treating various disorders. However, investigations on finding effective herbal combinations are ongoing. A novel TCM formula, "Jing Si Herbal Tea (JSHT)," has been reported recently for their health-promoting effects in improving overall body and mental health. JSHT is a combination of eight herbs recognized in Chinese herbal pharmacopoeia for their anti-viral, anti-aging, and anti-cancer properties as well as protective effects against cardiovascular, metabolic, neural, digestive, and genitourinary diseases. Thus, to better understand the beneficial effects of the ingredients of JSHT on health, this review intends to summarize the preclinical and clinical studies of the ingredients of JSHT on human health and diseases, and possible therapeutic effects with the related mode of actions and future prospects for their application in complementary therapies.

Objectives: Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease that affects millions of people worldwide and causes severe symptoms such as wheezing, coughing, and breathing difficulty. Despite modern treatments, 3%-10% of patients develop severe asthma, which requires high-dose medications, and they may still experience frequent and severe symptoms, exacerbations, and psychological impacts. This study aimed to investigate the effects of high-intensity aerobic exercise training (HIAET) in patients with severe asthma.

Materials and methods: Patients with severe asthma were recruited, and cardiopulmonary exercise tests, dyspnea, and leg fatigue scores were performed before HIAET. Participants underwent a 12-week hospital-based HIAET, which involved exercising twice weekly to reach 80% of their peak oxygen uptake (VO₂).

Results: Eighteen patients with severe asthma underwent HIAET, which resulted in significant improvement in peak VO₂ (1214.0 ± 297.9-1349.4 ± 311.2 mL/min, P = 0.004) and work rate (80.6 ± 21.2-96.2 ± 24.8 watt, P < 0.001) and decrease in dyspnea (5.1 ± 1.8-4.1 ± 1.2, P = 0.017) and fatigue scores (5.2 ± 2.3-4.0 ± 1.2, P = 0.020) at peak exercise. No significant changes were observed in spirometry results, respiratory muscle strength, or circulatory parameters.

Conclusion: HIAET can lead to improved exercise capacity and reduced dyspnea and fatigue scores at peak exercise without changes in spirometry, respiratory muscle strength, and circulatory parameters.

Achilles tendon rupture is a common and primary cause of lower limb tendon injury suffered during sports-related activities. The causes of Achilles tendon rupture include the calf muscle and tendon overuse, poor tendon quality, and various medical conditions. Historically, acute Achilles tendon rupture was treated conservatively. However, historical techniques are now associated with an increased risk of rerupture. To address this problem, open repair has been proposed. Open repair is associated with a reduced risk of rerupture; however, it is also closely associated with wound complications, like wound infection, whose treatment is time-consuming and costly. Therefore, minimally invasive Achilles tendon repair has been proposed as a promising option with acceptable functional outcomes. Nevertheless, despite its benefits, minimally invasive Achilles tendon repair is associated with increased risks of sural nerve injury and rerupture. In this review, we evaluate the currently used treatment strategies for acute Achilles tendon rupture and their historical evolution to provide evidence-based recommendations for physicians.

In individuals with cleft lip and palate (CLP), an alveolar bone graft (ABG) is carried out for alveolar cleft closure. Several sources for ABG include autologous bone, xenologous bone, and alloplastic substitutes. Autologous bone has been the preferred source for ABG. Alloplastic substitutes might serve as an alternative. This study aimed to compare the outcomes between autologous and alloplastic as sources for ABG. This study made use of eight web databases. Randomized control trials (RCTs) and non-RCTs were included. CLP patients with alveolar cleft with imaging studies, computed tomography (CT scan) and/or cone beam CT scan, and bone graft volume within 6-12 months postintervention were selected. Bone graft volume within 6-12 months postintervention was assessed. Three studies met the inclusion criteria. After 6-12 months of follow-up, there were no statistically significant differences in bone graft volume between autologous and alloplastic bone grafts (fixed-effect model estimate value = 0.21; confidence interval - 0.301-0.730; P = 0.414). The limitations include small research sample sizes, a high likelihood of bias among included studies, and different alloplastic materials from each included study. Autologous and alloplastic bone grafts showed similar effectiveness in alveolar bone grafting. Further clinical trial studies with bigger sample sizes and similar interventions are needed as evidence for future reviews.