scholarly journals Auricular Plaster Therapy for Comorbid Insomnia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huimin Zhao ◽  
Dan Li ◽  
Ying Yang ◽  
Yueting Liu ◽  
Jie Li ◽  
...  

Background. Although the effectiveness of auricular plaster therapy (APT) on primary insomnia has been systematically reviewed, no systematic review of studies has focused on the effect on comorbid insomnia. Objective. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of APT for comorbid insomnia. Methods. Fifteen databases were searched from inception to July 2018. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of APT as an exclusive intervention for comorbid insomnia against Western medications, sham APT or no treatment were identified. Results. Fourteen studies involving 928 participants were identified. The pooled outcomes revealed that APT was superior to control conditions for the global score on PSQI (SMD = -1.13, and 95% CI = -1.48—-0.78) and the effective rate (RR = 1.24, 95% CI = 1.13—1.36, NNT = 5, and 95% CI =4—7). Furthermore, the results of subgroup analyses were similar to the pooled results. Additionally, the pooled results were verified to be stable by sensitivity analyses. Regarding safety, no significant difference was identified between APT and Western medications. Conclusions. APT appears to be an effective and safe treatment for comorbid insomnia. However, the benefits of APT for comorbid insomnia could not be ascertained due to the paucity of the quantity and quality of the included studies. Large-scale studies using proper methodology are needed to yield a firm conclusion.

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianyu You ◽  
Fengyun Yang ◽  
Naigang Liu ◽  
Nana Tang ◽  
Ting Fang ◽  
...  

Objective. Acupotomy therapy is widely used for pain management. However, the efficacy of acupotomy on shoulder adhesive capsulitis (SAC) is still uncertain. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness and safety of acupotomy therapy for SAC. Methods. We searched seven electronic databases to collect randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of acupotomy for SAC published before April 2019. A meta-analysis was performed according to the Cochrane systematic review method by using RevMan 5.3 software. Results. A total of eight RCTs involving 501 patients were enrolled. Meta-analysis showed that acupotomy was significantly better than the control group in debasing the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score (MD = −0.97, 95% CI = [−1.49, −0.45], P=0.0003) and improving the Constant–Murley Score (CMS) (MD = 8.46, 95% CI = [1.04, 15.87], P=0.03), and there was no significant difference in adverse events (OR = 1.24, 95% CI = [0.34, 4.52], P=0.74) between the two groups. Conclusion. Acupotomy therapy is an effective and safe treatment for SAC, and this treatment can be recommended for the management of SAC. Due to the low quality and small sample size of the included studies, more rigorously designed RCTs with high quality and large-scale are recommended in future.


2019 ◽  
Vol 18 ◽  
pp. 153473541986691 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tsai-Ju Chien ◽  
Chia-Yu Liu ◽  
Ching-Ju Fang

Background: Breast cancer–related lymphedema (BCRL) is hard to control. Management may include lymphatic drainage, skin care, bandaging, or even surgery. Since acupuncture has been proven to affect the neurophysiology and neuroendocrine systems, it has the potential to control BCRL. Aim: To evaluate the effect of acupuncture in BCRL in randomized controlled trials. Design: A literature search was performed, following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) statement and without language restrictions. Data Sources: Five databases were searched from inception tthrough September 2018. Only studies that fulfilled the eligibility criteria of evaluating the effect of acupuncture on lymphedema in breast cancer were included. The methodological quality of these trials was assessed using the Cochrane criteria, and meta-analysis software (RevMan 5.3) was used for analysis. Results: We examined 178 breast cancer patients from 6 trials. All included randomized controlled trials had medium to high quality, based on the modified Jadad scale. The systematic review showed that acupuncture is safe and has a trend to improve symptoms, but trials did not consistently measure outcomes. The meta-analysis showed that acupuncture produced no significant improvement in the extent of lymphedema as compared with the control intervention (−1.90; 95% confidence interval = −5.39 to 1.59, P = .29). None of the studies reported severe adverse events. Conclusions: Acupuncture is safe and has a trend to improve the lymphedema related to breast cancer, yet it did not significantly change arm circumference in BCRL. Future studies should include both subjective and objective measurements and large-scale studies are warranted.


BMC Surgery ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Liping Gou ◽  
Zhenghao Wang ◽  
Ye Zhou ◽  
Xiaofeng Zheng

Abstract Background A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to compare the safety and efficiency of nephroscopy and cystoscopy in transurethral cystolithotripsy (TUCL) for bladder stones (BS). Methods The PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, EBSCO, and Cochrane Library databases were searched up to January 2021 for studies assessing the effect of different types of endoscopes among patients who underwent TUCL. The search strategy and study selection process were in accordance with the PRISMA statement. Results Five randomized controlled trials were included in the meta-analysis. The results showed no difference in stone-free rate (RR = 1.00, CI = 0.98–1.02, p = 1.00) between the two groups and nonsignificant heterogeneity (I2 = 0%, p = 1.00), and all patients were rendered stone free. Use of the nephroscope significantly shortened the operative time compared with the cystoscope group (RR= − 26.26, CI = − 35.84 to − 16.68, p < 0.00001), and there was significant heterogeneity (I2= 87%, p < 0.00001). There was no significant difference in mean urethral entries (RR = 0.66, CI = − 0.71 to − 2.04, p = 0.35), hospitalization (MD = 0.08, 95% CI = − 0.07 to 0.23, p = 0.31) or total complication rate (RR=1.37, 95% CI = 0.47–4.00, p = 0.56) between the two groups. Conclusions In conclusion, this systematic review demonstrates that both nephroscopy and cystoscopy have high stone clearance efficiency, low rates of complications and short hospitalizations. The mean urethral entries depend on the treatment method for large stone fragments. However, the use of nephroscopy can significantly reduce the operative time.


2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. S716-S716
Author(s):  
Koray K Demir ◽  
Guillaume Butler-Laporte ◽  
Todd C Lee ◽  
Matthew P Cheng

Abstract Background Current guidelines recommend the use of echinocandins, amphotericin B or fluconazole for the treatment of invasive candidiasis and candidemia. The objective of our study was to compare these agents through a systematic review of the literature and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Methods Three electronic databases (Medline, PubMed, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews) were searched from database inception to January 1 2019. Randomized controlled trials that compared triazoles, echinocandins and/or amphotericin B (either in lipid formulation or deoxycholate form) for the treatment of invasive candidiasis or candidemia were included. Among included studies, treatment success was collected as the primary outcome and was assessed by a random effect network meta-analysis using Bayesian estimation methods. A sensitivity analysis was performed for all patients with candidemia. Results Eleven randomized controlled trials met the study inclusion criteria. Of the 2,475 patients included from these trials, 684 received an echinocandin, 855 received amphotericin B and 936 received a triazole. Echinocandins were associated with the highest rate of treatment success when compared with amphotericin B (OR 1.40, 95% CI 1.02–1.93) and the triazoles (OR 1.80, 95% CI 1.32–2.51). Similarly, in the pre-specified analysis of candidemic patients, echinocandins were also more effective overall than amphotericin B (OR 1.25, 95% CI 0.84–1.87) and triazoles (OR 1.66, 95% CI 1.16–2.44). Patients treated with triazoles had a lower rate of treatment success than amphotericin B in the overall (OR 0.78, 95% CI 0.60–1.01) and candidemia sensitivity analyses (OR 0.76, 95% CI 0.56–1.01) Rank probability analysis favored echinocandins as the most effective treatment choice 98% of the time. Conclusion In our meta-analysis comparing treatment strategies for severe Candida infections, the echinocandins had the highest rate of treatment success compared with both amphotericin B and triazoles. Echinocandins should be considered as first-line agents in the treatment of invasive candidiasis and candidemia. Further research is needed to determine the minimum duration of echinocandin treatment prior to using step-down therapy. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.


2017 ◽  
Vol 135 (2) ◽  
pp. 123-132 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guilherme Augusto Rago Ferraz ◽  
Meline Rosseto Kron Rodrigues ◽  
Silvana Andrea Molina Lima ◽  
Marcelo Aparecido Ferraz Lima ◽  
Gabriela Lopes Maia ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: This systematic review compared reiki and prayer with drug use for relieving pain during hospitalization for cesarean, given that the popularity of integrative medicine and spiritual healing has been increasing. It had the aim of evaluating whether reiki or prayer is effective in relieving pain during cesarean section. DESIGN AND SETTING: Systematic review with meta-analysis conducted at Botucatu Medical School, UNESP, São Paulo, Brazil. METHODS: The following databases were searched up to March 2016: MEDLINE, Embase, LILACS and CENTRAL. Randomized controlled trials published in English or Portuguese were included in the review. Two reviewers independently screened eligible articles, extracted data and assessed the risk of bias. A GRADE table was produced to evaluate the risk of bias. RESULTS: There was evidence with a high risk of bias showing a statistically significant decrease in pain score through use of reiki and prayer, in relation to the protocol group: mean difference = -1.68; 95% confidence interval: -1.92 to -1.43; P < 0.00001; I2 = 92%. Furthermore, there was no statistically significant difference in heart rate or systolic or diastolic blood pressure. CONCLUSION: Evidence with a high risk of bias suggested that reiki and prayer meditation might be associated with pain reduction.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Su-Hang Xie ◽  
Qian Wang ◽  
Li-Qiong Wang ◽  
Lin Wang ◽  
Kang-Ping Song ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic, debilitating, and degenerative joint disease. However, it is difficult for patients with knee OA to access conventional rehabilitation when discharging from the hospital. Internet-based rehabilitation is one of the promising telemedicine strategies to provide a means combining monitoring, guidance, and treatment for patients with knee OA. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis for assessing the effect of internet-based rehabilitation programs on pain and physical function in patients with knee OA. METHODS Keywords related to knee OA and internet-based rehabilitation were systematically searched in the Web of Science, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, Scopus, PEDro (Physiotherapy Evidence Database), CNKI, SinoMed, and WANFANG databases from January 2000 to April 2020. Only randomized controlled trials were included. The authors independently screened the literature. The main outcome measures were focused on pain and physical function. A meta-analysis was performed on the collected data. Review Manager (RevMan, version 5.3) was used for all analyses. RESULTS The systematic review identified 6 randomized controlled trials, 4 of which were included in the meta-analysis, comprising a total of 791 patients with knee OA. The meta-analysis with the fixed-effects model showed that the internet-based rehabilitation programs could significantly alleviate the osteoarthritic pain for patients compared with conventional rehabilitation (standardized mean difference [SMD] –0.21, 95% CI  −0.4 to –0.01, <i>P</i>=.04). No significant difference was found in the improvement of physical function in patients with knee OA compared with conventional rehabilitation within 2 to 12 months (SMD –0.08, 95% CI −0.27 to 0.12, <i>P</i>=.43). CONCLUSIONS This systematic review shows that internet-based rehabilitation programs could improve the pain but not physical function for patients with knee OA. However, there was a very small number of studies that could be included in the review and meta-analysis. Thus, further studies with large sample sizes are warranted to promote the effectiveness of internet-based rehabilitation and to develop its personalized design.


10.2196/21542 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. e21542
Author(s):  
Su-Hang Xie ◽  
Qian Wang ◽  
Li-Qiong Wang ◽  
Lin Wang ◽  
Kang-Ping Song ◽  
...  

Background Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic, debilitating, and degenerative joint disease. However, it is difficult for patients with knee OA to access conventional rehabilitation when discharging from the hospital. Internet-based rehabilitation is one of the promising telemedicine strategies to provide a means combining monitoring, guidance, and treatment for patients with knee OA. Objective The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis for assessing the effect of internet-based rehabilitation programs on pain and physical function in patients with knee OA. Methods Keywords related to knee OA and internet-based rehabilitation were systematically searched in the Web of Science, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, Scopus, PEDro (Physiotherapy Evidence Database), CNKI, SinoMed, and WANFANG databases from January 2000 to April 2020. Only randomized controlled trials were included. The authors independently screened the literature. The main outcome measures were focused on pain and physical function. A meta-analysis was performed on the collected data. Review Manager (RevMan, version 5.3) was used for all analyses. Results The systematic review identified 6 randomized controlled trials, 4 of which were included in the meta-analysis, comprising a total of 791 patients with knee OA. The meta-analysis with the fixed-effects model showed that the internet-based rehabilitation programs could significantly alleviate the osteoarthritic pain for patients compared with conventional rehabilitation (standardized mean difference [SMD] –0.21, 95% CI  −0.4 to –0.01, P=.04). No significant difference was found in the improvement of physical function in patients with knee OA compared with conventional rehabilitation within 2 to 12 months (SMD –0.08, 95% CI −0.27 to 0.12, P=.43). Conclusions This systematic review shows that internet-based rehabilitation programs could improve the pain but not physical function for patients with knee OA. However, there was a very small number of studies that could be included in the review and meta-analysis. Thus, further studies with large sample sizes are warranted to promote the effectiveness of internet-based rehabilitation and to develop its personalized design.


Author(s):  
Antonia Kohlert ◽  
Katharina Wick ◽  
Jenny Rosendahl

Abstract Background Autogenic training (AT) is frequently used as therapeutic approach in multimodal pain therapy. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to investigate the efficacy of AT in individuals suffering from chronic pain in comparison to passive and active control groups. Methods A comprehensive literature search in Medline, Web of Science, PsycInfo, and PubPsych and manual searches (last search April 7, 2021) were conducted to locate randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Treatment guidelines and references of relevant articles and previous reviews were checked. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Full Text database, DART-Europe E-theses Portal, Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (NDLTD), and the Theses Database of the German National Library were screened to identify any unpublished material. Results A total of 13 eligible studies (k = 15 comparisons) including 576 participants were identified. Random-effects meta-analyses revealed a significantly positive, moderate effect of AT on the primary outcome pain compared to passive control groups (g = 0.58, 95% CI [0.36; 0.79], k = 9, I2 = 0%). In comparison with other psychological interventions, no difference was found (g = − 0.05, 95% CI [− 0.30; 0.20], k = 6, I2 = 0%). Sensitivity analyses proved the robustness of findings. Overall risk-of-bias judgment was ‘some concerns’ in the majority of studies. Conclusions Beneficial effects of AT on pain reduction were demonstrated, but findings are prone to bias. Furthermore, high methodological quality RCTs are needed to strengthen the promising evidence of AT for individuals with chronic pain.


2022 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liqing Niu ◽  
Lu Xiao ◽  
Xuemin Zhang ◽  
Xuezheng Liu ◽  
Xinqiao Liu ◽  
...  

Background: Severe pneumonia (SP) has a high mortality rate and is responsible for significant healthcare costs. Chinese herbal injections (CHIs) have been widely used in China as a novel and promising treatment option for SP. Therefore, this study assessed and ranked the effectiveness of CHIs to provide more sights for the selection of SP treatment.Method: Seven databases were searched from their inception up to April 1, 2021. The methodological quality of included study was evaluated by the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool. Then, a Bayesian network meta-analysis (NMA) was performed by OpenBUGS 3.2.3 and STATA 14.0 software. The surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) probability values were applied to rank the examined treatments. A clustering analysis was utilized to compare the effect of CHIs between two different outcomes.Results: A total of 64 eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 5,904 participants were identified for this analysis. Six CHIs including Xuebijing injection (XBJ), Tanreqing injection (TRQ), Reduning injection (RDN), Xiyanping injection (XYP), Shenfu injection (SF), and Shenmai injection (SM) were included. The results of the NMA showed that XBJ [odds ratio (OR) = 0.24, 95% credible interval (CI): 0.19, 0.30], TRQ (OR = 0.22, 95% CI: 0.12, 0.37), RDN (OR = 0.29, 95% CI: 0.04, 0.94), and SM (OR = 0.27, 95% CI: 0.08, 0.63) combined with conventional Western medicine (WM) improved the clinical effective rate more significantly than WM alone. Based on SUCRA values, TRQ + WM (SUCRA: 66.4%) ranked the highest in improving the clinical effective rate, second in four different outcomes, and third in only one. According to the cluster analysis, TRQ + WM exerted a positive effect on improving the efficacy of SP. As for safety, less than 30% (18 RCTs) of the included studies reported adverse drug reactions/adverse drug events (ADRs/ADEs), including 14 RCTs of XBJ, 3 RCTs of TRQ, and 1 RCT of RDN.Conclusion: In conclusion, the study found that the CHIs as co-adjuvant therapy could be beneficial for patients with SP. TRQ + WM showed an outstanding improvement in patients with SP considering both the clinical effective rate and other outcomes.Systematic Review Registration: [https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/], identifier [CRD42021244587].


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