Traditional Medicine Hospital Research Articles

Reporting of Tsakar (neuropathy) as the top-most common condition in Traditional Medicine centres in Bhutan: a review

Tsakar has been observed as the most common disease presenting at the Traditional Medicine centres across the country for the past five years. The proportion of patients with Tsakar ranges between 13.00% – 16.20% based on the annual statistics for the years 2019 – 2023. Tsakar in Traditional Medicine is equivalent to neuropathy in allopathic medicine. According to Sowa Rigpa, the main causes of Tsakar include rigorous labour and dysfunction of white channels which cause the imbalance of wind and blood in the body. The symptoms associated with Tsakar are physical deformation of mouths and eyes, loss of speech and consciousness, the body becoming immobile, and involuntarily loss of excretions (faeces and urine). This review is based on interviews with the treating physicians at the National Traditional Medicine Hospital, programme managers, and field experts. Firstly, Bhutan Traditional Medicine Disease Coding system developed for the purpose of statistical classification of Traditional Medicine diseases includes Zadrip under Tsakar category. This has led to the overrepresentation in the compilation of annual statistics. Zadrip is a cerebrovascular disease referred to as stroke in allopathic medicine. Zadrip causes immobility of hemi-section of the body, stiffness of limb, urge for vomiting and swollen lingual veins. Secondly, the use of steam and herbal baths for the treatment of Tsakar is effective in symptom resolution leading to its growing demand. Thirdly, similarities in the symptoms between Zadrip in Traditional Medicine and stroke in allopathic medicine have led to diagnostic challenges requiring meticulous evaluation.

Effectiveness of Shel (purgation) with Tshawa-suum (herbal medicine paste) on Langshu: an observational study

Introduction: Skin disease is one of the most common diseases treated at the National Traditional Medicine Hospital in Bhutan. Since the establishment of Inpatient Department in 2018, Shel (purgation) with Tshawa-suum paste application is used as the treatment for Langshu skin disorders. This study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of Shel with Tshawa-suum paste on Langshu. Methods: It was an observational study conducted among patients admitted with Langshu at the National Traditional Medicine Hospital, Thimphu, Bhutan. A structured questionnaire was used to collect the sociodemographic details of the patients and Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI) score was used to assess the severity and extent of skin lesions. Patients were assessed at three time points: before the treatment, after 7 days of treatment and on day 30 when the patients reported for follow-up care. Results: The mean age of the patients (±SD) was 38.81 (±17.63) years and 57.14% were male. The majority of the patients were farmers (42.43%). At baseline, there were 6 patients with very severe Langshu lesion, 44 with severe and 20 with moderate condition. By day 30, only 3 had severe, 34 had mild and 33 had moderate condition. The study found statistically significant reduction in the mean EASI score from 30.12 on Day 0 to 17.25 on Day 7 and 8.46 on Day 30 (p < 0.001). Conclusions: This study shows that the use of Shel with Tshawa-suum paste resulted in decrease in size and severity of Langshu skin lesions.

NSAID PRESCRIPTION SURVEY IN INTEGRATED TRADITIONAL AND WESTERN MEDICINE TREATMENT: ASSESSING GASTROINTESTINAL AND CARDIOVASCULAR RISKS

Introduction: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) usage should be carefully considered based on gastrointestinal (GI) and cardiovascular (CV) risks. In light of restricted evidence, this study aims to assess the prescription of NSAIDs concerning the GI and CV risks in the integrated treatment of Traditional medicine (TM) and Western medicine (WM). Materials and method: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 393 medical records of inpatients using NSAIDs in 2022 at the Traditional Medicine Hospital of Ho Chi Minh City. GI and CV risks, as well as information regarding NSAID prescriptions, were recorded. A multivariable regression model was employed to identify factors associated with the prescription of NSAID groups. Results: NSAIDs were primarily prescribed for musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders (87.28%). Approximately half of the cases exhibited moderate to high GI risk (47.59%), while for CV risk, there were 68.95% with moderate to very high risk. COX-2 inhibitors were the most commonly prescribed (94.66%), even when considering GI and CV risks separately. In the majority, NSAID prescriptions aligned with both risks according to American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) guidelines (73.79%). The prescription of NSAID groups was significantly influenced by patient gender, ailment type, and physician education (p<0.05), but not by GI and CV risks (p>0.05). Conclusion: Patients receiving NSAIDs in integrated TM and WM treatment often faced an increased GI and CV risk, with the majority adhering to ACG guidelines. However, GI and CV risks were not significantly considered for NSAID group selections. Multi-center studies should be conducted.

THE DISTRIBUTION OF TRADITIONAL MEDICINE BODY CONSTITUTIONS AND THE FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH DEPRESSION AMONG ELDERLY IN PATIENTS IN TRADITIONAL MEDICINE HOSPITAL OF THUA THIEN HUE

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to explore the distribution of Traditional Medicine (TM) body constitutions, examine the factors associated with depression among elderly inpatients in Traditional Medicine Hospital of Thua Thien Hue, and further contribute to enhancing the value of traditional medicine theory's quintessence in preventing depression in medical facilities and in the community. Subjects and methods: A cross-sectional study of 420 elderly inpatients in Traditional Medicine Hospital of Thua Thien Hue from July 2022 to March 2024, screening for depression, using the Geriatric Depression Scale 30 items (GDS-30) and determining the TM body constitutions, using the Constitution in Traditional Medicine questionnaire (CCMQ). The multiple logistic regression model was applied to examine the factors associated with depression. Results: The proportion of the balanced constitution was the lowest (0%). Among the unbalanced constitutions, the highest proportion was the Phlegm-dampness constitution (70.2%), followed by Qi stagnation constitution (66.9%), Yin deficiency constitution (62.6%), Blood-stasis constitution (58.3%), Qi deficiency constitution (56.6%), Dampness-heat constitution (46.9%), Inherited-special constitution (38.8%) and the lowest was Yang deficiency constitution (31.9%). The higher odds of depression were observed in Qi stagnation constitution (p < 0.001, OR = 5.787, 95%CI: 3.275 – 10.227), Qi deficiency constitution (p < 0.001, OR = 4.369, 95%CI: 2.643 – 7.222), Yang deficiency constitution (p < 0.001, OR = 3.682, 95%CI: 2.097 – 6.277), Gender (p < 0.001, OR = 3.451, 95%CI: 1.980 – 6.017), Dampness-heat constitution (p < 0.001, OR = 2.534, 95%CI: 1.545 – 4.156), Inherited-special constitution (p = 0.003, OR = 2.160, 95%CI: 1.302 – 3.584) and Yin deficiency constitution (p = 0.028, OR = 1.771, 95%CI: 1.064 – 2.948). Conclusion: This study indicated the distributions of TM body constitutions and the factors associated with depression among elderly inpatients in Traditional Medicine Hospital of Thua Thien Hue. Therefore, the assessment of the TM body constitutions contributes to the prevention strategy and early detection of depression in the health facilities as well as in the community.

Establishment of a Dataset for the Traditional Korean Medicine Examination in Healthy Adults.

We established a protocol for the traditional Korean medicine examination (KME) and methodically gathered data following this protocol. Potential indicators for KME were extracted through a literature review; the first KME protocol was developed based on three rounds of expert opinions. The first KME protocol's feasibility was confirmed, and data were collected over four years from traditional Korean medicine (KM) hospitals, focusing on healthy adults, using the final KME protocol. A literature review identified 175 potential core indicators, condensed into 73 indicators after three rounds of expert consultation. The first KME protocol, which was categorized under questionnaires and medical examinations, was developed after the third round of expert opinions. A pilot study using the first KME protocol was conducted to ensure its validity, leading to modifications resulting in the development of the final KME protocol. Over four years, data were collected from six KM hospitals, focusing on healthy adults; we obtained a dataset comprising 11,036 healthy adults. This is the first protocol incorporating core indicators of KME in a quantitative form and systematically collecting data. Our protocol holds potential merit in evaluating predisposition to diseases or predicting diseases.

Exploring the Utilization of the Line Application and Perception of Medical and Public Health Information among Recipients of Chinese Traditional Medicine Care at the Thai Traditional and Integrated Medicine Hospital, College of Allied Health Sciences, Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University, Thailand

Exploring the Utilization of the Line Application and Perception of Medical and Public Health Information among Recipients of Chinese Traditional Medicine Care at the Thai Traditional and Integrated Medicine Hospital, College of Allied Health Sciences, Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University, Thailand

A survey of post COVID-19 symptoms from the perspective of traditional medicine

Background: Individuals experiencing post-COVID-19 syndrome may endure lingering health deterioration, leading to challenges in daily activities and impacting mental and physical health, thus potentially burdening themselves, their families, and society. According to traditional medicine (TM), post-COVID-19 represents a recovery period following the flu in COVID. At this stage, the body remains incompletely restored, characterized by depleted vital energy and damaged body fluids, thus affecting the functions of various organ systems. To comprehensively understand post-COVID-19 symptoms from the perspective of traditional medicine and offer valuable insights for diagnosis, treatment, and prevention, this study conducted a survey of post-COVID-19 symptoms using the latent tree model. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted. Data were collected through direct interviews with 282 post-COVID-19 patients over three months at the Ho Chi Minh City Traditional Medicine Hospital from January 2023 to May 2023. Results: Among the collected samples, 38 post-COVID-19 symptoms were recorded, with the five most common symptoms being forgetfulness (58.2%), fatigue (47.5%), hair loss (42.6%), sleep disorders (25.9%), and shortness of breath (25.5%). Analysis using a latent tree model unveiled that within the kidney viscera, forgetfulness and hair loss emerged as primary symptoms, accompanied by tinnitus, anxiety, and hearing impairment. In the spleen viscera, fatigue prevailed as the main symptom, alongside muscle soreness, abdominal fullness, diarrhea, and constipation. In the lung viscera, shortness of breath was identified as the predominant symptom, accompanied by rapid breathing, coughing, breathing difficulties, and a sore throat. In the liver viscera, insomnia was the most perceived symptom, with secondary symptoms including anxiety, headache, and dizziness. In the heart viscera, primary symptoms included attention disorders and insomnia, with secondary symptoms being chest tightness. Conclusion: The most common symptoms observed were forgetfulness, fatigue, hair loss, sleep disorders, and shortness of breath. Post-COVID-19 symptoms affect all five visceras according to traditional medicine. Key words: Post COVID-19 symptoms; Traditional Medicine; Latent tree model.

Electroacupuncture at Trigger point gains better pain relief effectiveness than Electroacupuncture at Meridian point: A non-blind randomized trial of chronic neck pain treatment among patients at Traditional Medicine Hospital

Neck pain is one of the leading causes of disabilities and increasing economic and social burden. Methods affecting the trigger point (TrP) have initially shown good pain relief effectiveness and decreased degree of invasion in patients. The research is conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of Electroacupuncture (EA) at TrP in chronic neck pain (CNP) treatment. A non-blind randomized study on 125 patients with CNP at Traditional Medicine Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City from September 2020 to June 2021. Patients will be randomly classified into EA at the TrP group or EA at the meridian points group. There were 62 patients in the TrP group and 63 patients in the other group. After 4 weeks, in the TrP group, the Questionnaire Douleur Saint-Antoine (QDSA) score of 38.2 ± 2.6 decreased to 9.3 ± 5.7, compared with the meridian points group’s QDSA score of 37.8 ± 2.3 decreased to 12.3 ± 7.1. The percentage of patients to reach good pain relief effectiveness of EA at TrP measured by QDSA is 71.0%, statistically significantly higher than 47.6% of the other group. The decrease in the number of TrPs of EA at TrP is higher and has statistical value compared with EA at meridian points. EA at TrP showed better pain relief effectiveness, has a higher percentage of patients reaching good pain relief effectiveness measured by QDSA, and decreases the number of TrPs more than EA at meridian points does on patients with CNP.

SURVEY ON ANXIETY RATES AND SOME RELATED FACTORS IN HYPERTENSION AT CAN THO TRADITIONAL MEDICINE HOSPITAL IN 2022

Background: Anxiety disorder is one of the issue that affects the patient's physical and mental health and reduces the effectiveness of treatment. At the moment, patients with underlying conditions, particularly those with hypertension, are more likely to experience anxiety problems. This lessens quality of life, accelerates disease progression, exacerbates illness symptoms, and decreases treatment compliance rates. Additionally, patients who are mentally unstable might put more stress on family members and caregivers as well as raise the burden of mortality on society. Even though there are quick and easy ways to diagnose anxiety disorders, including the GAD-7 scale, this ailment is currently not given much attention by therapists. In order to assist doctors in their consultations and suggestions for more efficient patient care and treatment, our team conducted this study. Objectives: To access the anxiety rate based on the GAD-7 scale in hypertensive patients being treated at Can Tho Traditional Medicine Hospital and to survey the related factor of anxiety in patients with hypertension at this hospital. Materials and method: Crosssectional study on 110 hypertensive patients at Can Tho Traditional Medicine Hospital from April 2022 to April 2023. Results: The proportion of hypertensive patients with anxiety accounted for 40%, the average was 4.1 points (SD: 4.19); mild anxiety got 29.1%; moderate anxiety got 9.1% and severe anxiety got 1.8%. There was a statistically significant correlation between sex (p=0.033; OR=2,505), education level (p=0.01; OR=6.176), drinking alcohol (p=0.02; OR=0.295), status sleep problems (p=0.008; OR=3.316) and anxiety. Conclusions: Anxiety in hypertensive patients was increasing and can have serious consequences for the patient. Therefore, the detection of anxiety should be carried out early to improve the overall quality of life for patients and contribute to reducing the burden of disease on society. Additionally, the GAD-7 was a useful tool for detecting anxiety, enabling doctors to treat hypertension patients more skillfully.

Curcumin and proton pump inhibitors for functional dyspepsia: a randomised, double blind controlled trial

ObjectiveTo compare the efficacy of curcumin versus omeprazole in improving patient reported outcomes in people with dyspepsia.DesignRandomised, double blind controlled trial, with central randomisation.SettingThai traditional medicine hospital, district hospital, and...

Case Report on the Five-year Survival and Complete Response of a Patient with Pancreatic Cancer Treated with Integrative Medicine

Objectives: This is a five-year survival and complete response (CR) report on pancreatic cancer treated with western medicine and Korean traditional medicine.Method: A 59-year-old woman diagnosed with pancreatic cancer visited ⃝⃝ Korean traditional medicine hospital after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy. She was treated with Korean traditional medicine, including acupuncture, abdominal moxibustion, wild ginseng pharmacopuncture, and herbal medicine, which was based on integrated medicine therapy (IMT), from March 2018 to September 2022. The tumor size was measured by scanning with computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging, and positron-emission tomography/CT. Adverse events were evaluated using laboratory conclusion and National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 5.0.Result: During four years and three months of treatment, IMT maintained safety. The patient finally reached five-year survival without any recurrence or complication (CR) on October 26, 2022.Conclusion: We suggest that an integrative approach including Korean traditional medicine can be a meaningful treatment option for pancreatic cancer. Further studies should be performed to establish the proper treatment protocol of integrative medicine for pancreatic cancer.

Case Report on the Five-year Survival of a Patient with Rectal Cancer Treated with Integrative Medicine After Resection and Chemoradiation Therapy

Objectives: This is a five-year survival and complete response (CR) report on rectal cancer treated with western medicine and Korean traditional medicine.Method: A 25-year-old woman diagnosed with rectal cancer visited ○○ Korean traditional medicine hospital after neoadjuvant concurrent chemoradiation therapy, chemotherapy, and low anterior resection with regional lymph node dissection. She was treated with Korean traditional medicine, including acupuncture, abdominal moxibustion, wild ginseng pharmacopuncture, and herbal medicine, which was based on integrated medicine therapy (IMT), from January 2018 to February 2022. The tumor size was measured by scanning with computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging, and positron-emission tomography/CT. Adverse events were evaluated using laboratory conclusion and National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 5.0.Result: During four years of treatment, IMT maintained safety. The patient finally reached five-year survival without any recurrence or complication (CR) on March 11, 2022.Conclusion: We suggest that an integrative approach including Korean traditional medicine can be a meaningful treatment option for rectal cancer. Further studies should be performed to establish the proper treatment protocol of integrative medicine for rectal cancer.

Performance of Early Warning Scoring Systems Regarding Adverse Events of Unanticipated Clinical Deterioration in Complementary and Alternative Medicine Hospitals

PurposeThis study aims to examine the performance of early warning scoring systems regarding adverse events of unanticipated clinical deterioration in complementary and alternative medicine hospitals. MethodsA medical record review of 500 patients from 5-year patient data in two traditional Korean medicine hospitals was conducted. Unanticipated clinical deterioration events included unexpected in-hospital mortality, cardiac arrest, and unplanned transfers to acute-care conventional medicine hospitals. Scores of the Modified Early Warning Score (MEWS), National Early Warning Score (NEWS), and National Early Warning Score 2 (NEWS2) were calculated. Their performance was evaluated by calculating areas under the receiver-operating characteristic curve for the event occurrence. Multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the factors associated with event occurrence. ResultsThe incidence of unanticipated clinical deterioration events was 1.1% (225/21101). The area under the curve of MEWS, NEWS, and NEWS2 was .68, .72, and .72 at 24 hours before the events, respectively. NEWS and NEWS2, with almost the same performance, were superior to MEWS (p = .009). After adjusting for other variables, patients at low-medium risk (OR = 3.28; 95% CI = 1.02–10.55) and those at medium and high risk (OR = 25.03; 95% CI = 2.78–225.46) on NEWS2 scores were more likely to experience unanticipated clinical deterioration than those at low risk. Other factors associated with the event occurrence included frailty risk scores, clinical worry scores, primary medical diagnosis, prescribed medicine administration, acupuncture treatment, and clinical department. ConclusionsThe three early warning scores demonstrated moderate-to-fair performance for clinical deterioration events. NEWS2 can be used for early identification of patients at high risk of deterioration in complementary and alternative medicine hospitals. Additionally, patient, care, and system factors need to be considered to improve patient safety.

The surveys of metabolic disorder at Nghe An traditional medicine hospital and effect of “Hoan HT” capsules in the treatment of blood metabolism disorder

Objectives: To survey the metabolic disorders at Nghe An Traditional Medicine Hospital in 2021. To elevate the effects of HT tablets in the treatment of stagnated Phlegm-dampness dyslipidemia.Subjects and methods: A retrospective survey on 6476 patients with lipid metabolism disorders in 2021 at Nghe An traditional medicine hospital, an open clinical intervention prospective study, comparing before and after treatment of over 60 patients with dyslipidemia based on NCEP ATP III 2002 according to modern medicine, stagnation of low phlegm according to traditional medicine.Results: Survey on metabolic disorders at Nghe An Traditional Medicine Hospital in 2021: Among the research subjects, 48% were male patients, 52% were female. The proportion of women > 60 years old with dyslipidemia was 78.2%, meanwhile it was 75.6% in the men group. The proportion of dyslipidemia-diagnosed female and male patients < 60 years old were 20.6% and 21.4%, respectively. The percentage of women < 45 years old with dyslipidemia accounted for 1.2%, and it was 3.1% in the male group. The difference is not statistically significant (p > 0.05). The mean age of the female group with dyslipidemia was 68.08 ± 9.34 (years old), of the male group was 66.95 ± 10.66 (years old). The difference was not statistically significant (p>0.05). 99.0% of patients were diagnosed with dyslipidemia and diabetes, in which, diabetes accounted for the highest rate with 51.8%, and dyslipidemia was 47.2%. The difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). The effects of the HT pill in the treatment of stagnated Phlegm-dampness dyslipidemia. After 30 days of treatment, the patients had a marked improvement in serum cholesterol levels. Before the study, the serum cholesterol value was 5.69 ± 0.93 mmol/l, and it was decreased by 14.1% to 4.89 ± 0.73 mmol/l after 30 days. The serum triglyceride value was 2.48 ± 0.94 mmol/l, and it was decreased by 21.4% to 1.95 ± 0.51 mmol/l. Among 60 patients, 56% of patients achieved good treatment effect and 32% of patients achieved good treatment effect, 12% of patients did not achieve treatment effect according to modern medicine. According to traditional medicine, the number of patients with good treatment effect is 54%, quite 36%, and 10% with ineffective treatment. It was found that during the treatment process, 5 patients showed side effects such as dyspepsia, diarrhea, accounting for 3.3%. Additionally, we did not noticed other unwanted effects. However, the symptoms were mild and resolved spontaneously within a few days without being treated.

Characteristics of scleral blood vessels by eye observation method of traditional medicine in patients with neck and shoulder pain

Background: Eye observation is an unusual diagnostic method of inspection, through observation the characteristics of blood vessels in the sclera. Objective: To survey the clinical characteristics and features of color and shape of scleral blood vessels at 12 o’clock position in patients with neck and shoulder pain. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out in 147 patients who were diagnosed with neck and shoulder pain at Thua Thien Hue Traditional Medicine Hospital. Results: The symptoms of the tongue and pulse: pale red tongue accounted for 42.2%, enlarged tongue 44.9%, white fur 83.0%, thin fur 63.3%, slippery fur 44.2%; sunken pulse 93.9%, moderate pulse 72.1%, replete pulse 73.5%. About scleral blood vessels: bright red 47.6% at the right eye (RE) and 44.9% at the left eye (LE); winding shape 61.9% (RE) and 57.1% (LE); branched shape 66.7% (RE) and 60.5% (LE). Conclusions: The symptoms of high rate were pale red tongue, enlarged tongue, white fur, thin fur, slippery fur, sunken pulse, moderate pulse and replete pulse. The characteristics of scleral blood vessels that appeared with highest frequency in both eyes were bright red, winding shape and branched shape. Key words: blood vessels, eye observation, neck and shoulder pain, traditional medicine

Study on the reliability, sensitivity and specificity of the abridged Vietnamese version of the Qi Blood Yin Yang Deficiency Pattern (QBYYDP) questionnaire on the elderly

Background: The theory of Qi, blood, yin, and yang is one of the significant dialectics in the traditional practice of medicine in the elderly. Objective: Research on the reliability, sensitivity and specificity of the abridged Vietnamese version of the Qi Blood Yin Yang Deficiency Pattern (QBYYDP) questionnaire on the elderly. Method: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 290 elderly who came for treatment at Thua Thien Hue Traditional Medicine Hospital. Result: The abridged Vietnamese version of the Qi Blood Yin Yang Deficiency Pattern (QBYYDP) questionnaire on the elderly consists of 27 questions (male: 26 questions and female: 27 questions) with Cronbach’s Alpha of 0.895 (male) and 0.871 (female), the sensitivities Qi deficiency region, Blood deficiency region, Yin deficiency region, and Yang deficiency region were: 62.50%, 66.67%, 44.12%, 37.5% (male), 63.04% (female), respectively; the specificity 95.9%, 50.89%, 76.95%, 69.49% (male) and 75.74% (female), respectively, the area under the ROC curve of the questionnaires were > 0.6. Conclusion: The abridged Vietnamese version of the Qi Blood Yin Yang Deficiency Pattern (QBYYDP) questionnaire on the elderly with high consistency and reliability assessed through Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient. The value of the Qi deficiency region has a high specificity and is distinguishable between two groups with diseased and non-diseased well. Although it is possible to take the Blood deficiency region, Yin deficiency region, and Yang deficiency region for clinical reference, the sensitivity and specificity are low, and the ability to distinguish the disease is moderate or poor. Key words: reliability, validity, questionnaire, Qi Blood Yin Yang deficiency pattern, the elderly.

To evaluate the influence of weather conditions on hospital admissions and clinical symptoms of Bi syndrome in traditional medicine

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis, Osteoarthritis, and Spondylosis are three diseases that manifest as Bi Syndrome. These diseases are caused by the invasion of external pathogenic wind, cold, dampness and heat, that influence pain in traditional medicine. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the correlation between weather conditions and the number of hospitalized patients, and to evaluate the influence of weather conditions on the pain characteristics and some symtoms of diseases that related to Bi Syndrome. Materials and methods: Cross-sectional descriptive-analytic study. The study included patients at the Faculty of Traditional Medicine, Hue Central Hospital and Thua Thien Hue Traditional Medicine Hospital, from January to December of 2020. Results: Out of 1493 patients that hospitalized for traditional medical treatment, 50.6% patients had Bi syndrome. Our survey throughout 183 consecutive days showed a weak inverse correlation (r = -0.183, p < 0.05) between the average rainfall and the number of patients admitted on the same day, there was no correlation between the average temperature, or humidity, or atmospheric pressure with the number of hospitalized patients (p > 0.05). Among 150 patients with Bi syndrome, 66.7% believed that changes in weather affected their pain. Of the different weather conditions, cold and temperature changing was considered to influence pain the most (49% and 24%), the pain was worse in winter (46%). Additionaly, patients also perceived that weather changes affected their mood (47%) and their sleep (37%). Conclusions: There was no relation between the average daily temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure and the number of hospitalized patients with diseases related to Bi syndrome. Patient’s subjective assessment suggested that weather conditions may have certain impact on their pain, their mood and their sleep. Key words: Bi Syndrome, weather, atmospheric pressure, traditional medicine

Formulation of Vitex negundo L. (Verbenaceae) leaf used in Traditional Medicine Hospital of Thua Thien Hue and evaluation of the product quality

Background: Vitex negundo L. leaves are a medicinal herb with many therapeutic effects, especially bone and joint diseases. At Traditional Medicine Hospital of Thua Thien Hue, method of using Vitex negundo L. leaves for patients who have joint diseases was shown to good treatment results. Besides, preparation of cream are convenient to use and take advantage of a precious and available medicinal herb of Vietnam. Objectives: To determine the formula, preparation process of products from the leaves of Vitex negundo L., determining the total flavonoid content of the product obtained and initial investigation of anti-inflammatory effects of prepared products. Methods: Building oriented formulas and investigating excipients. Development of a preparation process by emulsification method. Evaluation of the quality of prepared products by the Center for Drug - Cosmetic - Food Testing in Thua Thien Hue. Quantification of total flavonoids according to the method of Chang (2002). Investigation of anti-inflammatory effects based on carrageenan inflammation model in experimental rats. Results: Cream formula with the main ingredient was condensed glue of Vitex negundo L. 5%; Olive oil 10%; Glycerin 4%; Propylene glycol 15%; Ceteareth 20,4%; Cremophor RH40 7%; Nipagin 0.18%; Nipazol 0.02%; Menthol 0.05%. The cream product was smooth, homogeneous, dark brown in color, lightly scented, and met the basic standards. Total flavonoid content condensed glue of Vitex negundo L. was 13.18 ± 0.207, cream of Vitex negundo L. was 12.96 ± 0.163 (p > 0.05). The product was preliminarily evaluated to have the anti-inflamation effect in mice. Conclusions: Building a complete cream formula that met quality standards, the total flavonoid content was not lost much after the preparation process Key words: Vitex negundo L., the total flavonoid content, quality standards.

Diagnostic traditional medicine criteria of Covid-19 by using a latent tree model

Objectives: Until now, the guideline of the Vietnam Ministry of Health and several pieces of research have confirmed the effectiveness of traditional medicine in managing Covid-19, especially for mild levels. However, the research on differentiating traditional medicine disease patterns of Covid-19 to systemise diagnosis and treatment has not been implemented. Thence, this study aimed to establish diagnostic criteria for mild clinical forms of Covid-19 using latent tree models (LTMs). Materials and methods: Stage 1: Conduct studies on classic medical documents, textbooks and monographs on traditional medicine, to make questionnaires to observe symptoms in Covid-19 patients at a mild stage. Stage 2: Choosing and investigating Covid-19 patients at a mild stage by inclusion criteria. A 65-question survey was used to investigate 438 patients at Ho Chi Minh city Traditional Medicine Hospital, then included data were analysed by using the latent tree model. Results: Literature review exhibited 10 documents (5 classic medical documents, 5 textbooks) with content related to Covid-19. After modelling, 21 latent variables (Y0 to Y20) were established, referring to the groups of included symptom variables. According to ve - khi - dinh - huyet diagnosis theory, 2 traditional medical disease patterns are matching with the literature: the Ve-area disease pattern and the Khi-area disease pattern. Conclusions: The latent tree model analysis pointed out 2 traditional medical disease patterns of Covid-19 at a mild stage, including the Ve-area disease pattern and Khi-area disease pattern.

The Effects of Emotional Labor, Role Conflict and Resilience on Turnover Intention among Nurses at Korean Traditional Medicine Hospitals

Purpose: This study researched effective personnel management methods to improve the quality of nursing in traditional medicine hospitals in Korea by examining the effects of emotional labor, role conflict, and resilience on turnover intention among nurses. Methods: This study designed a descriptive survey, and the subjects were 179 nurses from nine traditional medicine hospitals in Korea. Data were collected from August 1 to 20, 2019. The data were analyzed with means, standard deviations, frequency analysis, t-test, one way ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, and multiple regression using SPSS/WIN 18.0 program. Results: We found positive correlation Us between emotional labor and turnover intention (r=.17, p=.022), and between role conflict and turnover intention (r=019, p=.013). The factors affecting turnover intention were role conflict (=.24, p=.001) and emotional labor (=.20, p=.013 ). The model explained 11.0 % (F=5.11, p<.001) of nurses’ turnover intention in traditional Korean hospitals. Conclusion: Korean traditional medicine hospitals need to decrease the degree of emotional labor and present clear roles of nurses based on clinical experiences to reduce turnover intention.