National Digital Science Library Research Articles

The Effectiveness and Safety of Yi Shen Juan Bi Pill on Rheumatoid Arthritis: a Protocol for Systematic Review and/or Meta-Analysis.

The Yi Shen Juan Bi (YSJB) pill has been used to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA), with several studies reporting its anti-inflammatory effects and ability to prevent bone destruction. However, the lack of evidence regarding the effectiveness and toxicity of individual components of YSJB limits its widespread use. This protocol outlines a systematic review and/or meta-analysis to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of YSJB. We will search worldwide electronic databases, including MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, CiNii, J-STAGE, KoreaMed, Korean Medical Database, Korean Studies Information Service System, National Digital Science Library, Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information, and Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System. In addition, we will conduct manual searches, and, if necessary, contact authors directly. The search will cover publications until June 2024. We will select randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compare the use of YSJB for the treatment of RA against other treatments. Data from the selected RCTs will be extracted, including sample size, patient characteristics, intervention details, and outcome measures. We will perform a meta-analysis using Review Manager software. The primary outcome measures will include disease activity scores such as effective rate, swollen joint count, tender joint count, and morning stiffness. Secondary outcome measures will include blood test results and adverse events. The results will reveal the effectiveness and safety of YSJB for the treatment of RA. and Relevance: The findings will provide an evidence-based review of the use of YSJB for RA.S.

Herbal Medicines for the Improvement of Immune Function in Patients with Cancer: A Protocol for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objectives: Patients with cancer eventually fail to respond to therapy when malignant cells develop effective ways to evade immunosurveillance. Conventional cancer treatments, such as radiation therapy and chemotherapy, aim to cure the disease or prolong the patient’s life. However, the toxicity and side effects of conventional treatments limit their efficacy. Herbal medicine is a typical complementary and integrative form of medicine for cancer treatment in Asia. This protocol evaluates the effectiveness of herbal medicines in improving the immune function of patients with cancer.Methods: The following electronic databases will be searched: MEDLINE via PubMed, EMBASE via Elsevier, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Korean databases including Regional Information Sharing Systems (RISS), National Digital Science Library (NDSL), and Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System (OASIS). Additionally, prospective randomized controlled trials that evaluate the effectiveness of herbal medicines on immune function in patients with cancer will be included in this review. All outcomes related to the immune function of patients with cancer (e.g., CD3, CD4, CD8, CD4/CD8 ratio, CD19 (B cells), dendritic cells (CD11), CD56 (NK cells), and macrophages) will be included in this review.Results: This review is expected to provide data on the effectiveness of herbal medicines on improving immune functions in patients with cancers.Conclusion: This systematic review will help patients and clinicians establish new management options for cancer treatment.

Herbal Medicine for the Treatment of Non-Erosive Reflux Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocol

Introduction: Non-erosive reflux disease (NERD) is the most common subtype of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). This study aims to synthesize evidence on the efficacy and safety of various herbal medicines for the treatment of NERD.Methods and analysis: Ten electronic databases will be examined: MEDLINE (via PubMed), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Embase, Allied and Complementary Medicine Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database, Citation Information by Nii, Korean Medical Database, Korean Studies Information Service System, National Digital Science Library, and Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System. All randomized controlled trials published from inception to May 2023 that meet the eligibility criteria will be selected. Two independent researchers will extract data, such as publication year, study design, intervention details, outcome measures, main results, and adverse events. The risk of bias and quality of evidence will be assessed, and subgroup analyses will be performed according to the type of control intervention and herbal medicine. The analysis process will be conducted using Review Manager 5.4 software.Discussion: This review will present a summary and rationale for herbal medicine’s effectiveness in treating NERD. The findings of this review can help those who want to apply herbal medicine to the treatment of NERD. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO registration number CRD42023423052.

Identifying Latent Topics and Trends in Premature Infant-Related Nursing Studies Using a Latent Dirichlet Allocation Method.

This study aimed to identify topics and within-topic core keywords in premature infant-related nursing studies published in Korean and international academic journals using topic modeling and to compare and analyze the trends in Korean and international studies. Journal databases were searched to extract nursing studies involving premature infants from 1998 to 2020. Journal databases included MEDLINE, Web of Science, CINAHL, and EMBASE for international studies and DBpia, the National Digital Science Library, the Korea Citation Index, and the Research Information Sharing Service for Korean studies. Abstracts from the selected 182 Korean and 2502 international studies were analyzed using NetMiner4.4.3e. In results, four similar topics (Korean vs international) were "pain intervention" versus "pain management"; "breast feeding practice" versus "breast feeding"; "kangaroo mother care"; and "parental stress" versus "stress & depression." Two topics that appeared only in the international studies were "infection management" and "oral feeding & respiratory care." Overall, the international studies dealt with diverse topics directly associated with premature. Korean studies mainly dealt with topics related to mothers of premature infants, whereas studies related to premature infants were insufficient. Nursing research in Korea needs to be expanded to research topics addressing premature infants.

Therapeutic efficacy of Chinese patent medicine containing pyrite for fractures: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

Fractures are a condition in which bone continuity is lost or linear deformity occurs. They are a worldwide public health problem and a significant economic burden. The purpose of this study is to analyze the efficacy of Chinese patent medicine containing pyrite (CPMP) through systematic review and meta-analysis of fracture clinical data. A literature search will be carried out from the inception of CPMP studies to September 2022 using EMBASE, PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Korean Studies Information Service System, National Digital Science Library, and Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System. Randomized controlled trials which include CPMP will be considered as eligible regardless of the type of fracture. After screening the literature, extracting the data, and assessing the risk of bias from the included studies, a meta-analysis will be performed using Review Manager version 5.4. This study is expected to provide evidence for the efficacy and safety of CPMP for fractures. Our findings will provide evidence to determine whether CPMP can be an effective intervention for patients with fractures, which would expand the possible treatment options.

Meditation-based intervention for obsessive-compulsive disorder: A PRISMA-compliant systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background:The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the meditation-based intervention on obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).Methods:The following databases were searched up to April 2021: the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), EMBASE, Medline (via PubMed), PsycARTICLES, 4 Korean databases (Korean Medical Database [KMbase], Koreanstudies Information Service System [KISS], National Digital Science Library [NDSL], and Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System [OASIS]), and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI). The search terms related to meditation-based intervention and OCD were used. This systematic review was based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. The selected articles were evaluated using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. The Review Manager (RevMan) 5.4 was used to perform the meta-analysis.Results:In all, 16 randomized controlled trials were selected. The meta-analysis showed that the group receiving the treatment combining medication and meditation-based intervention for OCD showed a more significant post-treatment improvement in Yale-Brown obsessive compulsive scale than the group receiving medication only. Compared with other non-medication interventions that are known to be effective in treating OCD, the Yale-Brown obsessive compulsive scale showed a significant improvement immediately after the meditation-based intervention. However, no significant difference was found in the follow-up monitoring data across all examined cases.Conclusion:This study was conducted to verify the effects of meditation-based intervention on OCD. The results suggested that combined treatment with medication and meditation-based intervention was more effective in treating OCD than medication alone; the positive effects of meditation-based intervention may be greater than the effects of other non-medication interventions. However, the lack of significant difference in the follow-up indicates that long-term effect of meditation-based interventions is unclear.Trial registration number:PROSPERO CRD42021244408

What are the late effects of older gastric cancer survivors? A scoping review

ObjectiveOlder gastric cancer survivors account for a high proportion of cancer survivors. To improve their quality of life, a cancer survivorship care plan with a consideration of the late effects is required. This study aimed to understand the extent and type of evidence in relation to the late effects in older gastric cancer survivors. MethodsWe conducted a scoping review based on the JBI scoping review framework. We explored articles in the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE), SCOPUS, Web of science, Excerpta Medica dataBASE (EMBASE), Research InformationSharing Service (RISS), Korean Medical dataBASE(KMBase), and National Digital Science Library (NDSL) databases published from January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2021. The keywords used for search are “gastric cancer”, “aged”, “survivors”, and “late effect or long-term effect or late symptom or time factors”. While 439 records were initially identified, 14 articles were eventually selected based on the inclusion criteria. ResultsMost studies were conducted in 2019 (4 studies, 28.6%), and more than half (8 studies, 57.1%) were conducted in Asia. In total, six definitions of cancer survivors were found in the studies. The most common age range in the studies was 60–64 years (7 studies, 50.0%). The second primary cancer risk was the most common late effects (5 studies, 20.8%). Among 14 studies, there was only one study of intervention study (7.1%). ConclusionsIt is time to shift the focus from survival to care that improve the quality of life after treatment. We suggest future studies to define cancer survivors, set the age criteria and characterize the late effects in older gastric cancer survivors.

A Concept Analysis of Nurses' Clinical Decision Making: Implications for Korea.

The study’s purpose was to identify the meaning and the attributes of Korean nurses’ clinical decision making. A sequential and systematic literature review with reflection according to the conceptual analysis method of Walker and Avant was used in this study. Data sources included the National Assembly Library, the National Digital Science Library, ProQuest, PubMed, MEDLINE, and CINAHL. Finally, twenty-six articles were included in this concept analysis. The concept of Korean nurses’ clinical decision making consisted of the following attributes: clinical reasoning, choosing and applying challenging alternatives, and professional assessment and resetting. Antecedents consisted of: recognizing complex and diverse patient situations with high uncertainty, the need to solve problems according to priority, prior experience in clinical decision making, and interrelationships with fellow medical staff. Consequences consisted of: providing high-quality nursing services, improving the patient’s safety, and increased satisfaction with clinical decision making. Based on these results, the conceptual attributes of Korean nurses’ clinical decision making had slightly different characteristics but were organically interrelated. The results of analyzing the concept of Korean nurses’ clinical decision making provide a better understanding of it and contribute to expanding nursing knowledge and developing a valid and reliable measurement.

Effectiveness and safety of bee venom pharmacopuncture for rheumatoid arthritis: a systematic review protocol

IntroductionRheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the common autoimmune disease with low quality of life. The representative treatment is medication and medication usage has improved through update of clinical guidelines, however, there...

E-health literacy in older adults: an evolutionary concept analysis

BackgroundInternet technologies have become important for older adults to not only seek, understand, and evaluate information on health management but also apply and share acquired knowledge. Despite the disparity in e-health literacy among older adults, which affects health outcomes, its conceptual definition has not been distinctly clarified in previous studies. This study aimed to analyse the concept of e-health literacy among older adults and to identify its contexts in the nursing field.MethodsWe identified concepts, attributes, antecedents, and consequences of e-health literacy in older adults using Rodgers’ evolutionary approach to various fields of study, time, and cultural differences. A literature search was conducted using the National Assembly Library, Research Information Sharing Service, National Digital Science Library, DataBase Periodical Information Academic, PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Excerpta Medica database, and Cochrane.ResultsA total of 28 studies were included, and we categorised the following three attributes: active information seeking, two-way interactive communication, and information utilization/sharing. The antecedents included personal factors, health status, socioeconomic factors, cultural factors, and attitudes toward the Internet while the consequences included increased health interest, health behaviour promotion, and active decision-making.ConclusionsAs e-health literacy in older adults affects their health and quality of life, this study clarifies the concept and provides a conceptual framework for nursing practice and research. Further studies are needed to identify and expand the constantly evolving concept of e-health literacy in older adults.

Eating Difficulties among Older Adults with Dementia in South Korean Long-Term Care Facilities: A Scoping Review

This study aims to synthesize existing literature concerning eating difficulties among older adults with dementia in long-term care facilities. A scoping review, using the framework proposed by Arksey & O'Malley (2005) and improved and supplemented by Levac et al. (2010), was conducted. Literature was searched from five bibliographic databases—Research Information Sharing Service (RISS), Korean studies Information Service System (KISS), National Digital Science Library (NDSJ), Korean Medical Database (KMBASE), DataBase Periodical Information Academic(DBPia), Google Scholar, and gray literature. Literature selection and characteristics were approved by two independent reviewers, using pre-tested forms to determine final inclusion. Eventually, 111 articles from 2012–2020 were identified, and the 11 articles were used for the final analysis. We found that primarily utilized Eating behavior scale (EBS) and Edinburgh feeding evaluation in dementia scale (EdFED) had utilized as measurement tools for evaluating eating behavior. The most common factors related to eating behavior of older adults with dementia included cognitive and physical functions in the individual domain, the caregiver's attitude toward eating in the inter-individual domain, and types of meal in the environmental domain. Therefore, it is essential to develop measurement tools that reflect the eating behavior of older adults with dementia, a comprehensive understanding of the eating behavior of old adults with dementia, and create effective interventions that can be implemented in the specificity of long-term care facilities in Korea. The results of this analysis are intended to be used as basis to develop a meal support programs for older adults with dementia.

Efficacy of acupuncture for whiplash injury: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background:Studies in both Eastern & Western countries such as the United States and Europe have evaluated the efficacy of acupuncture for whiplash injury or whiplash-associated disorder (WAD). However, no systematic reviews on the effectiveness of acupuncture on WAD have been conducted since 2014. Therefore, we are planning an updated systematic review of studies published since 2014 to overcome the limitations of existing evidence.Methods:Literature will be identified from searches of relevant databases, including international databases such as PubMed, Ovid-Medline, Embase, The Cochrane Library, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure and Korean databases such as Korea Med, Korean Studies Information Service System, Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System, and National Digital Science Library. Only randomized controlled trials using acupuncture or electro-acupuncture for whiplash injury will be included. The primary outcomes will be the visual analog scale or numerical rating scale of the neck pain, while the secondary outcome is the range of motion of the neck. The risk of bias for individual papers will be assessed by two independent investigators using the Cochrane “Risk of Bias” assessment tool.Dissemination:We plan to report the results of the study in a peer-reviewed journal after completing the research. In addition, we expect this study to provide invaluable information to clinicians treating patients with WAD with acupuncture or electro-acupuncture.Trial registration number:PROSPERO 2021: CRD42021261595. Registered on 18 July 2021. https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=261595

Integrative traditional Chinese medicine for lumbar disc herniation after surgery: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background:Patients with lumbar disc herniation, who undergo spine surgery, occasionally complain of pain and functional disability. Fortunately, the concept of enhanced recovery after surgery has emerged recently. As a result, patients seek traditional Chinese medicine after spine surgery. This systematic review will thoroughly analyze and synthesize evidence on integrative traditional Chinese medicine therapy for lumbar disc herniation after surgery.Methods:The following databases will be utilized to search for pertinent studies: the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, Japan Medical s Society, and 7 Korean databases (the Korean Studies Information Service System, Korean Association of Medical Journal Editors, National Digital Science Library, Database Periodical Information Academic Korean Traditional Knowledge Portal, Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System, and Korean National Assembly Digital Library). The risk of bias of the selected studies will be assessed according to the Cochrane assessment tool for risk of bias. For articles that used the same measurements, a meta-analysis will be conducted to synthesize the results of each trial. Pain severity will be the primary outcome, while the results of functional questionnaires and range of motion, etc, will be the secondary outcomes.Results and conclusion:Since this protocol does not include any data from patients, ethics approval is not required. The results of this review will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed journal.Registration number:DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/KP47A (https://osf.io/kp47a)

Physical Characteristics and Physical Fitness Profiles of Korean Taekwondo Athletes: A Systematic Review.

This study aimed to present a standard and normal distribution of Taekwondo athletes’ physical characteristics and physical fitness profiles using a systematic review. A systematic search was conducted using four Korean databases (Research Information Sharing Service, National Digital Science Library, DBpia, and Korean Studies Information Service System). From 2010 to 2020, we reviewed 838 papers on Taekwondo athletes’ physical characteristics and physical fitness factors (e.g., body composition, muscle strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, cardiorespiratory fitness, power, agility, balance, speed, and reaction time). Of them, 24 papers were selected and analyzed. The criteria for selecting the physical characteristics and physical fitness factors for data extraction were set to have a total sample size of more than 30 individuals and included two or more studies. The sample size and average and standard deviation of physical characteristics and physical fitness factors were extracted from each selected study. In this study, the estimation error of all variables, except for the eyes-closed single-leg stance (15.71%), was less than 8%. Therefore, it was confirmed that there was no problem with the validity of the estimated values. These results could be used as an essential objective basis for evaluating the physical characteristics and physical fitness profiles of Taekwondo athletes in most countries worldwide and setting training goals.

Thread Embedded Acupuncture for Non-Specific Posterior Neck Pain: A PRISMA-Compliant Protocol for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

PurposeThe prevalence of non-specific posterior neck pain (NPNP) has been increasing yearly. There are several treatments for NPNP, but in this review, we will focus on thread-embedded acupuncture (TEA). TEA is used in the Republic of Korea, Taiwan, and China for managing musculoskeletal diseases, obesity, and sequelae of facial palsy. However, there is insufficient evidence on its effectiveness and safety. This study aims to assess the efficacy and safety of TEA for NPNP.MethodsWe will search the following nine electronic databases, from their inception to May 2020: MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Citation Information by the National Information infrastructure, Korean Studies Information Service System, National Digital Science Library, Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System, and Research Information Service System. Only randomized controlled trials of TEA for NPNP will be included. The methodological quality of the included trials will be assessed using the Cochrane risk-of bias tool. To conduct the meta-analysis, the risk ratio and mean difference with the 95% confidence interval will be used. Sensitivity analyses will be conducted based on this protocol.ResultsThe results of this study will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal for publication.ConclusionThe results of this study would provide the evidence of whether TEA can be effective for treating NPNP.Registration NumberPROSPERO CRD42020188346.

Acupuncture treatment for emotional problems in infertile women: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background:Infertility causes emotional and psychological problems, including anxiety, depression, low self-efficacy, and chronic mental stress in women. These emotional problems can negatively affect fertility treatment. Numerous studies have reported the clinical therapeutic effects of acupuncture on emotional problems; however, the efficacy and safety of acupuncture treatment for emotional problems in infertile women remain unclear. This protocol aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture for treating emotional problems in infertile women.Methods:We will search the following databases from their inception to April 30, 2021: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Korean Medical Databases (KoreaMed, Korean studies Information Service System, Korean Traditional Knowledge Portal, Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System, Research Information Sharing Service, and National Digital Science Library), and Chinese databases (CNKI and Wan Fang Database). We will include randomized controlled trials on acupuncture for emotional problems in infertile women. There will be no restrictions regarding language or publication date. The primary outcome will be assessed using an emotion-related assessment scale. The risk of bias of the included studies will be measured using the Cochrane risk of bias assessment tool. For meta-analysis, RevMan Version 5.4 software will be used to combine the relative risks for dichotomous outcomes, as well as the mean differences or standardized mean differences for continuous outcomes, with both having 95% confidence intervals.Results:Based on current evidence, this study will assess the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture for emotional problems in infertile women.Conclusion:This study will provide evidence for evaluating the acupuncture efficacy for infertile women with emotional problems.Registration number:INPLASY202150082.

Efficacy and safety of Buyang Huanwu-Tang (Boyang Hwano-Tang) in patients with vascular dementia: A protocol of systematic review and meta analysis.

Background:Vascular dementia (VaD) is the second most common type of dementia; it has a significant impact on patients and exerts a great social and economic burden. However, there has been no comprehensive systematic review assessing the efficacy and safety of Buyang Huanwu-Tang (Boyang Hwano-Tang, BHT) for VaD. Therefore, this protocol was developed to conduct a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of BHT in the treatment of VaD.Methods:We will perform a comprehensive electronic search including MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Allied and Complementary Medicine Database, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, PsycARTICLES, Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System, Korean Studies Information Service System, Research Information Service System, Korean Medical Database, KMbase, National Digital Science Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang database, VIP database, Citation Information by NII, and other sources from their inception to November 25, 2020. This systematic review will include only randomized controlled clinical trials of BHT for VaD. The main outcomes will include the Mini-Mental State Examination, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, and Revised Hasegawa's Dementia Scale. Two researchers will independently conduct study selection, data extraction, and appraise the quality and risk of bias of the included studies. A meta-analysis will be conducted using Review Manager version 5.4. The evidence quality of each outcome will be appraised according to the Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation.Results:This study will provide comprehensive understanding of the efficacy and safety of BHT for the treatment of VaD.Conclusions:The findings of this study will provide reliable evidence for clinical application and further study of BHT for VaD.Ethics and dissemination:Ethical approval is not required because individual patient data will not be included in this study. The study findings will be disseminated through conference presentations.OSF registration DOI:10.17605/OSF.IO/NDYGP

Efficacy of Jihwangeumja (Dihuang Yinzi) on cognitive function and activities of daily living in patients with Alzheimer disease: A protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background:This systematic review protocol describes the methods proposed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Jihwangeumja in patients with Alzheimer disease.Methods:The following databases, PubMed, EMBASE, CENTRAL, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, National Digital Science Library, Korean Information Service System, and Korean Medical Database will be searched for relevant publications without language or publication status restrictions. Search terms will be based on “Alzheimer” for participants and “Jihwangeumja” or “Dihuang Yinzi” for interventions. Two researchers will independently extract the study data from the included studies and only randomized controlled trials will be included. The risk of bias will also be assessed independently by 2 researchers using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. We will use RevMan software random-effects and fixed-effect models for the assessment of heterogeneity and data synthesis. Any changes in the plan for documenting significant protocol amendments will require the researchers to have a revision agreement and register the international prospective register of systematic review modification.Results:The treatment effect and safety will be measured by meta-analysis and the quality of the included studies will be reviewed.Conclusion:This systematic review will provide evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of Jihwangeumja.Ethics and dissemination:Ethical approval is not required because individual patient data will not be included in this paper. The study findings will be disseminated through conference presentations.OSF RegistrationDOI: 10.17605/OSF.IO/HXA58.

Traditional Chinese medicine in collaboration with conservative conventional medicine for lumbar herniated intervertebral disc: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background:Lumbar herniated intervertebral disc (LHIVD) is a common disease that causes low back pain. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) with conservative conventional treatment is known to be effective at treating LHIVD, but evidence for complex TCM therapies with conventional intervention has not been sufficiently collected to facilitate quality assessment and synthesis of data.Methods and analysis:Studies were retrieved from the following databases: the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, EMBASE, MEDLINE/PubMed, 7 Korean databases (Korean Studies Information Service System, Korean Traditional Knowledge Portal, Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System, Korean National Assembly Digital Library, Korean Association of Medical Journal Editors, National Digital Science Library, and Database Periodical Information Academic), Japan Medical s Society, and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure. The risk of bias of the included studies will be assessed using the Cochrane Assessment Tool for Risk of Bias. Eligible studies were quantitatively synthesized through a meta-analysis. The primary outcome will be pain scales, and the secondary outcomes will include range of motion, questionnaires for lumbar function, questionnaire for quality of life, etc.Ethics and dissemination:Ethical approval was waived for this study protocol because it does not provide any patient data. The results of this review will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications.Registration number:DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/K7NJ8 (https://osf.io/k7nj8).

Acupuncture and herbal medicine for postoperative care following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background:Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) is the primary treatment for patients with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. Successful postoperative rehabilitation is imperative for their recovery. This protocol details the methods that will be used to systematically analyze the efficacy of acupuncture and herbal medicine for postoperative care following ACLR.Methods and analysis:Randomized controlled trials will be searched in the following databases: the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), EMBASE, MEDLINE/PubMed, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, Japan Medical s Society, and 7 Korean databases (Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System, Korean National Assembly Digital Library, Korean Association of Medical Journal Editors, Korean Studies Information Service System, Korean Traditional Knowledge Portal, National Digital Science Library, and Database Periodical Information Academic). The risk of bias will be assessed using the Cochrane assessment tool of risk of bias. The studies that are selected after checking for eligibility will be quantitatively analyzed as a meta-analysis. The primary outcome will be the scores of pain scales, and the secondary outcomes will be the range of motion of the knee, severity of the swelling, and parameters about the knee joint function.Ethics and dissemination:Ethical approval is not required for this protocol because it does not include patient data. The findings of this review will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications or conference presentations.Registration number:DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/ZY2W8 (https://osf.io/zy2w8).