Pub Date : 2026-01-01DOI: 10.1016/j.joim.2025.11.005
Yu-jun Hou , Hua-bin Zheng , Kai Wang , Hui-ling Jiang , Ying Chen , Lu Wang , Qian-hua Zheng , Ying Li , Si-yuan Zhou
<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>To assess whether electroacupuncture (EA) can facilitate the restoration of the intestinal mucosal barrier in rats with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) by regulating adherens junctions through mast cells (MCs) and microRNAs.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Forty Sprague–Dawley rats were divided into control group and IBS-D group. Rats were given Senna solution via gavage and subjected to a 14-day chronic unpredictable mild stress procedure. Subsequently, rats in the IBS-D group were assigned to a model group, an EA group, and an EA + MC agonist group. Visceral pain threshold and diarrhea index (DI) were measured. Transmission electron microscopy was used to observe the ultrastructure of MCs. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure tryptase and diamine oxidase (DAO) levels. Western blotting and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) techniques were used to evaluate the quantities of E-cadherin and α-catenin. Immunohistochemistry and ELISA were used to assess the levels of F-actin and vinculin. microRNAs from the colon were sequenced, and qPCR was used to validate the sequencing results. In vitro, Caco-2 cells were used to establish the intestinal epithelium model. After transfection with miR-494-3p mimics, qPCR was performed to measure the expression of microRNAs, E-cadherin and α-catenin; the transmittance of fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran was detected to measure permeability of the cell layer.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>In the model group, DI, and tryptase and DAO concentration increased; body weight, visceral pain threshold and the expression of E-cadherin, α-catenin, F-actin and vinculin were significantly decreased compared to the control group. This pattern was reversed in the EA group. No significant difference was found between the EA + MC agonist group and the model group. Sequencing revealed that the expression of miR-541-5p and miR-494-3p was significantly higher in the model group and lower in the EA group. Enrichment analyses revealed that the majority of enrichments were associated with adherens junctions. Spearman’s correlation tests indicated that the expression of miR-541-5p and miR-494-3p had a positive correlation with serum DAO and colonic tryptase levels, while showing a negative correlation with E-cadherin level. After microRNA mimic transfection, the expression of miR-494-3p and the barrier permeability were significantly increased, and the expression of E-cadherin was significantly decreased.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>In rats with IBS-D, EA may help repair the intestinal barrier function by modulating adherens junctions and cytoskeletal components through the inhibition of MCs; miR-494-3p may play pivotal roles in this process.</div><div>Please cite this article as: Hou YJ, Zheng HB, Wang K, Jiang HL, Chen Y, Wang L, Zheng QH, Li Y, Zhou SY. Electroacupuncture repairs intestinal mucosal barrier in rats with diarrh
{"title":"Electroacupuncture repairs intestinal mucosal barrier in rats with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome by regulating adherens junctions through mast cells and microRNAs","authors":"Yu-jun Hou , Hua-bin Zheng , Kai Wang , Hui-ling Jiang , Ying Chen , Lu Wang , Qian-hua Zheng , Ying Li , Si-yuan Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.joim.2025.11.005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.joim.2025.11.005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>To assess whether electroacupuncture (EA) can facilitate the restoration of the intestinal mucosal barrier in rats with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) by regulating adherens junctions through mast cells (MCs) and microRNAs.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Forty Sprague–Dawley rats were divided into control group and IBS-D group. Rats were given Senna solution via gavage and subjected to a 14-day chronic unpredictable mild stress procedure. Subsequently, rats in the IBS-D group were assigned to a model group, an EA group, and an EA + MC agonist group. Visceral pain threshold and diarrhea index (DI) were measured. Transmission electron microscopy was used to observe the ultrastructure of MCs. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure tryptase and diamine oxidase (DAO) levels. Western blotting and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) techniques were used to evaluate the quantities of E-cadherin and α-catenin. Immunohistochemistry and ELISA were used to assess the levels of F-actin and vinculin. microRNAs from the colon were sequenced, and qPCR was used to validate the sequencing results. In vitro, Caco-2 cells were used to establish the intestinal epithelium model. After transfection with miR-494-3p mimics, qPCR was performed to measure the expression of microRNAs, E-cadherin and α-catenin; the transmittance of fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran was detected to measure permeability of the cell layer.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>In the model group, DI, and tryptase and DAO concentration increased; body weight, visceral pain threshold and the expression of E-cadherin, α-catenin, F-actin and vinculin were significantly decreased compared to the control group. This pattern was reversed in the EA group. No significant difference was found between the EA + MC agonist group and the model group. Sequencing revealed that the expression of miR-541-5p and miR-494-3p was significantly higher in the model group and lower in the EA group. Enrichment analyses revealed that the majority of enrichments were associated with adherens junctions. Spearman’s correlation tests indicated that the expression of miR-541-5p and miR-494-3p had a positive correlation with serum DAO and colonic tryptase levels, while showing a negative correlation with E-cadherin level. After microRNA mimic transfection, the expression of miR-494-3p and the barrier permeability were significantly increased, and the expression of E-cadherin was significantly decreased.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>In rats with IBS-D, EA may help repair the intestinal barrier function by modulating adherens junctions and cytoskeletal components through the inhibition of MCs; miR-494-3p may play pivotal roles in this process.</div><div>Please cite this article as: Hou YJ, Zheng HB, Wang K, Jiang HL, Chen Y, Wang L, Zheng QH, Li Y, Zhou SY. Electroacupuncture repairs intestinal mucosal barrier in rats with diarrh","PeriodicalId":48599,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Integrative Medicine-Jim","volume":"24 1","pages":"Pages 125-136"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145679152","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-01DOI: 10.1016/j.joim.2025.12.006
Guang Ji , Li-qiang Ni , Zhi-shu Tang , Hai-bo Cheng , Hong-bin Wang , Zhong Chen , Gang Chen , Yao-xian Wang , Fan Xu , Ke-jian Li , Wei-feng Zhu , Hong-wei Guo , Yi Guo , Zhong-tao Ding , Ma Mi , Hong-wei Wang , Hua Jin
{"title":"Integrative medicine: A growing trend and the future—Shanghai consensus on future development of integrative medicine","authors":"Guang Ji , Li-qiang Ni , Zhi-shu Tang , Hai-bo Cheng , Hong-bin Wang , Zhong Chen , Gang Chen , Yao-xian Wang , Fan Xu , Ke-jian Li , Wei-feng Zhu , Hong-wei Guo , Yi Guo , Zhong-tao Ding , Ma Mi , Hong-wei Wang , Hua Jin","doi":"10.1016/j.joim.2025.12.006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.joim.2025.12.006","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":48599,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Integrative Medicine-Jim","volume":"24 1","pages":"Pages 1-2"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146001815","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-01DOI: 10.1016/j.joim.2025.12.007
Guang Ji , Chi Zhang , Ai-ping Lü
The integration of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Western medicine has shaped clinical practice in China for decades, largely through pragmatic collaboration, combining distinct diagnostic and therapeutic modalities to optimize patient care. With advances in data science, systems biology and artificial intelligence, a new phase of integration is emerging. These technologies are enabling a shift from viewing TCM through the lens of modern clinical medicine to recognizing that TCM’s holistic perspective is a driver for future medical innovation. We outline a framework for future medicine, an integration of medical paradigms that is built around a new system of classification, combination therapeutics, and molecular dynamics.
Please cite this article as: Ji G, Zhang C, Lü AP. The integration of Chinese and Western medicines: Shaping the future of medical science. J Integr Med. 2026; 24(1):3–6.
{"title":"The integration of Chinese and Western medicines: Shaping the future of medical science","authors":"Guang Ji , Chi Zhang , Ai-ping Lü","doi":"10.1016/j.joim.2025.12.007","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.joim.2025.12.007","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The integration of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Western medicine has shaped clinical practice in China for decades, largely through pragmatic collaboration, combining distinct diagnostic and therapeutic modalities to optimize patient care. With advances in data science, systems biology and artificial intelligence, a new phase of integration is emerging. These technologies are enabling a shift from viewing TCM through the lens of modern clinical medicine to recognizing that TCM’s holistic perspective is a driver for future medical innovation. We outline a framework for future medicine, an integration of medical paradigms that is built around a new system of classification, combination therapeutics, and molecular dynamics.</div><div>Please cite this article as: Ji G, Zhang C, Lü AP. The integration of Chinese and Western medicines: Shaping the future of medical science. <em>J Integr Med.</em> 2026; 24(1):3–6.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48599,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Integrative Medicine-Jim","volume":"24 1","pages":"Pages 3-6"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146001816","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-01DOI: 10.1016/j.joim.2025.11.003
Chen Sun , Zhen Yu , Zong-yuan Ge , Wen-jun Wang , Bi-ying Wang , Hua-ling Song , Guo-qun Xie , Hai-lei Zhao , Yang Zhang , Xiang-long Xu
Objective
This study aimed to predict biased traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) constitutions among individuals aged ≥ 65 years using machine learning models and to identify the key predictors of biased TCM constitutions.
Methods
This cross-sectional study enrolled 4403 older adults in Shanghai, China. Demographic, lifestyle and clinical data were collected. Six machine learning models were trained and compared: random forest (RF), gradient boosting machine (GBM), support vector machine (SVM), extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), adaptive boosting classifier (AdaBoost) and logistic regression (LR).
Results
Among these 4403 participants, 29.2% presented with biased TCM constitutions. RF demonstrated the highest predictive performance with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.847 (indicating excellent discrimination), followed by GBM (AUC = 0.842), XGBoost (AUC = 0.840), AdaBoost (AUC = 0.830), SVM (AUC = 0.764) and LR (AUC = 0.759). Key predictors included age, heart rate, and specific blood parameters such as monocytes, alanine aminotransferase, platelet distribution width, total bilirubin, and creatinine.
Conclusion
The high prevalence of biased TCM constitutions among elderly adults underscores the need for targeted health management strategies. Machine learning models, particularly RF, can accurately predict biased TCM constitutions, enabling early identification of at-risk individuals. The identified predictors provide valuable insights for developing personalised preventive strategies and inform future research on TCM-based elderly healthcare.
Please cite this article as: Sun C, Yu Z, Ge ZY, Wang WJ, Wang BY, Song HL, Xie GQ, Zhao HL, Zhang Y, Xu XL. Predicting traditional Chinese medicine constitutions in adults aged ≥ 65 years: A machine learning approach. J Integr Med. 2026; 24(1):98–104.
{"title":"Predicting traditional Chinese medicine constitutions in adults aged ≥ 65 years: A machine learning approach","authors":"Chen Sun , Zhen Yu , Zong-yuan Ge , Wen-jun Wang , Bi-ying Wang , Hua-ling Song , Guo-qun Xie , Hai-lei Zhao , Yang Zhang , Xiang-long Xu","doi":"10.1016/j.joim.2025.11.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.joim.2025.11.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aimed to predict biased traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) constitutions among individuals aged ≥ 65 years using machine learning models and to identify the key predictors of biased TCM constitutions.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This cross-sectional study enrolled 4403 older adults in Shanghai, China. Demographic, lifestyle and clinical data were collected. Six machine learning models were trained and compared: random forest (RF), gradient boosting machine (GBM), support vector machine (SVM), extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), adaptive boosting classifier (AdaBoost) and logistic regression (LR).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Among these 4403 participants, 29.2% presented with biased TCM constitutions. RF demonstrated the highest predictive performance with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.847 (indicating excellent discrimination), followed by GBM (AUC = 0.842), XGBoost (AUC = 0.840), AdaBoost (AUC = 0.830), SVM (AUC = 0.764) and LR (AUC = 0.759). Key predictors included age, heart rate, and specific blood parameters such as monocytes, alanine aminotransferase, platelet distribution width, total bilirubin, and creatinine.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The high prevalence of biased TCM constitutions among elderly adults underscores the need for targeted health management strategies. Machine learning models, particularly RF, can accurately predict biased TCM constitutions, enabling early identification of at-risk individuals. The identified predictors provide valuable insights for developing personalised preventive strategies and inform future research on TCM-based elderly healthcare.</div><div><br>Please cite this article as: Sun C, Yu Z, Ge ZY, Wang WJ, Wang BY, Song HL, Xie GQ, Zhao HL, Zhang Y, Xu XL. Predicting traditional Chinese medicine constitutions in adults aged ≥ 65 years: A machine learning approach. <em>J Integr Med.</em> 2026; 24(1):98–104.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48599,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Integrative Medicine-Jim","volume":"24 1","pages":"Pages 98-104"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145534590","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-01DOI: 10.1016/j.joim.2025.10.004
Chun Sing Lam , Rong Hua , Lung Wai Au-Doung , Yu Kang Wu , Ho Kee Koon , Keary Rui Zhou , Herbert Ho-Fung Loong , Vincent Chi-Ho Chung , Richard Lee , Alexandre Chan , Yin Ting Cheung
Objective
Interactions between supplements and drugs may potentially increase the risk of bleeding in patients with cancer. However, studies on drug interactions and bleeding risk in cancer patients in a real-world setting are limited. This study investigates supplement-drug interactions associated with bleeding risk using data from the UK Biobank database (https://www.ukbiobank.ac.uk).
Methods
Participants included in this study had a cancer diagnosis and had completed supplement-use assessment after their diagnosis. Potential supplement-drug interactions associated with bleeding were identified using four tertiary databases. Logistic regression was used to investigate the association between potential clinical predictors and the use of supplement-drug pairs with interactions that potentially increase the bleeding risk. Exploratory analysis utilized log-binomial regression to examine the association between potentially interacting supplement-drug pairs and the incidence rates of five major bleeding outcomes (gastrointestinal hemorrhage, intracranial hemorrhage, hematuria, hemorrhage from respiratory passages, and postmenopausal bleeding). All analyses were adjusted for relevant factors.
Results
This study analyzed data from 30,239 participants (mean age = 60.0 years; 61.9% female). Over half (n = 17,698, 58.5%) of the participants reported using supplements after their cancer diagnosis. Among those using both supplements and drugs, one-third (n = 4970/14,308, 34.7%) were taking potentially interacting pairs that increase bleeding risk. Younger age at cancer diagnosis, longer time since diagnosis, specific cancer types, and comorbidities were associated with the use of these interacting pairs. Exploratory analyses found no significant associations between the use of potentially interacting supplement-drug pairs and the incidence of major bleeding events (all P > 0.05), although the risk of minor bleeding cannot be ruled out.
Conclusion
Approximately one-third of cancer patients who used supplements and drugs had a potential risk for bleeding due to supplement-drug interactions, suggesting the need to raise awareness about bleeding risks among patients and healthcare providers. Further pharmacovigilance monitoring and prospective cohort studies are needed to better understand the clinical impact of specific interactions.
Please cite this article as: Lam CS, Hua R, Au-Doung LW, Wu YK, Koon HK, Zhou KR, Loong HHF, Chung VCH, Lee R, Chan A, Cheung AT. Potential supplement-drug interactions and bleeding in patients with cancer: A UK Biobank study. J Integr Med. 2026; 24(1):90–97.
{"title":"Potential supplement-drug interactions and bleeding in patients with cancer: A UK Biobank study","authors":"Chun Sing Lam , Rong Hua , Lung Wai Au-Doung , Yu Kang Wu , Ho Kee Koon , Keary Rui Zhou , Herbert Ho-Fung Loong , Vincent Chi-Ho Chung , Richard Lee , Alexandre Chan , Yin Ting Cheung","doi":"10.1016/j.joim.2025.10.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.joim.2025.10.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>Interactions between supplements and drugs may potentially increase the risk of bleeding in patients with cancer. However, studies on drug interactions and bleeding risk in cancer patients in a real-world setting are limited. This study investigates supplement-drug interactions associated with bleeding risk using data from the UK Biobank database (<span><span>https://www.ukbiobank.ac.uk</span><svg><path></path></svg></span>).</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Participants included in this study had a cancer diagnosis and had completed supplement-use assessment after their diagnosis. Potential supplement-drug interactions associated with bleeding were identified using four tertiary databases. Logistic regression was used to investigate the association between potential clinical predictors and the use of supplement-drug pairs with interactions that potentially increase the bleeding risk. Exploratory analysis utilized log-binomial regression to examine the association between potentially interacting supplement-drug pairs and the incidence rates of five major bleeding outcomes (gastrointestinal hemorrhage, intracranial hemorrhage, hematuria, hemorrhage from respiratory passages, and postmenopausal bleeding). All analyses were adjusted for relevant factors.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>This study analyzed data from 30,239 participants (mean age = 60.0 years; 61.9% female). Over half (<em>n</em> = 17,698, 58.5%) of the participants reported using supplements after their cancer diagnosis. Among those using both supplements and drugs, one-third (<em>n</em> = 4970/14,308, 34.7%) were taking potentially interacting pairs that increase bleeding risk. Younger age at cancer diagnosis, longer time since diagnosis, specific cancer types, and comorbidities were associated with the use of these interacting pairs. Exploratory analyses found no significant associations between the use of potentially interacting supplement-drug pairs and the incidence of major bleeding events (all <em>P</em> > 0.05), although the risk of minor bleeding cannot be ruled out.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Approximately one-third of cancer patients who used supplements and drugs had a potential risk for bleeding due to supplement-drug interactions, suggesting the need to raise awareness about bleeding risks among patients and healthcare providers. Further pharmacovigilance monitoring and prospective cohort studies are needed to better understand the clinical impact of specific interactions.</div><div><br>Please cite this article as: Lam CS, Hua R, Au-Doung LW, Wu YK, Koon HK, Zhou KR, Loong HHF, Chung VCH, Lee R, Chan A, Cheung AT. Potential supplement-drug interactions and bleeding in patients with cancer: A UK Biobank study. <em>J Integr Med</em>. 2026; 24(1):90–97.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48599,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Integrative Medicine-Jim","volume":"24 1","pages":"Pages 90-97"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145394292","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-01DOI: 10.1016/j.joim.2025.10.008
Sung-Won Choi , Ka-Hyun Kim , Joo-Young Yoon , Si-Won Lee , Jae-Won Park , Hae-Won Hong , Da-Hyun Kyeong , Min-Kyung Kim , Su-Na Kim , Chang-Yeon Kim , Yoon-Jae Lee , Jin-Ho Lee , Ju-Yeon Kim , In-Hyuk Ha
Background
Research on the benefits of mobilization-focused manual therapy for whiplash syndrome is needed.
Objective
This study evaluated the effectiveness of manual therapy as an adjunct to integrative Korean medicine treatment (IKMT) for acute neck pain following traffic accidents.
Design, setting, participants and interventions
A single-center, two-arm, assessor-blinded, randomized clinical trial was conducted between 20 November 2020 and 26 July 2022. This study included 120 patients with acute neck pain after a traffic accident. IKMT was performed in the intervention and control groups during hospitalization. The intervention group also underwent four mobilization-focused manual therapy sessions.
Main outcome measures
The primary outcome was a change from the baseline in the numeric rating scale of neck pain on day 5 of hospitalization.
Results
A total of 120 participants were allocated to two groups (60 patients each), and the modified intention-to-treat analysis set included 60 and 59 patients in the intervention and control groups, respectively. On day 5, the intervention group showed more improvement in numeric rating (by 0.97 [0.38, 1.57]) and visual analogue (by 9.84 [4.15, 15.54]) scale scores, compared to the control group. The area under the curve of cumulative values up to day 5 was smaller in the intervention group than in the control group, with numeric rating and visual analogue scale scores of 2.81 (1.33, 4.29) and 31.02 (15.81, 46.22), respectively.
Conclusion
Administration of manual therapy as an adjunct to IKMT among patients with traffic accident-induced acute neck pain resulted in faster and better improvement in neck pain up to day 5 compared to IKMT alone. However, the outcomes showed no significant differences at the 12-week follow-up.
Trial registration
ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04660175).
Please cite this article as: Choi SW, Kim KH, Yoon JY, Lee SW, Park JW, Hong HW, Kyeong DH, Kim MK, Kim SN, Kim CY, Lee YJ, Lee JH, Kim JY, Ha IH. Effectiveness and safety of manual therapy for inpatients with traffic accident-induced acute neck pain: A randomized controlled trial. J Integr Med. 2026; 24(1):81–89.
背景：需要研究以活动为中心的手法治疗颈椎扭伤综合征的益处。目的：本研究评价了手疗辅助韩医结合治疗交通事故后急性颈部疼痛的疗效。设计、环境、参与者和干预措施：在2020年11月20日至2022年7月26日期间进行了一项单中心、双臂、评估盲、随机临床试验。本研究包括120例交通事故后急性颈部疼痛的患者。干预组和对照组住院期间均行IKMT。干预组还进行了四次以活动为重点的手工治疗。主要结局指标：主要结局指标为住院第5天颈部疼痛数值评定量表的基线变化。结果：120名参与者被分为两组（每组60例），改良意向治疗分析集分别包括干预组60例和对照组59例患者。第5天，干预组在数值评分（提高0.97[0.38,1.57]）和视觉模拟评分（提高9.84[4.15,15.54]）方面较对照组有更大改善。干预组第5天累积值曲线下面积小于对照组，数值评分和视觉模拟评分分别为2.81（1.33,4.29）和31.02（15.81,46.22）。结论：在交通事故引起的急性颈部疼痛患者中，手工治疗作为IKMT的辅助治疗，与单独IKMT相比，在第5天颈部疼痛的改善更快、更好。然而，在12周的随访中，结果没有显着差异。试验注册：Clinicaltrials.gov （NCT04660175）。请将本文引用为：Choi SW， Kim KH, Yoon JY, Lee SW, Park JW, Hong HW, Kyeong DH, Kim MK, Kim SN, Kim CY, Lee YJ, Lee JH, Kim JY, Ha IH。手工疗法治疗交通事故致急性颈部疼痛的有效性和安全性：一项随机对照试验。集成医学[J]；打印前Epub。
{"title":"Effectiveness and safety of manual therapy for inpatients with traffic accident-induced acute neck pain: A randomized controlled trial","authors":"Sung-Won Choi , Ka-Hyun Kim , Joo-Young Yoon , Si-Won Lee , Jae-Won Park , Hae-Won Hong , Da-Hyun Kyeong , Min-Kyung Kim , Su-Na Kim , Chang-Yeon Kim , Yoon-Jae Lee , Jin-Ho Lee , Ju-Yeon Kim , In-Hyuk Ha","doi":"10.1016/j.joim.2025.10.008","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.joim.2025.10.008","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Research on the benefits of mobilization-focused manual therapy for whiplash syndrome is needed.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study evaluated the effectiveness of manual therapy as an adjunct to integrative Korean medicine treatment (IKMT) for acute neck pain following traffic accidents.</div></div><div><h3>Design, setting, participants and interventions</h3><div>A single-center, two-arm, assessor-blinded, randomized clinical trial was conducted between 20 November 2020 and 26 July 2022. This study included 120 patients with acute neck pain after a traffic accident. IKMT was performed in the intervention and control groups during hospitalization. The intervention group also underwent four mobilization-focused manual therapy sessions.</div></div><div><h3>Main outcome measures</h3><div>The primary outcome was a change from the baseline in the numeric rating scale of neck pain on day 5 of hospitalization.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A total of 120 participants were allocated to two groups (60 patients each), and the modified intention-to-treat analysis set included 60 and 59 patients in the intervention and control groups, respectively. On day 5, the intervention group showed more improvement in numeric rating (by 0.97 [0.38, 1.57]) and visual analogue (by 9.84 [4.15, 15.54]) scale scores, compared to the control group. The area under the curve of cumulative values up to day 5 was smaller in the intervention group than in the control group, with numeric rating and visual analogue scale scores of 2.81 (1.33, 4.29) and 31.02 (15.81, 46.22), respectively.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Administration of manual therapy as an adjunct to IKMT among patients with traffic accident-induced acute neck pain resulted in faster and better improvement in neck pain up to day 5 compared to IKMT alone. However, the outcomes showed no significant differences at the 12-week follow-up.</div></div><div><h3>Trial registration</h3><div><span><span>ClinicalTrials.gov</span><svg><path></path></svg></span> (NCT04660175).</div><div>Please cite this article as: Choi SW, Kim KH, Yoon JY, Lee SW, Park JW, Hong HW, Kyeong DH, Kim MK, Kim SN, Kim CY, Lee YJ, Lee JH, Kim JY, Ha IH. Effectiveness and safety of manual therapy for inpatients with traffic accident-induced acute neck pain: A randomized controlled trial. <em>J Integr Med.</em> 2026; 24(1):81–89.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48599,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Integrative Medicine-Jim","volume":"24 1","pages":"Pages 81-89"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145641577","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-01DOI: 10.1016/j.joim.2025.09.005
Shan Wang , Ye-hua Xue , Li-bing Liang , Kun-peng Li , Cai-qin Wu
Background
Acupuncture is recognized as an alternative therapy for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) pain, but its efficacy evaluations are often confounded by variability in sham acupuncture techniques. The accurate selection of sham acupuncture controls, which are administered at either therapeutic acupuncture points or non-acupuncture points, is crucial for the validity of assessment outcomes.
Objective
To assess the efficacy of acupuncture in treating RA pain and identify the most effective acupuncture methods.
Search strategy
Databases including MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database, Chinese Science and Technology Journal Database, and Wanfang Database were searched from inception to October 11, 2024. Keywords included “rheumatoid arthritis,” “acupuncture,” “electroacupuncture,” and “pain.”
Inclusion criteria
Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in adults with RA that assessed pain using a visual analog scale and joint swelling by swollen joint count. Eligible trials compared electroacupuncture, conventional acupuncture, or sham acupuncture, against standard pain medication.
Data extraction and analysis
Two reviewers independently extracted data on study design, participant characteristics, interventions and outcomes. Risk of bias was evaluated using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool, and evidence certainty was assessed via the confidence in network meta-analysis framework. A frequentist network meta-analysis with random-effect models was conducted, and standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were reported.
Results
Ten RCTs involving 704 participants were analyzed. Electroacupuncture (SMD: –1.42; 95% CI: [–1.87, –0.98]) and conventional acupuncture (SMD: –1.11; 95% CI: [–1.49, –0.73]) outperformed conventional therapy and non-acupoint sham needling. Surface under cumulative ranking curve showed that electroacupuncture was most effective for pain reduction (97.7%), followed by conventional acupuncture (75.1%), non-acupoint sham (29.1%), same-acupoint sham (28.6%), and conventional therapy (19.5%).
Conclusion
Electroacupuncture demonstrated the highest efficacy for RA pain relief. Same-acupoint sham acupuncture may underestimate acupuncture’s true effect and is not recommended as a placebo control. Non-acupoint sham acupuncture is a more valid control for future trials.
Please cite this article as: Wang S, Xue YH, Liang LB, Li KP, Wu CQ. Comparative effectiveness of electroacupuncture and conventional acupuncture for rheumatoid arthritis pain: A network meta-analysis with emphasis on placebo control validity. J Integr Med. 2026; 24(1):57–64.
背景：针灸被认为是治疗类风湿关节炎（RA）疼痛的一种替代疗法，但其疗效评估常常因假针灸技术的可变性而混淆。在治疗性穴位或非针灸穴位进行假针灸对照的准确选择对于评估结果的有效性至关重要。目的：评价针刺治疗类风湿性关节炎疼痛的疗效，确定最有效的针刺方法。检索策略：从项目成立至2024年10月11日检索MEDLINE、Embase、PubMed、Cochrane Library、Scopus、Web of Science、中国国家知识基础数据库、中国科技期刊库、万方数据库等数据库。关键词包括“类风湿关节炎”、“针灸”、“电针”和“疼痛”。纳入标准：随机对照试验（rct）在成人RA患者中使用视觉模拟量表评估疼痛，通过肿胀关节计数评估关节肿胀。符合条件的试验比较了电针、传统针灸或假针灸与标准止痛药的疗效。数据提取和分析：两位评论者独立提取研究设计、参与者特征、干预措施和结果的数据。使用Cochrane Risk of bias 2工具评估偏倚风险，并通过网络元分析框架的置信度评估证据确定性。采用随机效应模型进行频率网络元分析，并报告标准化平均差（SMD）和95%置信区间（CI）。结果：共分析10项随机对照试验，共704名受试者。电针（SMD: -1.42; 95% CI:[-1.87, -0.98]）和常规针刺（SMD: -1.11; 95% CI:[-1.49, -0.73]）优于常规疗法和非穴位假针刺。累积排序曲线表显示，电针镇痛效果最佳（97.7%），其次为常规针刺（75.1%）、非穴位假手术（29.1%）、同穴位假手术（28.6%）、常规治疗（19.5%）。结论：电针对RA疼痛的缓解效果最好。同一穴位的假针灸可能低估了针灸的真实效果，不推荐作为安慰剂对照。在未来的试验中，非穴位假针灸是一种更有效的对照。本文署名：王思、薛玉华、梁宝玲、李kp、吴春青。电针与传统针刺治疗类风湿关节炎疼痛的比较疗效：一项强调安慰剂对照效度的网络meta分析。集成医学[J]；打印前Epub。
{"title":"Comparative effectiveness of electroacupuncture and conventional acupuncture for rheumatoid arthritis pain: A network meta-analysis with emphasis on placebo control validity","authors":"Shan Wang , Ye-hua Xue , Li-bing Liang , Kun-peng Li , Cai-qin Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.joim.2025.09.005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.joim.2025.09.005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Acupuncture is recognized as an alternative therapy for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) pain, but its efficacy evaluations are often confounded by variability in sham acupuncture techniques. The accurate selection of sham acupuncture controls, which are administered at either therapeutic acupuncture points or non-acupuncture points, is crucial for the validity of assessment outcomes.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>To assess the efficacy of acupuncture in treating RA pain and identify the most effective acupuncture methods.</div></div><div><h3>Search strategy</h3><div>Databases including MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database, Chinese Science and Technology Journal Database, and Wanfang Database were searched from inception to October 11, 2024. Keywords included “rheumatoid arthritis,” “acupuncture,” “electroacupuncture,” and “pain.”</div></div><div><h3>Inclusion criteria</h3><div>Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in adults with RA that assessed pain using a visual analog scale and joint swelling by swollen joint count. Eligible trials compared electroacupuncture, conventional acupuncture, or sham acupuncture, against standard pain medication.</div></div><div><h3>Data extraction and analysis</h3><div>Two reviewers independently extracted data on study design, participant characteristics, interventions and outcomes. Risk of bias was evaluated using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool, and evidence certainty was assessed via the confidence in network meta-analysis framework. A frequentist network meta-analysis with random-effect models was conducted, and standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were reported.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Ten RCTs involving 704 participants were analyzed. Electroacupuncture (SMD: –1.42; 95% CI: [–1.87, –0.98]) and conventional acupuncture (SMD: –1.11; 95% CI: [–1.49, –0.73]) outperformed conventional therapy and non-acupoint sham needling. Surface under cumulative ranking curve showed that electroacupuncture was most effective for pain reduction (97.7%), followed by conventional acupuncture (75.1%), non-acupoint sham (29.1%), same-acupoint sham (28.6%), and conventional therapy (19.5%).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Electroacupuncture demonstrated the highest efficacy for RA pain relief. Same-acupoint sham acupuncture may underestimate acupuncture’s true effect and is not recommended as a placebo control. Non-acupoint sham acupuncture is a more valid control for future trials.</div><div><br>Please cite this article as: Wang S, Xue YH, Liang LB, Li KP, Wu CQ. Comparative effectiveness of electroacupuncture and conventional acupuncture for rheumatoid arthritis pain: A network meta-analysis with emphasis on placebo control validity. <em>J Integr Med</em>. 2026; 24(1):57–64.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48599,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Integrative Medicine-Jim","volume":"24 1","pages":"Pages 57-64"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145309511","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-01DOI: 10.1016/j.joim.2025.09.004
Yu-pei Cheng , Yang Guo , Can Wang , Bang-qi Wu , Qing Xia , Run-chen Zhang , Yi Guo
This study summarizes and discusses the characteristics and essence of meridians and acupoints from the perspectives of physics, chemistry and biology. An extensive body of literature from PubMed and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure was reviewed and categorized into three distinct groups: physical characteristics-related research (75 articles), which examined electrical, thermal, optical, acoustic and magnetic properties, and isotope migration; chemical characteristics-related literature (44 articles), focusing on chemical ions, oxygen partial pressure, nitric oxide and substance P; and biological essence-related research (52 articles), which primarily explored microcirculation, extracellular fluid channels, mast cells, telocytes, connexins, hilum of muscle and bone, and sensory nerve fibers. Current research emphasizes the electrical and thermal properties of the meridians and acupoints, whereas investigations into the essence of meridians are increasingly shifting from macroscopic to microscopic structures. It is essential to fully harness the advantages of interdisciplinary integration, which could significantly advance our understanding and applications in the realm of acupuncture and traditional medicine.
Please cite this article as: Cheng YP, Guo Y, Wang C, Wu BQ, Xia Q, Zhang RC, Guo Y. Research progress on the characteristics and essence of meridians and acupoints from an interdisciplinary perspective: A review. J Integr Med. 2026; 24(1):33–49.
{"title":"Research progress on the characteristics and essence of meridians and acupoints from an interdisciplinary perspective: A review","authors":"Yu-pei Cheng , Yang Guo , Can Wang , Bang-qi Wu , Qing Xia , Run-chen Zhang , Yi Guo","doi":"10.1016/j.joim.2025.09.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.joim.2025.09.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study summarizes and discusses the characteristics and essence of meridians and acupoints from the perspectives of physics, chemistry and biology. An extensive body of literature from PubMed and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure was reviewed and categorized into three distinct groups: physical characteristics-related research (75 articles), which examined electrical, thermal, optical, acoustic and magnetic properties, and isotope migration; chemical characteristics-related literature (44 articles), focusing on chemical ions, oxygen partial pressure, nitric oxide and substance P; and biological essence-related research (52 articles), which primarily explored microcirculation, extracellular fluid channels, mast cells, telocytes, connexins, hilum of muscle and bone, and sensory nerve fibers. Current research emphasizes the electrical and thermal properties of the meridians and acupoints, whereas investigations into the essence of meridians are increasingly shifting from macroscopic to microscopic structures. It is essential to fully harness the advantages of interdisciplinary integration, which could significantly advance our understanding and applications in the realm of acupuncture and traditional medicine.</div><div><br>Please cite this article as: Cheng YP, Guo Y, Wang C, Wu BQ, Xia Q, Zhang RC, Guo Y. Research progress on the characteristics and essence of meridians and acupoints from an interdisciplinary perspective: A review. <em>J Integr Med</em>. 2026; 24(1):33–49.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48599,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Integrative Medicine-Jim","volume":"24 1","pages":"Pages 33-48"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145276454","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-01DOI: 10.1016/j.joim.2025.11.001
Wen-hao Gao , Yu Wang , Xiao-yu Tong, Wei Hu, Yi-cong Wang, Yan Xiao, Jia-jia Li, Yi Feng
Acupuncture therapy has demonstrated therapeutic effects on various systemic diseases through the use of specific acupoints along meridians. However, due to the multi-target effect of acupuncture and the complexity of meridian pathways, the underlying mechanisms of acupuncture have not been well understood. Tissue clearing and three-dimensional (3D) imaging is an emerging medical technology that provides high-resolution 3D molecular information while preserving the structural integrity of tissues. In relevant research articles, tissue-clearing and 3D imaging techniques stood out for their ability to visualize the structural characteristics of meridians and acupoints of intact tissues, in order to reveal their intricate connections by means of topological principles. Specifically, this technology has managed to show that acupuncture points like Guilai (ST29) and Sanyinjiao (SP6), which are commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine for treating gynecological disorders, promote angiogenesis in the ovaries and thus improve follicle numbers in polycystic ovary syndrome-like ovaries. This article summarizes recent progress on tissue-clearing and 3D imaging technologies and anticipates the prospects of utilizing this technology to further explore the effects of acupuncture.
Please cite this article as: Gao WH, Wang Y, Tong XY, Hu W, Wang YC, Xiao Y, Li JJ, Feng Y. Research progress of tissue clearing and three-dimensional imaging on multiple effects of acupuncture and moxibustion. J Integr Med. 2026; 24(1):49–56.
{"title":"Research progress of tissue clearing and three-dimensional imaging on multiple effects of acupuncture and moxibustion","authors":"Wen-hao Gao , Yu Wang , Xiao-yu Tong, Wei Hu, Yi-cong Wang, Yan Xiao, Jia-jia Li, Yi Feng","doi":"10.1016/j.joim.2025.11.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.joim.2025.11.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Acupuncture therapy has demonstrated therapeutic effects on various systemic diseases through the use of specific acupoints along meridians. However, due to the multi-target effect of acupuncture and the complexity of meridian pathways, the underlying mechanisms of acupuncture have not been well understood. Tissue clearing and three-dimensional (3D) imaging is an emerging medical technology that provides high-resolution 3D molecular information while preserving the structural integrity of tissues. In relevant research articles, tissue-clearing and 3D imaging techniques stood out for their ability to visualize the structural characteristics of meridians and acupoints of intact tissues, in order to reveal their intricate connections by means of topological principles. Specifically, this technology has managed to show that acupuncture points like Guilai (ST29) and Sanyinjiao (SP6), which are commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine for treating gynecological disorders, promote angiogenesis in the ovaries and thus improve follicle numbers in polycystic ovary syndrome-like ovaries. This article summarizes recent progress on tissue-clearing and 3D imaging technologies and anticipates the prospects of utilizing this technology to further explore the effects of acupuncture.</div><div><br>Please cite this article as: Gao WH, Wang Y, Tong XY, Hu W, Wang YC, Xiao Y, Li JJ, Feng Y. Research progress of tissue clearing and three-dimensional imaging on multiple effects of acupuncture and moxibustion. <em>J Integr Med</em>. 2026; 24(1):49–56.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48599,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Integrative Medicine-Jim","volume":"24 1","pages":"Pages 49-56"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145582693","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-29DOI: 10.1016/j.joim.2025.12.011
Mei Han, Xue-Fang Liang, Jing Gao, Yan Wang, Li-Xing Cao, Bao-Jin Wang, Yue Wang, Zerang Zhuoma, Jian-Ping Liu, Hui-Lan Du
<p><strong>Background: </strong>Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent, progesterone-resistant gynecological disorder, with dysmenorrhea being the most common manifestation.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study evaluates the efficacy and safety of the Tibetan herbal medication Honghua Ruyi Pill (HHRY) in managing endometriosis-related dysmenorrhea.</p><p><strong>Design, setting, participants and interventions: </strong>This is a multi-center, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded clinical trial conducted in seven hospitals in China from July 2021 to January 2023. A total of 164 patients with endometriosis and moderate or severe dysmenorrhea (visual analog scale [VAS] score ≥ 4) were assigned to the treatment or placebo group in a 1:1 ratio by block randomization. Patients received HHRY or placebo twice a day for three consecutive menstrual cycles (MCs) and were followed up for three MCs after stopping the medication.</p><p><strong>Main outcome measures: </strong>Primary outcomes were VAS score of the maximum (VAS<sub>max</sub>) of dysmenorrhea, endometriosis health profile-5 (EHP-5) score, and 5-level EQ-5D version (EQ-5D-5L) score. Secondary outcomes were VAS<sub>max</sub> of non-menstrual pelvic pain, days of leave taken, emergent use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and changes in uterine, cyst and nodule sizes. Safety profiles were assessed based on adverse events, vital signs, serology markers, urinalysis, and liver and kidney function indicators.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>VAS<sub>max</sub> of dysmenorrhea, EHP-5 score, EQ-5D-5 L score, and VAS<sub>max</sub> of non-menstrual pelvic pain were significantly lower in the HHRY group compared to the placebo group at the final follow-up (3.00 vs 5.50, P < 0.001; 4.00 vs 8.00, P < 0.001; 4.00 vs 9.00, P < 0.001; 0.00 vs 1.00, P < 0.001; respectively). The emergent use of NSAIDs for breakthrough pain showed no significant difference between groups (P > 0.999), but the number of patients who had taken time off was significantly different (5.00 vs 14.00, P = 0.028). Sonographic evaluations indicated no significant change in uterine size (P = 0.183) but showed a significant reduction in cyst size (2.09 cm vs 0.20 cm, P = 0.027, sum of 3 diameters of cysts) and nodule size (0.70 cm vs 0.00 cm, P < 0.001, maximum nodule diameter). Safety analysis showed no significant difference in the incidence of adverse events between groups (18.85% vs 28.05%, P = 0.059).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>HHRY can improve dysmenorrhea, chronic pelvic pain, and quality of life in patients with endometriosis. It has a good overall safety profile, and a 3-month treatment can maintain its effects for at least 3 months after the last dose. HHRY may be considered as a new therapeutic option for treating endometriosis-related dysmenorrhea.</p><p><strong>Trial registration: </strong>Trial registration at ClinicalTrials.gov with registration number: NCT04942015. Please cite this article
背景：子宫内膜异位症是一种雌激素依赖、黄体酮抵抗的妇科疾病，以痛经为最常见的表现。目的：评价藏药红花如意丸治疗子宫内膜异位症相关性痛经的疗效和安全性。设计、环境、参与者和干预措施：这是一项多中心、随机、安慰剂对照、双盲临床试验，于2021年7月至2023年1月在中国7家医院进行。164例子宫内膜异位症合并中度或重度痛经患者（视觉模拟评分[VAS]评分≥4）按照1:1的比例被分组分为治疗组或安慰剂组。患者接受HHRY或安慰剂治疗，每天两次，连续三个月经周期（MCs），停药后随访三个MCs。主要结局指标：主要结局为痛经最大VAS评分（VASmax）、子宫内膜异位症健康概况-5 （EHP-5）评分、5级EQ-5D版本评分（EQ-5D- 5l）。次要指标为非经期盆腔疼痛的VASmax、休假天数、非甾体抗炎药（NSAIDs）的紧急使用以及子宫、囊肿和结节大小的变化。安全性评估基于不良事件、生命体征、血清学指标、尿液分析和肝肾功能指标。结果：末次随访时，hhrry组痛经VASmax评分、EHP-5评分、eq - 5d - 5l评分、非经期盆腔疼痛VASmax评分均显著低于安慰剂组（3.00 vs 5.50, P 0.999），但休假患者数差异有统计学意义（5.00 vs 14.00, P = 0.028）。超声检查显示子宫大小无明显变化（P = 0.183），但囊肿大小（2.09 cm vs 0.20 cm, P = 0.027, 3个囊肿直径的总和）和结节大小（0.70 cm vs 0.00 cm， P）明显减少。结论：HHRY可改善子宫内膜异位症患者的痛经、慢性盆腔疼痛和生活质量。它具有良好的整体安全性，并且3个月的治疗可以在最后一次剂量后至少3个月保持其效果。HHRY可能被认为是治疗子宫内膜异位症相关痛经的一种新的治疗选择。试验注册：在ClinicalTrials.gov上注册试验，注册号：NCT04942015。本文署名：韩敏，梁晓峰，高军，王毅，曹立新，王炳杰，王毅，泽忠，刘金平，杜海龙。复方中药红花如意丸改善子宫内膜异位症相关性痛经：多中心随机、双盲、安慰剂对照试验集成医学[J]；打印前Epub。
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