Traditional Chinese Medicine Symptom Score Research Articles

Acupoint application for Hashimoto's thyroiditis with liver-qi stagnation: a randomized controlled trial

To observe the clinical efficacy and safety of acupoint application for Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) with liver-qi stagnation. One hundred and fifty patients of HT with liver-qi stagnation were randomly divided into an acupoint application group (75 cases, 11 cases were excluded, 5 cases dropped out) and a control group (75 cases, 12 cases excluded, 3 cases dropped out). Based on the health education combined with conventional western medicine treatment, the patients in the acupoint application group were treated with acupoint application, while the patients in the control group were treated with placebo acupoint application. Shenque (CV 8), bilateral Yongquan (KI 1), Yeshi, and ashi point were selected in both groups, with Yeshi treated once a week and the remaining acupoints treated every other day, for a total of 4 weeks. The serum levels of thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb), thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb), free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4), and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), as well as the thickness of thyroid left lobe, right lobe, and isthmus, TCM symptom score, hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) score, and MOS 36-item short form health survey (SF-36) score were compared between the two groups before and after treatment. Adverse reactions in both groups were observed. Compared with before treatment, in the acupoint application group, the serum levels of TgAb and TPOAb were reduced after treatment (P<0.05), and the scores of role physical (RP), body pain (BP), vitality (VT), role emotional (RE), and mental health (MH) in SF-36 were increased after treatment (P<0.01, P<0.001). The thickness of the thyroid isthmus after treatment was smaller than that before treatment (P<0.05), and the TCM symptom scores and HADS anxiety (HADS-A) scores after treatment were lower than those before treatment (P<0.001, P<0.01) in both groups. In the control group, the scores of physical function (PF), RP, BP, VT, and RE in SF-36 after treatment were higher than those before treatment (P<0.05, P<0.01, P<0.001). There was no statistically significant difference in serum FT3, FT4, and TSH levels within the groups (P>0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the above indexes between the two groups (P>0.05). The incidence of adverse reactions in the acupoint application group and the control group was 20.0% (15/75) and 10.7% (8/75) respectively, with skin allergy being the main adverse reaction. Acupoint application could reduce the serum levels of TgAb and TPOAb in patients of HT with liver-qi stagnation, alleviate thyroid enlargement, improve TCM symptoms and anxiety, and improve quality of life, with safe and reliable clinical efficacy.

Efficacy of acupuncture-related therapy in the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea: A network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

ObjectivesIn order to compare and rank the most effective acupuncture therapy for primary dysmenorrhea and provide evidence-based medical support for clinical treatment of this disease. MethodsA comprehensive search was conducted on China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Database, Information Chinese Journal Service Platform (VIP), China Biomedical Literature Service System (SinoMed), PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases from their inception to May 1, 2023. The Cochrane Collaboration Risk of Bias Tool was used to evaluate bias risk, and the GeMTC package of Stata 15.1 software and R 4.3.1 software was used to perform network Meta-analysis. Results70 studies were included, including 5772 patients with primary dysmenorrhea, involving 25 kinds of acupuncture techniques commonly used in clinic. The quality of the included literature was low, most of them did not mention the registration information of clinical trial centers, and the specific sample size estimation method was unclear. Some literature did not explain the specific random method, distribution concealment and blindness, so there was a certain publication bias and small sample effect. Results showed that for improving the clinical effective rate, the top three treatments were salt-separated moxibustion, massotherapy + acupoint patching, acupuncture + heat-sensitive moxibustion. In terms of reducing the visual analogue scale(VAS), the top three treatments were massotherapy + acupoint patching, acupuncture + acupoint patching and warm acupuncture. In terms of alleviating cox menstrual symptom scale (CMSS), the top three treatments were acupuncture + acupoint patching, acupoint patching and point embedding. In relieving TCM symptom score, the top three treatments were acupoint patching + heat-sensitive moxibustion, acupoint patching and moxibustion. ConclusionDifferent acupuncture therapies have more advantages than oral analgesics in improving the clinical effective rate, reducing VAS score, reducing CMSS score, and alleviating TCM symptom score. Among them, massage therapy + acupoint patching, acupuncture + acupoint patching and acupoint patching may be the best solutions for the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea. However, more large-sample, multi-center and high-quality randomized controlled trials are needed to demonstrate.

Dry cupping as an adjuvant treatment of individuals with severe pneumonia: study protocol for a placebo-controlled, randomised study

BackgroundSevere pneumonia (SP) stands as one of the most prevalent critical illnesses encountered in clinical practice, characterised by its rapid onset and progression, numerous complications and elevated mortality rates. While...

The effects of Gualou Qumai Wan combined with Sunitinib on VEGFA, HIF1A, and renal function in advanced clear cell renal cell carcinoma

[Objective:] To study the efficacy of Gualou Qumai Wan (GQW) combined with Sunitinib in the treatment of advanced clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) and its effects on vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA), hypoxia inducible factor 1A (HIF1A), and renal function. [Method:] A retrospective analysis was conducted on 20 patients with advanced ccRCC treated with GQW combined with Sunitinib at Shouguang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from January 2021 to January 2023. Analyze the patient's quality of life, serum VEGFA and HIF1A levels, renal function indicators, T lymphocyte subgroup levels, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) symptom scores, and clinical efficacy. [Result:] The total effective rate of clinical efficacy in patients after treatment was 70%; The serum levels of VEGFA and HIF1A in patients were lower than before treatment, and the difference was statistically significant (P&lt;0.05); The levels of serum creatinine (Scr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and urinary albumin (ALB) in patients were lower than before treatment, and the differences were statistically significant (P&lt;0.05). Before and after treatment, there was no statistically significant difference in the levels of T lymphocyte subgroup among patients (P&gt;0.05). After treatment, the TCM symptom score and EORTC QoL-C30 score of the patients all decreased compared to before treatment, and the difference was statistically significant (P&lt;0.01). [Conclusion:] The combination of GQW and Sunitinib has a significant therapeutic effect on advanced ccRCC, and can effectively improve the levels of VEGFA, HIF1A, and renal function.

Effect of Self-developed Ye’an Analgetic Decoction/Jiawei Shaoyao Gancao Decoction Combined with Tramadol on TCM Symptom Scores and RLS Severity of patients with Restless Legs Syndrome

Objective: To investigate the effect of self-developed Ye’an Analgetic Decoction/Jiawei Shaoyao Gancao Decoction on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) symptom scores and RLS Severity of patients with restless legs syndrome (RLS).&#x0D; Methods: This was a clinical comparative study. Eighty patients with RLS admitted to Baoding No.1 Central Hospital from January 2022 to December 2022 were randomly divided into observation group and control group(n=40). Patients in the control group were given basic and oral tramadol treatment, while those in the observation group were given self-developed Ye’an Analgetic Decoction/Jiawei Shaoyao Gancao Decoction based on the treatment in the control group. The differences of TCM symptom scores, RLS severity (IRLS), quality of life (QOL-RLS), sleep quality (PSQI) and clinical efficacy between the two groups were compared.&#x0D; Results: Before treatment, no statistically significant differences were observed in the TCM symptom scores, IRLS scores, QOL-RLS scores and PSQI scores between the two groups (p&gt;0.05). After treatment, the above scores decreased significantly in both groups, with a higher degree of decrease in the observation group than in the control group, indicating statistically significant differences (p&lt;0.05). The QOL-RLS scores were significantly higher in the observation group than in the control group, with a statistically significant difference (p&lt;0.05). The overall response rate in the observation group was 95.00%, which was higher than that in the control group (80.00%), with a statistically significant difference (p&lt;0.05).&#x0D; Conclusion: Self-developed Ye’an Analgetic Decoction/Jiawei Shaoyao Gancao Decoction leads to numerous benefits in the treatment of RLS, such as obviously ameliorating patients’ clinical symptoms, reducing RLS severity, and improving their quality of life and sleep quality.&#x0D; doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.40.5.8400&#x0D; How to cite this: Zhou B, Li W, Li Y, Sun D, Du X. Effect of Self-developed Ye’an Analgetic Decoction/Jiawei Shaoyao Gancao Decoction Combined with Tramadol on TCM Symptom Scores and RLS Severity of patients with Restless Legs Syndrome. Pak J Med Sci. 2024;40(5):---------. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.40.5.8400&#x0D; This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Status of outcome measures in randomized controlled trials of kidney-tonifying and blood-activating method in treatment of knee osteoarthritis

This study assesses the status of outcome measures in the randomized controlled trial(RCT) involving the kidney-tonif-ying and blood-activating method for treating knee osteoarthritis(KOA), aiming to establish a theoretical foundation for the development of a core set of outcome measures in traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) treatment of KOA. The relevant articles were retrieved from CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, SinoMed, PubMed, EMbase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science, in addition to ClinicalTrials.gov and the China Clinical Trial Registration Center, with the time interval from inception to August 2023. The RCT of treating KOA with the kidney-tonifying and blood-activating method was included. Two assessors independently conducted literature screening, data collection, and qualitative analysis to compile the outcome measure results. A total of 350 RCTs were included, involving 165 outcome measures with the total frequency of 1 462. These outcome measures were categorized into six domains: symptom and sign measures(23) with the frequency of 718(49.1%), TCM symptom and syndrome measures(3) with the frequency of 53(3.6%), physical examination measures(130) with the frequency of 506(34.6%), quality of life measures(4) with the frequency of 20(1.3%), long-term efficacy measures(2) with the frequency of 6(0.4%), and safety measures(3) with the frequency of 159(10.9%). Additionally, 53 studies used TCM syndrome and symptom scores as indicators of efficacy, employing eight distinct measurement tools. The RCTs involving the kidney-tonifying and blood-activating method for treating KOA had a variety of problems, such as unclear prio-ritization of outcome measures, diversity in measurement tools, absence of standardized assessment criteria for specific measures, and non-standardized usage. These problems affected the research quality and reliability. Hence, it is advisable to draw upon international expertise, improve research design, and merge TCM efficacy characteristics with clinical research to establish a core set of KOA outcome measures aligned with TCM principles.

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Xiangsha Liujunzi Decoction in the Treatment of Chronic Gastritis.

Chronic gastritis (CG) is characterized by inflammation of the gastric mucosa, which can progress to atrophic gastritis, intestinal metaplasia, and dysplasia. Xiangsha Liujunzi Decoction (XSLJZD), a classic traditional Chinese medicine prescription commonly used to treat digestive system diseases, is widely used to treat CG. Therefore, it is necessary to systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of XSLJZD in the treatment of CG. Chinese and English databases were searched, and randomized controlled trials of XSLJZD for the treatment of CG were collected from the establishment of the databases to December 28, 2022. Studies were screened according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed using the risk-of-bias assessment tool in the Cochrane Handbook. Data from the included studies were extracted, and a meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager 5.3 and Stata 15.1. Finally, funnel plots and Egger's tests were used to assess publication bias. Fourteen studies with a sample size of 1434 cases. XSLJZD has more advantages than conventional treatment in the treatment of CG, as it can improve the clinical cure rate, clinical efficacy rate, efficacy rate of endoscopic examination, recurrence rate, and TCM symptom scores, and is relatively safe. Funnel plots and Egger's tests indicated publication bias in the included studies. The results of the meta-analysis showed that XSLJZD has advantages in treating CG compared with conventional treatment and is relatively safe. However, owing to the limitations in the quality and quantity of the included studies, caution is recommended when generalizing and applying these results. Further high-quality studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Efficacy and safety of the modified Zhiwang decoction combined with methotrexate in early rheumatoid arthritis: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

IntroductionRheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a progressive inflammatory autoimmune disease characterised by chronic systemic inflammation, which can cause swelling, stiffening and destruction of articular cartilage and bone. Early diagnosis and treatment...

Efficacy of TCM Fumigation Using Dampness-and-cold-dispelling Formula Combined with Methotrexate and Leflunomide Treating Rheumatoid Arthritis with Cold-dampness Bi Syndrome

BackgroundRheumatoid arthritis (RA), a chronic autoimmune disease, has a high incidence and disability rate, causing patients significant discomfort. Although several medicines can be effective, they are also associated with significant adverse effects. In contrast, fumigation as one of the most often used traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) external therapy has shown both efficacy and safety with less side effect. In light of this, we complement western medicine treatment with TCM fumigation therapy to improve patients' clinical efficacy, alleviate symptoms, and improve prognosis. ObjectiveTo investigate the therapeutic effect of TCM fumigation and modern medicine combined therapy in treating RA patients with cold-dampness Bi syndrome. MethodsA single-center, randomized, controlled study was designed. From January 2022 to December 2022, a total of 60 RA patients with cold-dampness Bi syndrome were enrolled in the study. The control group (30 cases) received conventional modern medicine treatment with methotrexate for 4 weeks, while the observation group (30 cases) for 4 weeks received a combination of TCM fumigation treatment and conventional modern medicine. The effects of the two groups were comprehensively compared, including the changes in TCM symptom scores and laboratory indicators, as well as the use of visual analogue scale (VAS) and health status rating scale (HAQ) before and after treatment. ResultsThe total effective rate of the observation group was 93.3%, which was significantly higher than that of the control group, which is 70% (P < 0.05). Before treatment, there were no significant differences in joint functional activity, pain visual analogue scale (VAS), health assessment questionnaire (HAQ-DI) and laboratory indexes between the two groups (P > 0.05). After treatment, each group compared to their initial condition, respectively, showed major improvement of joint functional activity and significantly decreased VAS, HAQ-DI, and RA-related biomarkers (P < 0.05); inter-group comparison of these indicators showed significanty further enhanced effect of TCM fumigation combined therapy on the RA-related biomarkers and joint functional activity of patients (P < 0.05), yet the control group receiving only modern medicine showed better results of the VAS and HAQ-DI . ConclusionThe TCM fumigation combined therapy is effective to treat RA patients with cold-dampness Bi syndrome, and to enhance their life quality, improving the joint function, and reducing inflammation.

The Effects of Prescription for Restoring Kidney Function on Chronic Kidney Failure (Renal Deficiency with Blood Stasis and Turbidity) and Its Impact on Renal Function

Objective: To analyze the clinical effects of Prescription for restoring kidney function in the treatment of chronic kidney failure with renal deficiency, blood stasis, and turbidity, and its influence on renal function recovery. Methods: A comparative treatment study was conducted on 72 patients with chronic kidney failure due to renal deficiency with blood stasis and turbidity, seen at the Yongchuan District Chinese Medicine Hospital in Chongqing (study period: February 2023 to October 2023). The patients were randomly divided into two groups: the control group (36 cases) received standard treatment, and the study group (36 cases) received combined treatment with Prescription for restoring kidney function. Statistical analysis was performed on changes in traditional Chinese medicine symptom scores, renal function indicators, and treatment effectiveness between the two groups before and after treatment. Results: (1) After treatment, the study group exhibited significantly lower scores for symptoms such as lumbar and knee soreness, shortness of breath, poor appetite, nausea, vomiting, and limb heaviness, as well as lower levels of blood Scr, BUN, and UA compared to the control group. The differences were statistically significant (P&lt;0.05). (2) Compared to the control group, the study group showed an increased clinical treatment effectiveness rate (94.44%), with a statistically significant difference (P&lt;0.05). Conclusion: Prescription for restoring kidney function provides precise clinical effectiveness in the treatment of chronic kidney failure with renal deficiency, blood stasis, and turbidity. It not only addresses symptom presentations according to traditional Chinese medicine but also corrects the metabolic function of the kidneys, optimizing clinical treatment outcomes.

Efficacy of Chinese Herbal Medicine Formula in the Treatment of Mild to Moderate Erectile Dysfunction: Study Protocol for a Multi-Center, Randomized, Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial.

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a prevalent condition in urology, primarily managed with PDE5 inhibitors (PDE5Is). However, approximately 20% of patients do not experience improvement in overall sexual satisfaction (OS) after taking PDE5Is. Among these, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has emerged as a complementary approach, with formulas like Hongjing I granules (HJIG) showing promise in preliminary studies. This study aims to rigorously evaluate the effectiveness and safety of HJIG in mild to moderate ED cases, assessing improvement in both sexual function and TCM pattern alignment. This study is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled multicentre trial. Recruitment will be conducted from patients who have a strong willingness to try using only traditional Chinese medicine treatment (This is very common in traditional Chinese medicine hospitals.). A total of 100 patients diagnosed with mild to moderate ED caused by qi deficiency and blood stasis will be recruited and randomly assigned to receive one of two treatments: HJIG (N = 50) or placebo (N = 50). Patients will receive 8 weeks of treatment and a 16-week follow-up starting from the fourth week of treatment. Outcome measures, including the International Index of Erectile Function-Erectile Function domain (IIEF-EF) score, Sexual Encounter Profile (SEP), and Traditional Chinese Medicine symptom score, will be evaluated. The expected outcome of this trial is that the use of the herbal formula HIJG alone can improve overall sexual satisfaction (OS) in patients with mild to moderate ED, while also improving their traditional Chinese medicine symptom scores. This will provide evidence-based support for the use of Chinese medicine in the treatment of ED in China. Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR2000041127, Registered on 19 December 2020, https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=46469. Recruitment began in March 2021, therefore 80 patients have been recruited. It is expected to finish recruiting in December 2023.

Effect of combined use of Buyang Huanwu decoction and olanzapine on clinical symptoms, neurological function, and degree of dementia in patients with vascular dementia after cerebral ischemic stroke

Purpose: To determine the efficacy and safety of Buyang Huanwu Decoction (BHD) + olanzapine in the treatment of vascular dementia (VD) after cerebral ischemic stroke (CIS).Methods: Ninety patients with VD after CIS were assigned to 2 groups: a conventional group treated with olanzapine, and a combination group given olanzapine + BHD. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) symptom score was evaluated in each group. Neurological function, degree of dementia, and activities of daily living (ADL) were evaluated using National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) scale, and ADL scale, respectively. Levels of inflammatory factors, oxidative stress, and neurotrophic factors in peripheral blood were also determined. Middle cerebral artery (MCA), anterior cerebral artery (ACA), posterior cerebral artery (PCA), and vertebral artery (VA) blood flow velocity (BFV) were assessed. Therapeutic effects and adverse reactions (ARs) were recorded as well.Results: The TCM symptom, NHSS, and CDR scores were decreased in the combination group, while ADL scores were increased (p &lt; 0.05). Levels of hs-CRP, IL-6, and malondialdehyde (MDA) also decreased, while IL-10, GPx, SOD, NT3, MCA, ACA, PVA, and VA BFV, and BDNF levels increased (p &lt; 0.05). Clinical effectiveness (CE) levels in the conventional and combination groups were 73.3 and 93.3 %, while the incidence of ARs were 11.11 and 6.7 %, respectively (p &lt; 0.05).Conclusion: Olanzapine + BHD mitigates clinical symptoms, enhances neurological function, decreases the degree of dementia, and increases ADL in patients with vascular dementia after CIS. Moreover, it improves cerebral blood flow, and it is safe to use. An increase in sample size will be needed to compare the long-term efficacy of olanzapine alone, and that of its combination with BHD in the treatment of VD after CIS.

Efficacy and safety of acupuncture therapy combined with conventional pharmacotherapy in the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Currently, the mainstream treatments for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are based on glucocorticoids and immunosuppressants, which are known to have considerable adverse effects. This meta-analysis is aimed at confirming the efficacy and safety of acupuncture therapy in combination with traditional medications in the treatment of SLE. Multiple databases were searched for randomized controlled trials using acupuncture therapy in combination with conventional pharmacotherapy for the treatment of SLE, from the establishment of the database to March 2023. Study selection, data collection, as well as quality assessment were conducted by 2 reviewers independently. RevMan 5.4 and Stata 17 software were used for Meta-analysis. Seven eligible studies involving 514 patients with SLE were included. Meta-analysis demonstrated that in SLE patients, extra treatment with acupuncture was superior to drug therapy alone in improving the overall response rate (RR = 1.20, 95% confidence intervals [1.11, 1.29], P < .00001, heterogeneity P = .69, I2 = 0%) and regulating immunological indicators (C3, C4, IgG, T lymphocyte subpopulation, IL-6, ds-DNA, ESR) while reducing TCM symptom scores, the SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) and the incidence of adverse events on treatment (P ≤ 0.05). Additionally, it was able to reduce BUN, Scr and 24 hours urine protein, suggesting that acupuncture treatment had a protective effect on the kidneys. Acupuncture therapy combined with conventional pharmacotherapy is an efficient and safe way in the treatment of SLE. However, the conclusions drawn from this meta-analysis have some limitations due to the small number and uneven quality of the included studies, leading to heterogeneity and bias. Thus more relevant high-quality randomized controlled trials are needed for further evaluation in the future.

The Effect of &lt;i&gt;Yijung-tang&lt;/i&gt; for Chronic Gastritis: A Systemic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objective: This study assessed the effectiveness of using &lt;i&gt;Yijung-tang&lt;/i&gt; to treat chronic gastritis through a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs).Methods: The search was conducted using keywords such as “gastritis”, “Lizhong”, “Yijung”, and “Chronic gastritis” on July 31, 2023. A meta-analysis was conducted according to outcome measurements, such as total effective rate (TER), Traditional chinese medicine symptom score (TSS), gastric hormones, and symptom relief time, using the Review Manager website.Results: A total of 11 RCT studies were selected. The treatment group (&lt;i&gt;Yijung-tang-gagam&lt;/i&gt; or &lt;i&gt;Yijung-tang-gagam&lt;i&gt;+ Western medicine) showed significant improvement effects in terms of TER, TSS, serum gastrointestinal hormones (motilin (MTL), gastrin (GAS), and somatostatin (SS)), and symptom relief time compared to the control group (Western medicine). TER-RR : 1.20, 95% CI : 1.11 to 1.30, P≤0.00001, RR : 1.21, 95% CI : 1.14 to 1.28, P≤0.00001; MTL-MD : 35.99, 95% CI : 30.79 to 41.20, P≤0.00001); GAS-MD : 103.33, 95% CI : 97.62 to 109.04, P≤0.00001); SS : MD : -37.19, 95% CI : -41.75 to -32.64, P≤0.00001; symptom relief time (nausea)-MD : -1.96, 95% CI : -2.47 to -1.45, P≤0.00001; symptom relief time (colic)-MD : -1.75, 95% CI : -2.31 to -1.18, P≤0.00001.Conclusion: This study suggests that &lt;i&gt;Yijung-tang&lt;/i&gt; is effective against chronic gastritis. However, the number of studies was insufficient, and the diagnosis and evaluation criteria were not standardized. Furthermore, because of the low quality of the included studies, more clinical studies need to be conducted to increase the possibility of clinical use.

Efficacy of Herbal Medicine on Sleep Disorders in Parkinson’s Disease: A Review of Randomized Controlled Trials

Objectives: This study reviewed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the efficacy of herbal medicine on sleep disorders associated with Parkinson’s disease and suggests a better research process.Methods: We searched for RCTs for herbal medicine treatments for sleep disorders related to Parkinson’s disease on July 31, 2023 using eight databases (PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure [CNKI], the Research Information Service System [RISS], Science ON, the Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System [OASIS], and the Korea Citation Index [KCI]). Cochrane’s risk of bias tool was used to assess the quality of the RCTs.Results: A total of 16 RCTs met all the inclusion criteria, and in most reports, the treatment group showed a significant improvement in sleep disorders compared to the control group. Total effective rate (TER), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), TCM Symptom Score (TSS), Parkinson’s Disease Sleep Scale (PDSS), etc., were used as evaluation indicators.Conclusion: Herbal medicine is a potential treatment for sleep disorders associated with Parkinson’s disease. However, the selected RCTs were of poor quality, and it is necessary to perform more systematic studies.

Outcomes and measurements of randomized controlled trial for traditional Chinese medicine in treatment of endometriosis

This study aims to analyze the outcomes and measurements of randomized controlled trial(RCT) for traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) treatment of endometriosis(EM) and provide a basis for the building of the core outcome set(COS) of EM. The RCT for TCM treatment of EM was retrieved from medical literature databases with the time interval from inception to February 3, 2022. The Cochrane risk of bias assessment tool was employed to evaluate the risk of bias of the included RCT, and descriptive analyses of the extracted information were carried out. A total of 519 RCTs were included, with the sample sizes ranging from 28-582 patients and 239 outcome indicators(8 outcome indicators per RCT on average). According to the functional properties, the reported outcome indicators were classified into 7 indicators: clinical efficacy assessment, indicators of clinical symptoms and signs, TCM symptom efficacy indicators, physical and chemical examinations, quality of life, long-term prognosis, and safety events. All the 519 RCTs had problems, such as the lack of differentiation between primary and secondary outcome indicators(1.73% RCTs reported such differen-tiation), poor quality, confused criteria for composite outcome indicators and arbitrary combination of indicators(45 criteria for the single outcome indicator of efficiency), and messy measurements(as many as 18 measurements for TCM symptom score). In addition, as a chronic disease, EM requires long-term management. The outcome indicators vary for the patients in different disease stages, such as EM pain, EM infertility, and post-operative EM, while the specific outcome indicator sets for different EM populations remain to be developed. In addition, the time point of measurement for EM long-term outcomes remains unclear, and the definition of TCM syndromes lacks standards. The RCT for TCM treatment had a variety of problems, such as the lack of differentiation of outcome indicators, confusion in criteria and measurements, lack of specific outcome indicator sets for different EM populations, and unclear time points for long-term outcomes. Therefore, the studies about COS need to be carried out urgently.

Clinical effects of a traditional Chinese medicine nursing programme to intervene in gastric pain of the spleen and stomach with Qi deficiency.

Gastroparesis is a common digestive disorder characterized by delayed gastric emptying, which can lead to symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and poor appetite. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been used for centuries to treat gastrointestinal disorders, including gastroparesis. TCM theory suggests that spleen and stomach qi deficiency syndrome is one of the main pathogenic factors in gastroparesis. Nursing care plays an important role in the treatment of gastroparesis, and TCM nursing interventions have shown promising results in improving patient outcomes. However, there is limited research on the clinical effectiveness of TCM nursing interventions for gastroparesis with spleen stomach deficiency syndrome. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical effect of TCM nursing intervention in the treatment of gastroparesis with spleen stomach deficiency syndrome and to compare it with routine nursing interventions. To analyze the clinical effect of traditional Chinese medicine nursing intervention in the treatment of gastric paraplegia with spleen stomach deficiency syndrome. From January 2020 to July 2021, 80 patients with gastroparesis of spleen stomach qi deficiency type diagnosed in our hospital were selected for the study. The 80 patients were randomly divided into a control group and an experimental group, with 40 cases in each group. During the treatment period, the control group received routine nursing interventions, while the experimental group received traditional Chinese medicine nursing procedures. Compare the nursing effects of the two groups and observe the changes in traditional Chinese medicine symptom scores, pain levels, and sleep quality before and after treatment. After treatment, comparing the treatment effects of the two groups, the total effective rate of the experimental group was significantly higher than that of the control group, with statistical significance (P < 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the TCM symptom score, visual analogue scale (VAS) score, and Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) score between the two groups before treatment (P > 0.05). However, after treatment, the TCM syndrome scores, VAS scores, and PSQI scores of the experimental group were significantly lower than those of the control group, with a statistically significant difference (P < 0.05). In the clinical nursing intervention of patients with mild gastroparesis due to spleen and stomach qi deficiency, the traditional Chinese medicine nursing plan has good clinical application value and nursing effect, and has a good effect on improving patients' pain and sleep quality.

Efficacy and safety of Qiangli Dingxuan tablet combined with amlodipine besylate for essential hypertension: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, multicenter trial.

Background: Hypertension, a major cardiovascular risk factor, severely impacts patients' quality of life. Qiangli Dingxuan tablet (QDT) is a formally approved Chinese patent medicine, which has been widely used as an adjunctive treatment for hypertension. This study aimed to investigate the antihypertensive efficacy and safety of QDT combined with amlodipine besylate in patients with essential hypertension. Methods: In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, multicenter trial conducted in China, patients diagnosed with grade 1 to 2 essential hypertension were randomly assigned in a 1:1 to the treatment of QDT or placebo for 12weeks, alongside their ongoing treatment with amlodipine besylate. The primary outcome was the change in office blood pressure (BP) from baseline to 12weeks. In addition, safety analysis included the assessment of vital signs and laboratory values. Results: At baseline, 269 patients were randomly assigned to the QDT group (n = 133) or the placebo group (n = 136), and there were no significant differences in baseline characteristics between the two groups. The primary outcome based on the full analysis set from baseline to 12weeks showed that the mean difference in the change of office systolic BP reduction between the two groups was 6.86mmHg (95%CI, 4.84 to 8.88, p < 0.0001), for office diastolic BP, the mean difference in the change of office diastolic BP reduction between the two groups was 4.64mmHg (95%CI, 3.10 to 6.18, p < 0.0001). In addition, traditional Chinese medicine symptom scores were significantly decreased in the QDT group compared with the placebo group. No severe adverse events attributable to QDT were reported. Conclusion: The combination of QDT and amlodipine besylate demonstrates superior efficacy compared to amlodipine besylate monotherapy in the management of essential hypertension. QDT shows potential as an adjunctive treatment for essential hypertension. However, further rigorous clinical trials are warranted to validate these findings. Clinical Trial Registration: [https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05521282?cond=NCT05521282&rank=1]; Identifier: [NCT05521282].

Effects of Buzhong Yiqi Decoction (Middle Qi Tonifying Decoction) in the Treatment of Chronic Cervicitis of Spleen Deficiency Type

Objective: To observe the effects of modified Buzhong Yiqi Decoction (Middle Qi Tonifying Decoction) in the treatment of chronic cervicitis of spleen deficiency type. Methods: From May 2021 to December 2022, 80 patients from our hospital (The First People’s Hospital of Huangzhong District) were randomly divided into two groups (40 cases/group). Patients in the control group were treated with Western medicine, whereas patients in the observation group were treated with Buzhong Yiqi Decoction (Middle Qi Tonifying Decoction) on the basis of Western medicine. The effects (curative effect, traditional Chinese medicine [TCM] symptom scores, and incidence of adverse reactions) were compared between both groups. Results: Before treatment, the differences in TCM symptom scores and incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups were not statistically significant (P &gt; 0.05). Compared with the control group, the observation group had significantly lower TCM symptom scores after treatment and higher curative effect (P &lt; 0.05). Conclusion: For patients with chronic cervicitis of spleen deficiency type, Buzhong Yiqi Decoction (Middle Qi Tonifying Decoction) is effective. Significant improvement in symptoms is evident with the use of Buzhong Yiqi Decoction, and it has little side effects. Given its outstanding therapeutic advantages, its application should be advocated in clinical practice.

Effect of Sanjin Paishi Decoction combined with lithotripsy on clinical symptoms and renal function of patients with nephrolithiasis

Purpose: To determine the effect of Sanjin Paishi decoction (SJPSD) combined with lithotripsy on the improvement of clinical symptoms and renal function in nephrolithiasis patients.&#x0D; Methods: A total of 100 patients with nephrolithiasis, who were treated in the outpatient department of the Affiliated Hospital of Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, Jiangxi, China from January 2019 to October 2021, were retrospectively analyzed and enrolled in the study. They were divided into control group (CG, n = 40) treated with holmium laser lithotripsy through flexible ureteroscope, and a study group (OG, n = 60) treated with SJPSD after holmium laser lithotripsy through flexible ureteroscope. Treatment effect and improvement in renal function indices (serum creatinine (Scr), cystatin C (CysC) and urinary N-acetyl-β-D glucosaminidase (NAG)), were compared. Postoperative clinical efficacy, time of disappearance of hematuria, postoperative extubation time, of hospital stay, Traditional Chinesemedicine (TCM) symptom score, and the incidence of complications were evaluated.&#x0D; Results: After treatment, OG showed significantly downregulated Scr, CysC, and NAG compared with CG, but the total clinical effectiveness was significantly higher than that of CG (p &lt; 0.05). Kidney stone clearance rate of OG was higher than that of CG at 4 weeks post-operation (p &lt; 0.05). The time of disappearance of postoperative hematuria, postoperative extubation time, and hospitalization time ofOG was shorter than those of CG, while TCM symptom scores were lower than those in CG (p &lt; 0.05).&#x0D; Conclusion: The combination of SJPSD and holmium laser lithotripsy in the management of patients with renal calculi results in improvement in clinical efficacy, reduction in TCM symptom scores, and speed-up postoperative recovery, without increase in the incidence of complications. Prospective studies and long-term follow-up are anticipated in the future. Furthermore, established animal or in vitro models are required to determine the specific mechanism of action.