The Effect of Qigong Exercise on Immunity and Infections: A Systematic Review of Controlled Trials

2012 ◽  
Vol 40 (06) ◽  
pp. 1143-1156 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chong-Wen Wang ◽  
Siu-Man Ng ◽  
Rainbow T.H. Ho ◽  
Eric T.C. Ziea ◽  
Vivian C.W. Wong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Clinical Evidence ◽  
Clinical Symptoms ◽  
Controlled Trials ◽  
Controlled Clinical Trials ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Induced Immunity ◽  
Quality Of Research

The objective of this review was to summarize and critically evaluate the clinical evidence of the effect of qigong exercise on immunity and its efficacy in the prevention or treatment of infectious diseases. Thirteen databases were searched from their respective inceptions through January 2011, and all controlled clinical trials of qigong exercise on immunity and infections were included. Quality and validity of the included studies were evaluated using standard scales. Seven studies including two randomized controlled trials (RCTs), two controlled clinical trials (CCTs) and three retrospective observational studies (ROSs) met the inclusion criteria. One study focused on functional measures of immunity (antigen-induced immunity) and six studies on enumerative parameters of immunity. No study on clinical symptoms relevant to infectious diseases could be identified. Overall, the included studies suggested favorable effects of qigong exercise on immunity, but the quality of research for most of the studies examined in this review was poor. Further rigorously designed studies are required, which should adhere to accepted standards of methodology for clinical trials.

Trends in randomized controlled trials in ENT: a 30-year review

1997 ◽  
Vol 111 (7) ◽  
pp. 611-613 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. W. Ah-See ◽  
N. C. Molony ◽  
A. G. D. Maran
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Clinical Practice ◽  
Randomized Controlled Trials ◽  
Gold Standard ◽  
Controlled Trials ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Controlled Clinical Trials ◽  
Medline Search ◽  
Randomized Controlled Clinical Trials ◽  
Randomized Controlled

AbstractThere is a growth in the demand for clinical practice to be evidence based. Recent years have seen a rise in the number of randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTS). Such trials while acknowledged as the gold standard for evidence can be difficult to perform in surgical specialities. We have recently identified a low proportion of RCTS in the otolaryngology literature. Our aim was to identify any trend in the number of published RCTS within the ENT literature over a 30-year period and to identify which areas of our speciality lend themselves to this form of study design. A Medline search of 10 prominent journals published between 1966 and 1995 was performed. Two hundred and ninety-six RCTS were identified. Only five were published before 1980. Two hundred (71 per cent) of RCTS were in the areas of otology and rhinology. An encouraging trend is seen in RCTS within ENT literature.

scholarly journals TRUST Study: Participation in Randomized Controlled Trials and Subsequent Adherence to Visiting Medical Institutions and Taking Medications in Patients with Cardiovascular Diseases. Part II. Assessment of the Quality of Therapy

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 977-983
Author(s):  
N. O. Vasyukova ◽  
N. P. Kutishenko ◽  
Yu. V. Lukina ◽  
O. I. Zvonareva ◽  
S. Yu. Martsevich
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Coronary Artery Disease ◽  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Controlled Trials ◽  
Study Group ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Quality Of Therapy ◽  
Artery Disease

Aim. Based on the data of the TRUST study (Influence of Participation in Randomized Controlled Trials on adheRence to Medicines' Intake and regUlar viSits to the docTor) to assess the quality of drug therapy and patients' awareness of achieving target blood counts and blood pressure (BP) among patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension.Material and methods. 102 patients are enrolled in the study group of the TRUST study who participated in one or more randomized clinical trials (RCT) in the period from 2011 to 2018. A control group (n=109) included patients who had never participated in an RCT was selected. From January to April 2020, face-to-face or telephone contact was established with patients from both groups. In the study group, the response was 86.3%, in the control group - 81.7%. The adherence to drug therapy accordingly to current clinical guidelines was analyzed in patients with coronary artery disease in both groups.Results. Patients with CAD who previously participated in RCTs take drugs with proven efficacy significantly more often than patients who did not participate in clinical trials. All groups of drugs intake was significantly more frequent in the study group than in the control group: angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers (odds ratio [OR] 7.66, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.5-22.6; p=0.006), statins (OR 5.12, 95%CI 1.8-14.5; p=0.002), beta-blockers (OR 2.96, 95%CI 1.03-8.5; p=0.038), antiplatelet agents (OR 2.94, 95%CI 1.1-7.7; p=0.026). In the main group, 54.3% of patients with CAD knew about their level of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), and 68% of them had an LDL level of ≤ 1.8 mmol/l. Patients with DM in 92.9% of cases were aware of their glucose level, and in 76.9% of them had the fasting glucose level <7 mmol/L. Hypertensive patients in 92.8% of cases controlled their blood pressure twice a day and 89.2% of them had a target blood pressure level (<140/90 mm Hg).Conclusion. Patients who participated in RCTs showed better adherence to treatment and health awareness compared to the control group. Partly, the approach to patient management, as it takes place in the RCTs model, can be implemented in real clinical practice to improve the quality of therapy in patients with cardiovascular disease.

scholarly journals Assessment of quality of reporting of Helicobacter pylori related randomized controlled trials: a focus on highly ranked gastroenterology journals

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 21
Author(s):  
Mahmood E. Elrggal ◽  
Morooj Al-Muwallad ◽  
Areej Al-Otaibi ◽  
Jomanah Alsiddik ◽  
Alaa Shahbar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Helicobacter Pylori ◽  
Randomized Controlled Trials ◽  
Consort Statement ◽  
Allocation Concealment ◽  
Controlled Trials ◽  
Quality Of Reporting ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Randomised Controlled

<p class="abstract"><strong>Background:</strong> Randomized controlled trials are often considered as the gold standard for measuring the effectiveness of an intervention. However, inappropriate or poor reporting in randomized controlled trials can produce biased estimates of treatment effects.<strong> </strong>Clinical trials that do not use the CONSORT statement for reporting their findings will have limited value to the clinicians and researchers due to the risk of bias in their results. This review aims to assess the quality of reporting of randomized controlled trials in <em>Helicobacter pylori</em> associated infections by using the CONSORT 2010 checklist.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Methods:</strong> All issues of 20 highly ranked gastroenterology journals published from Jan 2011 up to November 2017 were searched. Searches were conducted in November 2017. Randomized controlled trials reporting on <em>Helicobacter pylori</em> associated infections were included in the review.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Results:</strong> 21 randomized controlled trials published in gastroenterology journals were included in the study. All included studies adequately reported (100%) on items including description of interventions, outcomes assessed, total number of participants analysed, baseline characteristics and results of outcome assessed. However, items including blinding and mechanism of allocation concealment were reported in only 12 randomized controlled trials (50%).<strong> </strong>The maximum and minimum scores and percentage of compliance of included randomised controlled trials were 24 (100%) and 15 (62.5%) respectively.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The finding of this review suggests that the overall quality of reporting in the included randomized controlled trials was adequate. However, items including trial design, trial registration and protocol and sample size calculations should be reported adequately in the future randomized controlled trials to improve the quality of reporting and replicability of clinical trials.</p>

Guidelines for Controlled Trials of Drugs in Tension-Type Headache: Second Edition

Cephalalgia ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
L Bendtsen ◽  
ME Bigal ◽  
R Cerbo ◽  
HC Diener ◽  
K Holroyd ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trials ◽  
International Headache Society ◽  
Tension Type Headache ◽  
Controlled Trials ◽  
Controlled Clinical Trials ◽  
Trial Methodology ◽  
New Information ◽  
Drug Treatments ◽  
Type Headache

The Clinical Trials Subcommittee of the International Headache Society published its first edition of the guidelines on controlled trials of drugs in tension-type headache in 1995. These aimed ‘to improve the quality of controlled clinical trials in tension-type headache’, because ‘good quality controlled trials are the only way to convincingly demonstrate the efficacy of a drug, and form the basis for international agreement on drug therapy’. The Committee published similar guidelines for clinical trials in migraine and cluster headache. Since 1995 several studies on the treatment of episodic and chronic tension-type headache have been published, providing new information on trial methodology for this disorder. Furthermore, the classification of the headaches, including tension-type headache, has been revised. These developments support the need for also revising the guidelines for drug treatments in tension-type headache. These Guidelines are intended to assist in the design of well-controlled clinical trials in tension-type headache.

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