Hotspots and trends of risk factors in gastric cancer: A visualization and bibliometric analysis

BACKGROUND The lack of specific symptoms of gastric cancer(GC)causes great challenges in its early diagnosis.Thus it is essential to identify the risk factors for early diagnosis and treatment of GC and to improve the survival rates.AIM To assist physicians in identifying changes in the output of publications and research hotspots related to risk factors for GC,constructing a list of key risk factors,and providing a reference for early identification of patients at high risk for GC.METHODS Research articles on risk factors for GC were searched in the Web of Science core collection,and relevant information was extracted after screening.The literature was analyzed using Microsoft Excel 2019,CiteSpace V,and VOSviewer 1.6.18.RESULTS A total of 2514 papers from 72 countries and 2507 research institutions were retrieved.China(n=1061),National Cancer Center(n=138),and Shoichiro Tsugane(n=36)were the most productive country,institution,or author,respectively.The research hotspots in the study of risk factors for GC are summarized in four areas,namely:Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori)infection,single nucleotide polymorphism,bio-diagnostic markers,and GC risk prediction models.CONCLUSION In this study,we found that H.pylori infection is the most significant risk factor for GC;single-nucleotide polymorphism(SNP)is the most dominant genetic factor for GC;bio-diagnostic markers are the most promising diagnostic modality for GC.GC risk prediction models are the latest current research hotspot.We conclude that the most important risk factors for the development of GC are H.pylori infection,SNP,smoking,diet,and alcohol.

Chinese herbal medicine combined with Western medicine for Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia in children:An overview of systematic reviews

Objective:To summarize the characteristics and evaluate the quality of the methodology and evidence within systematic reviews(SRs)of Chinese herbal medicine(CHM)for Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia(MPP)inchildren.Methods:SRs of randomized controlled trials were searched using PubMed,the Cochrane Library,Embase,the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure Databases(CNKI),the Chinese Scientific Journals Database(VIP),Wanfang,and the SinoMed Database.SRs on the use of CHM alone or in combination with Western medications for MPP in children were included.The study compared the effects of Western medicine alone with those of CHM.The evidence quality using the A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews(AMSTAR)2,the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses(PRISMA)2020,and the Grading of Recommendations,Assessment,Development,and Evaluation(GRADE)criteria.The primary indicators were the total effective rate,fever subsidence time,and cough disappearance time.The secondary outcomes were pulmonary rale disappearance time,average hospitalization time,lung X-ray infiltrate disappearance time,immunological indices,and inflammatory cytokine levels.Results:Twelve relevant SRs were included;75%(9/12)were assessed as very low quality,and 25%(3/12)Were rated as low quality using the AMSTAR 2 criteria.According to the PRISMA 2020 checklist,the average SR score was 20.3 out of a 27 point maximum.In all SRs,CHM demonstrated improvement in symptoms and signs among children with MPP.The evidence quality using the GRADE criteria ranged from"very low"(>50%)to"moderate"(<5%).The most common downgrading factor was imprecision,followed by publication bias and inconsistency.Conclusion:This overview highlights the limited quality of the methodology and evidence of the included SRs.Although the included studies showed the beneficial effects of CHM on MPP in children,it was difficult to draw firm conclusions owing to methodological flaws.

Multifaceted role of microRNAs in gastric cancer stem cells: Mechanisms and potential biomarkers

MicroRNAs(miRNAs)have received much attention in the past decade as potential key epigenomic regulators of tumors and cancer stem cells(CSCs).The abnormal expression of miRNAs is responsible for different phenotypes of gastric cancer stem cells(GCSCs).Some specific miRNAs could be used as promising biomarkers and therapeutic targets for the identification of GCSCs.This review summarizes the coding process and biological functions of miRNAs and demon-strates their role and efficacy in gastric cancer(GC)metastasis,drug resistance,and apoptosis,especially in the regulatory mechanism of GCSCs.It shows that the overexpression of onco-miRNAs and silencing of tumor-suppressor miRNAs can play a role in promoting or inhibiting tumor metastasis,apart from the initial formation of GC.It also discusses the epigenetic regulation and potential clinical applications of miRNAs as well as the role of CSCs in the pathogenesis of GC.We believe that this review may help in designing novel therapeutic approaches for GC.

Effectiveness and safety of traditional Chinese medicine decoction for diabetic gastroparesis:A network meta-analysis

BACKGROUND Diabetic gastroparesis(DGP)is a prevalent complication of diabetes that impairs people's quality of life and places a significant financial burden on them.The gastrointestinal symptoms of DGP patients can be improved by several Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM)decoctions that have been shown to be effective in treating the disease.There are still many unanswered questions regarding the identification of appropriate therapeutic agents for the treatment of DGP in clinical practice.AIM To analyze the efficacy of several TCM decoctions in the treatment of DGP using Bayesian network meta-analysis for reference.METHODS PubMed,EMBASE,Cochrane Library,Web of Science,China National Knowledge Infrastructure,The China Biology Medicine DVD,Wanfang,and CQVIP were searched from inception to September 17,2022,to collect randomized controlled trials(RCTs)about TCM decoctions for DGP.Clinical effects and symptom scores were the primary outcomes.Additionally,we assessed motilin(MOT),somatostatin(SS),gastrin(GAS),gastric emptying rate,gastric emptying time,and adverse drug events as secondary outcomes.RESULTS A total of 67 eligible RCTs involving 4790 DGP patients and 7 TCM decoctions were included.The results of network meta-analysis(NMA)and surface under the cumulative ranking curve showed that with western medicine(WM)as a common control,the Banxia Xiexin Decoction(BXXD)+WM was most effective in clinical effects and enhancing early satiety scores;the Simo decoction(SMD)+WM was most effective in improving nausea and vomiting scores and anorexia scores,bloating scores;the Chaishao Liujunzi Decoction(CSLJD)was most effective in MOT,the Zhishi Xiaopi Decoction(ZSXPD)was most effective in SS and upgrading emptying rate;the Jianpi Xiaozhi Decoction was most effective in GAS;the CSLJD+WM was most effective in improving gastric emptying time.CONCLUSION These NMA results suggest that the BXXD+WM and SMD+WM may be one of the potential optimal treatments.Due to various limitations,further large-sample,double-blind,multi-center randomized RCTs are needed.

Clinical efficacy and safety of Guipi decoction combined with escitalopram oxalate tablets in patients with depression

BACKGROUND Depression is a widespread mental health condition that requires effective treatment.In the treatment of depression,traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)offers obvious advantages,fewer adverse reactions,and a lower recurrence rate.AIM To evaluate the clinical benefits of Guipi decoction combined with escitalopram oxalate tablets for individuals with depression.METHODS In total,80 patients diagnosed as having depression were enrolled in the study and divided into either an experimental group or a control group.All of the patients were orally administered escitalopram oxalate tablets.Additionally,the experimental group received Jiajian Guipi decoction and reduced Governor vessel fumigation over 4 wk.TCM syndrome scores,Hamilton depression rating scale(HAM-D)scores,self-rating depression scale(SDS)scores,and Pittsburgh sleep quality index scores were measured for the two groups and compared before and after the treatment.The two groups were monitored for any adverse reactions.RESULTS After 4 wk of treatment,both groups exhibited a significant reduction in TCM syndrome scores compared with their pre-treatment scores(P<0.05).However,the experimental group exhibited significantly lower TCM syndrome scores than the control group(P<0.05).Similarly,the post-treatment SDS and HAM-D-24 scores were significantly lower in both groups than the pre-treatment scores(P<0.05),with the experimental group exhibiting lower scores than the control group(P<0.05).The total treatment efficiency was significantly better in the experimental group(97.14%)than in the control group(77.78%)(P<0.05).Furthermore,after 4 wk of treatment,the Pittsburgh sleep quality index scores for both groups were significantly lower than those before the treatment(P<0.05),with the experimental group exhibiting lower scores than the control group(P<0.05).The incidence of adverse reactions was significantly lower in the experimental group than in the control group(P<0.05).CONCLUSION The combination of Guipi decoction and escitalopram oxalate tablets was found to be an effective and safe treatment for depression.This combination could reduce TCM syndrome scores,improve depressive symptoms,and enhance sleep quality.

Chinese Guideline on the Management of Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy (2022)

Background In China's Mainland,patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration(nAMD)have approximately an 40%prevalence of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy(PCV).This disease leads to recurrent retinal pigment epithelium detachment(PED),extensive subretinal or vitreous hemorrhages,and severe vision loss.China has introduced various treatment modalities in the past years and gained comprehensive experience in treating PCV.Methods A total of 14 retinal specialists nationwide with expertise in PCV were empaneled to prioritize six questions and address their corresponding outcomes,regarding opinions on inactive PCV,choices of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor(anti-VEGF)monotherapy,photodynamic therapy(PDT)monotherapy or combined therapy,patients with persistent subretinal fluid(SRF)or intraretinal fluid(IRF)after loading dose anti-VEGF,and patients with massive subretinal hemorrhage.An evidence synthesis team conducted systematic reviews,which informed the recommendations that address these questions.This guideline used the GRADE(Grading of Recommendations,Assessment,Development,and Evaluation)approach to assess the certainty of evidence and grade the strengths of recommendations.Results The panel proposed the following six conditional recommendations regarding treatment choices.(1)For patients with inactive PCV,we suggest observation over treatment.(2)For treatment-na?ve PCV patients,we suggest either anti-VEGF monotherapy or combined anti-VEGF and PDT rather than PDT monotherapy.(3)For patients with PCV who plan to initiate combined anti-VEGF and PDT treatment,we suggest later/rescue PDT over initiate PDT.(4)For PCV patients who plan to initiate anti-VEGF monotherapy,we suggest the treat and extend(TE)regimen rather than the pro re nata(PRN)regimen following three monthly loading doses.(5)For patients with persistent SRF or IRF on optical coherence tomography(OCT)after three monthly anti-VEGF treatments,we suggest proceeding with anti-VEGF treatment rather than observation.(6)For PCV patients with massive subretinal hemorrhage(equal to or more than four optic disc areas)involving the central macula,we suggest surgery(vitrectomy in combination with tissue-plasminogen activator(tPA)intraocular injection and gas tamponade)rather than anti-VEGF monotherapy.Conclusions Six evidence-based recommendations support optimal care for PCV patients'management.

Efficacy and safety of oral Chinese patent medicine combined with sacubitril/valsartan in the treatment of chronic heart failure:A Metaanalysis

Objective:To systematically evaluate the clinical efficacy of oral Chinese patent medicine combined with sacubitril/valsartan in treating chronic heart failure(CHF).Methods:CNKI,CSPD,CCD,CBM,PubMed,Web of Science,Cochrane Library and EMbase were retrieved to screen out randomized controlled trials Chinese patent medicine and Western medicine in treating CHF.Manual retrieval was also applied as a supplement.The Cochrane Reviewers Handbook 5.1.0 was used to evaluate the bias risk of the included studies and RevMan 5.4 software was used for Meta-analysis.Results:A total of 1301 patients enrolled in the 13 RCTs were included.According to the results of Meta-analysis,a combination of oral Chinese patent medicine and sacubitril/valsartan could further improve total effectiveness rate(RR=1.23,95%CI[1.16,1.30],P<0.001),increase 6 minutes’walk distance(MD=53.04,95%CI[33.43,72.64],P<0.001),improve left ventricular ejection fraction(MD=6.67,95%CI[5.15,8.19],P<0.001)and stroke volume(MD=7.56,95%CI[3.94,11.18],P<0.001),reduce left ventricular end-diastolic dimension(MD=-3.68,95%CI[-4.57,-2.78],P<0.001)and N terminal pro B type natriuretic peptide(MD=-434.08,95%CI[-518.95,-349.22],P<0.001)and no statistically significant difference in drug safety was found between the sacubitril/valsartan-only group and the combined treatment group(RR=0.73,95%CI[0.32,1.65],P=0.45).Conclusion:It’s indicated that a combination of traditional Chinese patent medicine and sacubitril/valsartan had a good clinical efficacy in the treatment of CHF,which had certain guiding significance for clinical practice.

Discussion on reprogramming of tumor energy metabolism and intervention of traditional Chinese medicine based on the theory of“collateral Q i stagnation”

The theory of stagnation of collateral Qi(Chinese medicine refers to the most fundamental and subtle substances thatconstitute the human body and maintain life activities,and also has the meaning of physiological functions)originates from the theory of collateral disease,which refers to the deficiency of Qi in the body’s collaterals,the loss of Qi and blood,and the failure of stagnation of collateral Qi,which leads to the loss of Qi,blood and body fluid,and the formation of pathological products such as deficiency,depression,phlegm,blood stasis in the local area,and ultimately damage the pathological process of collaterals.Based on the in-depth study of the pathogenesis of collateral Qi stagnation and the previous study of meridian channels,we believe that the key pathogenesis of the formation,evolution and spread of malignant tumors is“collateral Qi deficiency stagnation,collateral Qi stagnation and collateral Qi decay”.As an important energy resonance channel of the body,meridians play a key role in the process of material transformation and energy metabolism.It is believed that the small focus caused by the pathogenesis of stagnation is the cause of malignant transformation of tumor,the reprogramming of energy metabolism induced by the lesion of collateral Qi is the basis of the progress of tumor pathogenesis,and the formation of tumor microenvironment regulated by the tumor toxin vena is the root of alienation of tumor development.Guided by this theory,focusing on the correlation between collateral Qi and tumor energy metabolism,using Professor Hua Baojin's treatment method of“Regulating Qi and detoxifying”to prescribe drugs can adjust collateral Qi function,achieve the relative balance of internal environment,and then inhibit the progress of tumor.Based on the above understanding,this study tries to enlighten new diagnosis and treatment ideas under the guidance of“stagnation of collateral Qi”in traditional Chinese medicine,in order to provide some theoretical support for the intervention of traditional Chinese medicine in the process of tumor development.

Exploring the mechanisms of lipid regulation in metabolic syndrome: Recent developments

Metabolic syndrome(MetS)is an individual accumulation of multiple abnormal metabolic indicators,with insulin resistance and central obesity at its core.Adipose tissue is the core component of MetS,and adipokines secreted by various adipocytes play a crucial role in its regulatory mechanism.In this paper,we searched the literature from 2020 to 2022 on Pubmed and Knowledgeweb using the keywords of“metabolic syndrome,”“adipose tissue”and“adipokines”.We mainly explored the mechanisms of leptin,lipocalin,resistin,brown adipose tissue and beige adipose tissue secreted by white adipose tissue in regulating insulin resistance,inhibiting inflammatory response and neurohormonal regulation of lipid and glucose metabolism.In this paper,under various studies on lipids for MetS,the metabolic mechanisms of various adipose tissues,adipocytes,and adipokines were investigated systematically and retrospectively.It was found that the regulation of adipokines and,thus,treatment of MetS by drugs is less and needs further exploration.

A multi-modal clustering method for traditonal Chinese medicine clinical data via media convergence

Media convergence is a media change led by technological innovation.Applying media convergence technology to the study of clustering in Chinese medicine can significantly exploit the advantages of media fusion.Obtaining consistent and complementary information among multiple modalities through media convergence can provide technical support for clustering.This article presents an approach based on Media Convergence and Graph convolution Encoder Clustering(MCGEC)for traditonal Chinese medicine(TCM)clinical data.It feeds modal information and graph structure from media information into a multi-modal graph convolution encoder to obtain the media feature representation learnt from multiple modalities.MCGEC captures latent information from various modalities by fusion and optimises the feature representations and network architecture with learnt clustering labels.The experiment is conducted on real-world multimodal TCM clinical data,including information like images and text.MCGEC has improved clustering results compared to the generic single-modal clustering methods and the current more advanced multi-modal clustering methods.MCGEC applied to TCM clinical datasets can achieve better results.Integrating multimedia features into clustering algorithms offers significant benefits compared to single-modal clustering approaches that simply concatenate features from different modalities.It provides practical technical support for multi-modal clustering in the TCM field incorporating multimedia features.

Xiangshaliujunzi Decoction for the treatment of diabetic gastroparesis: A systematic review

AIM: To assess the current clinical evidence of the effectiveness of Xiangshaliujunzi Decoction (XSLJZD) for the treatment of diabetic gastroparesis (DGP).

Huangqi Guizhi Wuwu Decoction for treating diabetic peripheral neuropathy：a meta-analysis of 16 randomized controlled trials

OBJECTIVE：This meta-analysis was performed to systematically assess the efficacy and safety of the Chinese herbal medicine Huangqi Guizhi Wuwu Decoction（HGWWD） for treating diabetic peripheral neuropathy.DATA SOURCES：Six electronic databases,including the Cochrane Library,MEDLINE database,Chinese Biomedical Database,Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure Database,Chinese Science and Technique Journals Database,and the Wanfang Database,were search ed on the internet for randomized controlled trials published up until 1 December 2015.The search terms included ＂Chinese herbal medicine＂,＂diabetic peripheral neuropathy＂ and ＂randomized controlled trials＂ in Chinese and in English.DATA SELECTION：We included randomized controlled trials using HGWWD/modified HGWWD for the treatment group,without restriction for the control group.We assessed literature quality in accordance with the Cochrane Review Handbook.A random or a fixed effects model was used to analyze outcomes using Rev Man 5.2 software.OUTCOME MEASURES：The primary outcomes were changes in symptoms and nerve conduction velocities.The secondary outcomeswere fasting blood glucose and hemorheological indexes.RESULTS：Sixteen randomized controlled trials,with a total of 1,173 patients,were included.Meta-analysis revealed that the efficacy of HGWWD for diabetic peripheral neuropathy was significantly superior compared with the control treatment（i.e.,control group）（risk ratio = 0.36,95% confidence interval（CI）：0.29–0.46,Z =8.33,P 〈 0.00001） Compared with the control group,there was an increase in median motor nerve conduction velocity（mean difference（MD） = 3.46,95%CI：1.88–5.04,Z = 4.30,P 〈 0.01） and median sensory nerve conduction velocity（MD = 3.30,95%CI：2.04–4.56,Z = 5.14,P 〈 0.01）.There was also an increase in peroneal motor nerve conduction velocity（MD = 3.22,95%CI：2.45–3.98,Z = 8.21,P 〈 0.01） and peroneal sensory nerve conduction velocity（MD = 3.05,95%CI：2.01–4.09,Z = 5.75,P 〈 0.01） in the treatment groups.No significant difference in fasting blood glucose was found between the treatment groups and the control groups（MD =-0.12,95%CI：-0.42–0.19,Z = 0.76,P = 0.45）.Plasma viscosity was significantly decreased after treatment（MD =-0.11,95%CI：-0.21 to-0.02,Z = 2.30,P = 0.02）.No significant difference in fibrinogen was detectable（MD =-0.53,95%CI：-1.28–0.22,Z = 1.38,P = 0.17）.Four trials reported that treatment groups experienced no adverse reactions.Adverse events were not mentioned in the other 12 trials.No trial reported the incidence of complications,quality of life outcomes,or health economics.CONCLUSION：HGWWD treatment improves diabetic neurologic symptoms and ameliorates nerve conduction velocities.Our study suggests that HGWWD may have significant therapeutic efficacy for the treatment of diabetic peripheral neuropathy.However,the methodological quality of the randomized controlled trials was generally low.Larger and better-designed randomized controlled trials are required to more reliably assess the clinical effectiveness of HGWWD.

Effect of Tangweian Jianji on upper gastrointestinal remodeling in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

AIM： To investigate the effect of Tangweian Jianji （TWAJJ） on the biomechanical and morphometrical remodeling of the upper gastrointestinal tract in diabetic rats. METHODS： Diabetes was induced in 27 rats by in- jecting streptozotocin （40 mg/kg body weight）, the animals were then divided into three groups （n = 9 in each group）, i.e., diabetic control （DM）; high dose （10 g/kg, T1） and low dose （5 g/kg, T2）. Another 10 rats acted as normal controls （Control）. TWAJJ was admin- istered by gavage once daily. Blood glucose and serum insulin levels were measured. Circumferential length, wall thickness and opening angle were measured from esophageal, duodenal, jejunal and ileal ring segments. The residual strain was calculated from the morpho- metric data. Step-wise distension was carried out on esophageal and jejunal segments. The obtained data on the length, diameter and pressure changes were then used to calculate the circumferential and longitu- dinal stresses and strains. Real-time reverse transcrip- tion polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the receptor of advanced glycation end-products （RAGE） mRNA level in jejunal tissues. RESULTS： At the end of the experiment, the blood glucose level was significantly higher and the serum insulin level was significantly lower in DM, T1 and T2 groups than in the control group （Glucose： 30.23 ± 0.41 mmol/L, 27.48 ± 0.27 mmol/L and 27.84 ± 0.29 mmol/ L vs 5.05 ± 0.04 mmol/L, P = 1.65 x 10-16, P = 5.89 x 1019 and P = 1.63 x 10-Is, respectively; Insulin： 1.47 ± 0.32 °tg/L, 2.66 ± 0.44 pg/L, 2.03 ± 0.29 pg/L and 4.17 ± 0.54 pg/L, P = 0.0001, P = 0.029 and P = 0.025, re- spectively）. However, these levels did not differ among the DM, T1 and T2 groups. The wet weight per unit length, wall thickness and opening angle of esophageal and intestinal segments in the DM group were signifi- cantly higher than those in the control group （from P = 0.009 to P = 0.004）. These parameters in the T1 group were significantly lower than those in the DM group （wet weight, duodenum： 0.147 ± 0.003 g/cm vs 0.158 ± 0.001 g/cm, P = 0.047; jejunum, 0.127 ± 0.003 g/cm vs 0.151：1：0.002 g/cm, P = 0.017; ileum, 0.127 ± 0.004 g/cm vs 0.139 ± 0.003 g/cm, P = 0.046; wall thickness, esophagus： 0.84±0.03 mm vs 0.94 ± 0.02 ram, P = 0.014; duodenum： 1.27 ± 0.06 mm vs 1.39 ± 0.05 ram, P = 0.031; jejunum： 1.19 ± 0.07 mm vs 1.34 ± 0.04 mm, P = 0.047; ileum： 1.09 ± 0.04 mm vs 1.15 ± 0.03 mm, P = 0.049; opening angle, esophagus： 112.2 ± 13.2° vs 134.7 ± 14.7°, P = 0.027; duodenum： 105.9 ± 12.3° vs 123.1 ± 13.1°, P = 0.046; jejunum： 90.1 ± 15.4° vs 115.5 ± 13.3°, P = 0.044; ileum： 112.9 ± 13.4° vs 136.1 ± 17.1°, P = 0.035）. In the esophageal and jejunal segments, the inner residual stain was significantly smaller and the outer residual strain was larger in the DN group than in the control group （P = 0.022 and P = 0.035）. T1 treatment significantly restored this biomechanical alteration （P = 0.011 and P = 0.019）, but T2 treatment did not. Fur- thermore, the circumferential and longitudinal stiffness of the esophageal and jejunal wall increased in the DM group compared with those in the control group. T1, but not T2 treatment, significantly decreased the cir- cumferential wall stiffness in the jejunal segment （P = 0.012） and longitudinal wall stiffness in the esophageal segment （P = 0.023）. The mRNA level of RAGE was significantly decreased in the T1 group compared to that in the DN group （P = 0.0069）. CONCLUSION： TWAJJ （high dose） treatment partly restored the morphometric and biomechanical remodel- ing of the upper gastrointestinal tract in diabetic rats.

Progress in Using Combination of Chinese Drug with Chemotherapy to Treat Cancer

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been used to treat diseases including cancer in China for several thousand years. TCM holds that the pathogenesis of cancer lies mainly in deficiency of vital qi, accumulation of cold, stagnation of qi, obstruction of phlegm, blood stasis, retention of toxic heat, and that the therapeutic principles for cancer should be mainly to strengthen body resistance and restore normal function (mainly by strengthening the spleen and nourishing the kidney), to warm yang and disperse cold, to soothe the liver and regulate qi circulation, to resolve phlegm and dispel retained water, to promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis, to clear away heat and remove toxicity, to resolve hard mass and to treat malignant or poisoning diseases with poisonous drugs.

Dr.Zhang's Experience in Massotherapy for Treatment of Vertebral-Artery-Type Cervical Spondylopathy

Thirty cases of vertebral-artery-type cervical spondylopathy were treated by Dr. Zhang Tao's technique. The cure rate was 50%, and the total effective rate was 100%.

Extending the CONSORT Statement to moxibustion

The STandards for Reporting Interventions in Clinical Trials Of Moxibustion （STRICTOM）, in the form of a checklist and descriptions of checklist items, were designed to improve reporting of moxibustion trials, and thereby facilitating their interpretation and replication. The STRICTOM checklist included 7 items and 16 sub-items. These set out reporting guidelines for the moxibustion rationale, details of moxibustion, treatment regimen, other components of treatment, treatment provider background, control and comparator interventions, and precaution measures. In addition, there were descriptions of each item and examples of good reporting. It is intended that the STRICTOM can be used in conjunction with the main CONSORT Statement, extensions for nonpharmacologic treatment and pragmatic trials, and thereby raise the quality of reporting of clinical trials of moxibustion. Further comments will be solicited from the experts of the CONSORT Group, the STRICTA Group, acupuncture and moxibustion societies, and clinical trial authors for optimizing the STRICTOM.

Clinical Observation on Therapeutic Effect of Ji De Sheng She Yao Tablet on 16 Cases with AIDS Complicated by Herpes Zoster

The Ji De Sheng She Yao tablet (季德胜蛇药片）is a drug for snake-bites and insect bites. According to recent reports, this drug has been used to treat herpes zoster, hepatitis B, parotitis, nephrotic syndrome, acute conjunctivitis, recurrent aphtha, urticaria, etc.1 with good therapeutic effects. More than half of the AIDS patients suffered from herpes zoster. The area of skin lesion in AIDS patients is larger than that of the patients without AIDS and the pain lasts longer. Many cases have keloids and depigmentation for months, even severe pain till their death. Routine therapeutic methods are not satisfactory in therapeutic effects. The expert group of traditional Chinese medicine for cooperative research on AIDS used Ji De Sheng She Yao tablets (季德胜蛇药片) to treat AIDS complicated by herpes zoster for the first time and the results are reported as follows.

A CLINICAL STUDY ON TREATMENT OF VASCULAR COMPLICATIONS OF DIABETES WITH THE SUGAR-REDUCING AND PULSE-INVIGORATING CAPSULE

The capsule is effective in replenishing qi, nourishing yin, activating blood, and resolving stasis. It can correct abnormalities in blood rheology, improve fat metabolism, enhance func-tioning of the islets of Langerhans, lower blood sugar, and alleviate clinical symptoms. Effi-cacious also against the chief vascular complications of diabetes, it helps in abating myocardial anoxia, improving left heart function, stimulating blood circulation to the brain, resisting coagulation and resolving thrombosis, also dilating the arteries of the legs. It is of some benefit in early diabetic retinopathy and renal diseases.

Clinical Observation on the Therapeutic Effects of Zhongyan-2 Recipe in Treating 29 HIV-Infected and AIDS Patients

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of Zhongyan-2 Recipe (ZY-2), a recipe consisting of Chinese herbal medicine. Methods: Twenty-nine HIV-infected patients were treated with ZY-2 for 3 months as one treatment course; and viral load, immune function and symptoms-signs were determined before and after treatment. Results: After treatment, the absolute values of CD4 were elevated in 8 cases, and lowered in 14 cases, 7 cases were not changed; the ratio of CD4/CD8 were elevated in 2 cases, lowered in 1 case, 16 of them were not changed obviously. The CD4 and CD4/CD8 ratio were elevated simultaneously in 2 cases. Neopterin lowered in 4 cases, elevated in 11 cases, and not changed in 1 case. Viral load (VL) was lowered in 6 cases, elevated in 8 cases and not changed in 2 cases. The total effective rate was 42.28% on the basis of comprehensive assessment of VL, immune function, body weight and symptoms-signs. Conclusion: ZY-2 is an effective Chinese recipe in treating HIV-infected patients.

Effects of Dahuang( Rhubarb) Retention Enema on Leukocyte Interleukin-6,High Sentive C Reactive Protein and Endotoxin in Patients with Acute Pancreatitis

[Objectives] To observe the clinical effect of Dahuang( Rhubarb) retention enema on patients with severe acute pancreatitis and its influences on leukocyte interleukin 6( IL-6),high sentive C reactive protein( hs-CRP) and endotoxin. [Methods]86 cases of acute pancreatitis were randomly divided into the control group( 43 cases) and the treatment group( 43 cases). The control group was given saline enema and routine treatment of western medicine,while the treatment group was treated with Dahuang( Rhubarb) decoction retention enema and routine treatment,2 times/d. After 7 days of treatment,two groups of clinical curative effects were compared. And changes of IL-6,hs-CRP,endotoxin and amylase levels before and after treatment in two groups were compared. [Results] Abdominal pain,abdominal distension,exhaust defecation,bowel sounds in treatment group patients were obviously improved. After treatment,the decline levels of serum IL-6,hsCRP,endotoxin and amylase in the treatment group were significantly better than those in the control group. [Conclusions] Dahuang( Rhubarb) retention enema can significantly improve the clinical curative effect of severe acute pancreatitis,and its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of inflammatory reaction.