Efficacy Of Alternative Therapies Research Articles

Curative efficiency and adverse events of alternative therapy and medicine for functional constipation in adults: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background:The efficacy of alternative therapies and medications for functional constipation (FC) in adults is well established, however, the efficacy and safety of different alternative therapies and medications for FC in adults is not fully clarified. Due to there are many different alternative therapies and medications available for the treatment of febrile FC in adults, the selection of appropriate alternative therapies and medications has become an urgent issue. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of alternative therapy and medicine for FC in adults.Methods:PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, China Science and Technology Journal Database and Wanfang Data were searched to identify randomized controlled trials which focused on alternative therapy and medicine for FC in adults from December 15, 2020 to July 1, 2021. Subsequently, 2 researchers will be independently responsible for literature screening, data extraction, and assessment of their quality. This study uses The R Programming Language 4.0.2 based on Bayesian framework for NMA. Odds ratios or standardized mean differences will be modeled using Markov chain Monte Carlo methods, both with 95% confidence intervals.Results:The results of this meta-analysis will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal for publication.Conclusions:The conclusion of this systematic review will provide evidence for selecting an optimal alternative therapy and medicine for patients with FC in adults.Ethics and dissemination:The protocol of the systematic review does not require ethical approval because it does not involve humans. This article will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at relevant conferences.Systematic review registration:INPLASY202210091.

A glimpse into the efficacy of alternative therapies in the management of benign prostatic hyperplasia

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is acommon disease that can cause uncomfortable lower urinary tract symptoms. The occurrence of symptomatic BPH develops after the age of 40years and increases gradually with age to reach more than 50% at the age of 60years and severely disturbs the quality of life of the patients. Alpha-blockers and 5‑alpha reductase inhibitors are first-line agents used for the treatment of BPH. Due to the adverse effects of these conventional therapies, many patients turn to phytotherapy and other alternative therapies. This review covers alternative therapies, i.e., phytotherapy (cernilton, eviprostat, quercetin, saw palmetto and pumpkin seed) and physical therapy (acupuncture, aquablation, pulsed electromagnetic field, prostate urethral lift, radial extracorporeal shock wave therapy, thermobalancing therapy, and transurethral needle ablation) commonly used in the management of BPH.

Utilization of Mental Health Resources and Complementary and Alternative Therapies for Alopecia Areata: A U.S. Survey.

Background:The efficacy of traditional medical treatments for alopecia areata (AA) is limited, leading some to pursue alternative treatments. The utilization and nature of these treatments are unclear.Objective:To assess the extent to which patients with AA pursue alternative treatments and to characterize these treatments.Methods:A 13-item electronic survey was E-mailed by the National Alopecia Areata Foundation (NAAF) to their patient database and shared on the NAAF social media to individuals with AA.Results:Of 1083 respondents, 78.1% of patients were very or somewhat unsatisfied, compared to 7.7% who were very or somewhat satisfied with the current medical treatments for AA. Approximately a third of patients pursued therapy-related mental health services (31.2%) and attended support groups (29.0%). Patients were more likely to pursue a mental health-related therapy if they had long-standing alopecia, or if they were young, female, or white.Limitations:This was a convenience sample of patients recruited online and via the NAAF AA registry.Conclusion:Many patients with AA are dissatisfied with current treatments and are seeking mental health treatment for AA. While the efficacy of alternative therapies is unknown, further research is needed to determine their role in the treatment of AA.

Use of Peptide Thrombopoietin Receptor Agonist Romiplostim (Nplate) in a Case of Primary HIV-Associated Thrombocytopenia

Thrombocytopenia is frequently encountered in HIV-infected patients, and the predominant cause is primary HIV-associated thrombocytopenia (PHAT). Standard treatment regimens include optimization of antiretroviral therapy, intravenous immunoglobulin, anti-D, and corticosteroids. Retreatment due to the inability to sustain remission or inferior responses is common, and investigation into the safety and efficacy of alternative therapies is warranted. We describe novel and effective treatment of PHAT with the peptide thrombopoietin receptor agonist romiplostim in a patient with a minimal response to conventional therapy.

Beliefs and Perceptions of Women with Newly Diagnosed Breast Cancer Who Refused Conventional Treatment in Favor of Alternative Therapies

Although breast cancer is a highly treatable disease, some women reject conventional treatment opting for unproven "alternative therapy" that may contribute to poor health outcomes. This study sought to understand why some women make this decision and to identify messages that might lead to greater acceptance of evidence-based treatment. This study explored treatment decision making through in-depth interviews with 60 breast cancer patients identified by their treating oncologists. Thirty refused some or all conventional treatment, opting for alternative therapies, whereas 30 accepted both conventional and alternative treatments. All completed the Beck Anxiety Inventory and the Rotter Locus of Control scale. Negative first experiences with "uncaring, insensitive, and unnecessarily harsh" oncologists, fear of side effects, and belief in the efficacy of alternative therapies were key factors in the decision to reject potentially life-prolonging conventional therapy. Refusers differed from controls in their perceptions of the value of conventional treatment, believing that chemotherapy and radiotherapy were riskier (p < .0073) and less beneficial (p < .0001) than did controls. Controls perceived alternative medicine alone as riskier than did refusers because its value for treating cancer is unproven (p < .0001). Refusers believed they could heal themselves naturally from cancer with simple holistic methods like raw fruits, vegetables, and supplements. According to interviewees, a compassionate approach to cancer care plus physicians who acknowledge their fears, communicate hope, educate them about their options, and allow them time to come to terms with their diagnosis before starting treatment might have led them to better treatment choices.

Antibiotic therapy of vascular catheter-related bloodstream infections: is vancomycin the optimal choice for Staphylococcus aureus infections?

Vancomycin is frequently used as empirical therapy in patients with catheter-related bloodstream infections and for definitive therapy of such infections caused by meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Evidence, however, indicates that as a consequence of decreasing activity of vancomycin against this organism, as well as with deficiencies in tissue penetration, vancomycin therapy of such infections frequently results in microbiological and clinical failure. The relative efficacy of alternative therapies requires urgent investigation in randomized clinical trials.

Acupuncture for Blood Pressure Lowering

Blood pressure–related disease remains a major public health problem in developed and developing countries alike. The Global Burden of Disease study estimates 62% of stroke, 49% of ischemic heart disease, and 14% of other cardiovascular disease can be attributable to mean systolic blood pressure levels >115 mm Hg worldwide.1 The mainstay of medical management of hypertension is a number of commonly used drugs,2 the mechanisms of action of which are well understood and grounded in conventional science. However, despite the strength of evidence supporting the efficacy of these agents and their wide endorsement in national and international guidelines, only about one half of those patients in whom treatment is indicated are compliant with drug therapy. Treatment cost, adverse effects, and complexity are commonly cited barriers to patient adherence,3,4 and such factors undoubtedly play an important role in the growing interest in alternative therapies for blood pressure control. Article p 3121 Acupuncture, one of the oldest and most commonly used forms of alternative medicine, has existed for >2500 years. In traditional acupuncture, fine needles are inserted into precisely defined, specific points on the body, each of which has distinct therapeutic actions.5 For a long time, acupuncture was viewed by practitioners of Western medicine as “the Chinese equivalent of voodoo,”6 but certain events encouraged wider acceptance of this form of treatment beginning in the 1970s. One such event is said to have been President Richard Nixon’s goodwill visit to China in 1972 during which he saw acupuncture in practice. His personal physician subsequently wrote, “I have seen acupuncture work.” This statement not only increased public interest but also encouraged key figures in the medical community to travel to China to develop a …

Noninvasive Hemodynamic Monitoring for Combat Casualties

The aims of this study were to develop and to test a noninvasive hemodynamic monitoring system that could be applied to combat casualties to supplement conventional vital signs, to use an advanced information system to predict outcomes, and to evaluate the relative effectiveness of various therapies with instant feedback information during acute emergency conditions. In a university-run inner city public hospital, we evaluated 1,000 consecutively monitored trauma patients in the initial resuscitation period, beginning shortly after admission to the emergency department. In addition to conventional vital signs, we used noninvasive monitoring devices (cardiac index by bioimpedance with blood pressure and heart rate to measure cardiac function, arterial hemoglobin oxygen saturation by pulse oximetry to reflect changes in pulmonary function, and tissue oxygenation by transcutaneous oxygen tension indexed to fractional inspired oxygen concentration and carbon dioxide tension to evaluate tissue perfusion). The cardiac index, mean arterial pressure, pulse oximetry (arterial hemoglobin oxygen saturation), and transcutaneous oxygen tension/fractional inspired oxygen concentration were significantly higher in survivors, whereas the heart rate and carbon dioxide tension were higher in nonsurvivors. The calculated survival probability was a useful outcome predictor that also served as a measure of severity of illness. The rate of misclassification of survival probability was 13.5% in the series as a whole but only 6% for patients without severe head injuries and brain death. Application of noninvasive hemodynamic monitoring to acute emergency trauma patients in the emergency department is feasible, safe, and inexpensive and provides accurate hemodynamic patterns in continuous, on-line, real-time, graphical displays of the status of cardiac, pulmonary, and tissue perfusion functions. Combined with an information system, this approach provided an early outcome predictor and evaluated, with an objective individualized method, the relative efficacy of alternative therapies for specific patients.

Homoeopathic Remedies in the Treatment of Mastitis

There is an increasing demand for organic produce worldwide. In the United Kingdom, the organic food sector shows a growth in retail sale values of approximately 40% per year. Currently, there are about 150 organic dairy farms, with organic milk production predicted to reach 150 million litres in 2003.2 Mastitis affects organically managed cattle to the same degree as conventionally farmed cows, and has been identified as a major concern in organic dairy herds.1 Use of antibiotics for the treatment of sick animals is allowed under organic regulations, but milk and meat withholding periods are extended. In addition, the routine or continued use of antibiotics is prohibited.&#x0D; Homoeopathy was found to be the main alternative to antibiotics for mastitis treatment in the Hovi and Roderick1 study. However, existing data on the efficacy of alternative therapies is deficient. The current study at Cambridge University aims to establish the efficacy of a commonly used homoeopathic remedy for the treatment of clinical mastitis by comparing it with intramammary antibiotic therapy.

A Critical Review of the Sociology of Alternative Medicine: Research on Users, Practitioners and the Orthodoxy

The popularity of alternative therapies in the past two decades has been accompanied by a proliferation of sociological works investigating different aspects of this phenomenon.1,2 A major strand of the literature in ‘the sociology of alternative medicine’, which concerns three social actors: users of alternative therapies; practitioners of alternative therapies; and physicians (the orthodoxy). Research on users of alternative medicine has mainly investigated the causes of people’s use of these modalities and has focused on three questions: Why do people use alternative medicine? Why has alternative medicine become popular in recent times? and, What is the sequence of events that leads to alternative medicine use? Research on alternative practitioners has mainly investigated the issue of professionalization of these practitioners. Research on physicians has mainly investigated: physicians’ views on and professional relationships with alternative therapists; physicians’ views on the efficacy of alternative therapies; the orthodoxy’s views on the knowledge base of these therapeutic systems; and physicians who use alternative techniques. The article argues that a paucity of empirical research is a major weakness of the present state of the sociology of alternative medicine and thus several research possibilities are delineated. Its aim is to provide a critical review of the literature on each of the above topics and suggest future research possibilities.