Clinical effect of acupuncture at ghost points combined with fluoxetine hydrochloride on mild-to-moderate depression

BACKGROUND Depression is a common,chronic,and recurrent mood disorder that has become a worldwide health hazard.Fluoxetine hydrochloride,a common treatment method,can inhibit 5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT)recycling in the presynaptic membrane;however,the efficacy of a single drug is inadequate.At present,mildto-moderate depression can be treated with acupuncture of ghost caves,but the clinical curative effect of combined therapy with fluoxetine hydrochloride has not been sufficiently reported.AIM To evaluate the clinical effect of acupuncture at ghost points combined with fluoxetine hydrochloride in the treatment of mild-to-moderate depression.METHODS This retrospective study included 160 patients with mild-to-moderate depression who were admitted to Shanghai Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine,Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine,between January 2022 and June 2023.Patients were separated into a single-agent group(fluoxetine hydrochloride treatment,n=80)and a coalition group(fluoxetine hydrochloride treatment combined with acupuncture at ghost points,n=80).Pre-treatment symptoms were recorded,and the clinical curative effect and adverse reactions[Asberg Antidepressant Side Effects Scale(SERS)]were assessed.Depression before and after treatment[Hamilton Depression Scale(HAMD)-24],neurotransmitter levels[5-HT,norepinephrine(NE),dopamine(DA)],oxidative stress indicators[superoxide dismutase(SOD),malondialdehyde(MDA)],and sleep quality[Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index(PSQI)]were compared.RESULTS The total efficacy rate was 97.50%in the coalition group and 86.25%in the single-agent group(P<0.05).After 2,4,6,and 8 wk of treatment,the HAMD,self-rating depression scale,and SERS scores of the coalition and single-agent groups decreased compared with pre-treatment,and the decrease was more significant in the coalition group(P<0.05).After 8 wk of treatment,the levels of NE,DA,5-HT,and SOD in the coalition and single-agent groups increased,while the levels of MDA decreased;the increases and decrease in the coalition group were more significant(P<0.05).The PSQI scores of the coalition and single-agent groups decreased,and the decrease was more significant in the coalition group(P<0.05).CONCLUSION Acupuncture at ghost points combined with paroxetine tablets can safely improve depressive symptoms and sleep disorders,regulate neurotransmitter levels,and reduce stress responses in patients with mild-to-moderate depression.

Perceptual learning for treating amblyopia in children based on activation of visual signal pathway Relationship of curative effects and time

BACKGROUND： Conventional methods （such as occlusion therapy, fine manipulation, complementary, and alternative medicine） take effects slowly, are time and labor consuming, and have uncertain curative effects in the treatment of amblyopia. Perceptual learning, a new method for treating amblyopia, improves the ability to process signals from the cerebral optic nerve system by specific visual stimulation and visual learning, as well as activation of the visual signal pathway utilizing brain nervous system plasticity. OBJECTIVE： This study investigated and evaluated the curative effects of perceptual learning, which can directionally increase brain plasticity, on the treatment of amblyopia in children. The relationship between curative effect and time was also analyzed. DESIGN： A self-control experiment. SETTING： Visual Science and Optometry Center, People＇s Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. PARTICIPANTS： A total of 125 amblyopic children （250 amblyopic eyes）, 73 males, 52 females, averaging （6±2） years of age, received treatment at the Visual Science and Optometry Center, People＇s Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region between September 2006 and February 2007 and were recruited for this study. All children presented with no structural disease of the eyeballs. Written informed consent for therapeutic regiments was obtained from each child＇s parent. The protocol received approval from the Hospital＇s Ethics Committee. METHODS： Visual function was tested with a perceptual learning system （Research Center for Human Health and Development of Sun Yat-sen University, National Engineering Technique Research Center for Medical Care Implement） for visual noise, position noise, contour discrimination, contrast sensitivity, grating stereogram, and random-dot fusion. These tests helped to evaluate the efficiency of visual information processing of these children, and to determine the degree of defects of the optic nerve cells and the connections of visual cortical neurons. According to results of visual function tests, individualized treatment was adopted for each amblyopia patient using perceptual learning system. One course of treatment lasted one month, and treatment was performed twice every day with two training procedures （each training procedure lasted for ten minutes）. There was a ten-minute time interval between the two training procedures. The training treatment was performed in a quiet and dark environment. Visual acuity and recovery of visual function were tested every month. Original training procedure was continued or adjusted according to the results of visual function. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： Visual function change; relationship of curative effects and curative time. RESULTS： A total of 125 amblyopia children were included in the final analysis. The total efficiency of perceptual learning for treating amblyopia in children was 75.2%. Visual acuity began to greatly increase 3 months after treatment （P 〈 0.05）. Visual acuity was best corrected from 0.60 ± 0.23 before treatment to 0.86 ± 0.26 after treatment （P 〈 0.05）. The mean time to reach improved levels with curative effects was （2.82 ± 1.30） months, and to reach a basically cured level was （2.87 ±1.40） months. Percentage of improved visual acuity was the highest [98% （39/40）] in children that received 3 months of treatment and the lowest [55% （31/56）] in children that received 1 month of treatment （P 〈 0.05）. The percentage of basically cured levels with curative effects increased with length of learning time and was the greatest in children that received 4 months of treatment [67% （31/46）, P 〈 0.05]. CONCLUSION： Perceptual learning rapidly and remarkably improves visual function of amblyopia children; however, the curative effects are first apparent two and three months after intervention.

Clinical efficacy and mechanism study of mid-frequency anti-snoring device in treating moderate obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome

BACKGROUND Obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome(OSAHS)is primarily caused by airway obstruction due to narrowing and blockage in the nasal and nasopha-ryngeal,oropharyngeal,soft palate,and tongue base areas.The mid-frequency anti-snoring device is a new technology based on sublingual nerve stimulation.Its principle is to improve the degree of oropharyngeal airway stenosis in OSAHS patients under mid-frequency wave stimulation.Nevertheless,there is a lack of clinical application and imaging evidence.METHODS We selected 50 patients diagnosed with moderate OSAHS in our hospital between July 2022 and August 2023.They underwent a 4-wk treatment regimen involving the mid-frequency anti-snoring device during nighttime sleep.Following the treatment,we monitored and assessed the sleep apnea quality of life index and Epworth Sleepiness Scale scores.Additionally,we performed computed tomo-graphy scans of the oropharynx in the awake state,during snoring,and while using the mid-frequency anti-snoring device.Cross-sectional area measurements in different states were taken at the narrowest airway point in the soft palate posterior and retrolingual areas.RESULTS Compared to pretreatment measurements,patients exhibited a significant reduction in the apnea-hypopnea index,the percentage of time with oxygen saturation below 90%,snoring frequency,and the duration of the most prolonged apnea event.The lowest oxygen saturation showed a notable increase,and both sleep apnea quality of life index and Epworth Sleepiness Scale scores improved.Oropharyngeal computed tomography scans revealed that in OSAHS patients cross-sectional areas of the oropharyngeal airway in the soft palate posterior area and retrolingual area decreased during snoring compared to the awake state.Conversely,during mid-frequency anti-snoring device treatment,these areas increased compared to snoring.CONCLUSION The mid-frequency anti-snoring device demonstrates the potential to enhance various sleep parameters in patients with moderate OSAHS,thereby improving their quality of life and reducing daytime sleepiness.These therapeutic effects are attributed to the device’s ability to ameliorate the narrowing of the oropharynx in OSAHS patients.

Clinical Effect of Omeprazole Combined with Amoxicillin in the Treatment of Gastric Ulcer

Objective:To investigate the therapeutic effect of omeprazole+amoxicillin in patients with gastric ulcers.Methods:62 cases of patients with gastric ulcers who were treated from January 2022 to December 2022 were recruited and randomly divided into groups.Omeprazole+amoxicillin treatment was included in the study group,and amoxicillin treatment was included in the control group.The score of gastric ulcer symptoms,time of symptom resolution,gastrointestinal hormone index,and adverse reactions were compared.Results:The gastric ulcer symptom scores in the study group were lower than those in the control group(P<0.05);the gastric ulcer symptoms and Helicobacter pylori-negative time in the study group were shorter than those in the control group(P<0.05);the gastrointestinal hormone indexes in the study group were better than those in the control group(P<0.05);the adverse reaction rate of gastric ulcer in the study group was lower than that in the control group(P<0.05).Conclusion:Omeprazole+amoxicillin in the treatment of gastric ulcers can regulate gastrointestinal hormones,relieve gastric ulcer symptoms,and shorten the duration of ulcers,which is highly effective and feasible.

Effect of a systemic intervention combined with a psychological intervention in stroke patients with oropharyngeal dysfunction

BACKGROUND Stroke frequently results in oropharyngeal dysfunction(OD),leading to difficulties in swallowing and eating,as well as triggering negative emotions,malnutrition,and aspiration pneumonia,which can be detrimental to patients.However,routine nursing interventions often fail to address these issues adequately.Systemic and psychological interventions can improve dysphagia symptoms,relieve negative emotions,and improve quality of life.However,there are few clinical reports of systemic interventions combined with psychological interventions for stroke patients with OD.AIM To explore the effects of combining systemic and psychological interventions in stroke patients with OD.METHODS This retrospective study included 90 stroke patients with OD,admitted to the Second Affiliated Hospital of Qiqihar Medical College(January 2022–December 2023),who were divided into two groups:regular and coalition.Swallowing function grading(using a water swallow test),swallowing function[using the standardized swallowing assessment(SSA)],negative emotions[using the selfrating anxiety scale(SAS)and self-rating depression scale(SDS)],and quality of life(SWAL-QOL)were compared between groups before and after the intervention;aspiration pneumonia incidence was recorded.RESULTS Post-intervention,the coalition group had a greater number of patients with grade 1 swallowing function compared to the regular group,while the number of patients with grade 5 swallowing function was lower than that in the regular group(P<0.05).Post-intervention,the SSA,SAS,and SDS scores of both groups decreased,with a more significant decrease observed in the coalition group(P<0.05).Additionally,the total SWAL-QOL score in both groups increased,with a more significant increase observed in the coalition group(P<0.05).During the intervention period,the total incidence of aspiration and aspiration pneumonia in the coalition group was lower than that in the control group(4.44%vs 20.00%;P<0.05).CONCLUSION Systemic intervention combined with psychological intervention can improve dysphagia symptoms,alleviate negative emotions,enhance quality of life,and reduce the incidence of aspiration pneumonia in patients with OD.

Clinical study of different interventional treatments for primary hepatocellular carcinoma based on propensity-score matching

BACKGROUND Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization(TACE)is the main treatment for patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma(PHC)who miss the opportunity to undergo surgery.Conventional TACE(c-TACE)uses iodized oil as an embolic agent,which is easily washed by blood and affects its efficacy.Drug-eluting bead TACE(DEB-TACE)can sustainably release chemotherapeutic drugs and has a long embolization time.However,the clinical characteristics of patients before the two types of interventional therapies may differ,possibly affecting the conclusion.Only a few studies have compared these two interventions using propensity-score matching(PSM).AIM To analyze the clinical effects of DEB-TACE and c-TACE on patients with PHC based on PSM.METHODS Patients with PHC admitted to Dangyang People’s Hospital(March 2020 to March 2024)were retrospectively enrolled and categorized into groups A(DEB-TACE,n=125)and B(c-TACE,n=106).Sex,age,Child-Pugh grade,tumor-node-meta-stasis stage,and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group score were selected for 1:1 PSM.Eighty-six patients each were included post-matching.Clinical efficacy,liver function indices(aspartate aminotransferase,alanine aminotransferase,total bilirubin,and albumin),tumor serum markers,and adverse reactions were compared between the groups.RESULTS The objective response and disease control rates were significantly higher in group A(80.23%and 97.67%,respectively)than in group B(60.47%and 87.21%,respectively)(P<0.05).Post-treatment levels of aspartate aminotransferase,alanine aminotransferase,and total bilirubin were lower in group A than in group B(P<0.05),whereas post-treatment levels of albumin in group A were comparable to those in group B(P>0.05).Post-treatment levels of tumor serum markers were significantly lower in group A than in group B(P<0.05).Patients in groups A and B had mild-to-moderate fever and vomiting symptoms,which improved with conservative treatment.The total incidence of adverse reactions was significantly higher in group B(22.09%)than in group A(6.97%)(P<0.05).CONCLUSION DEB-TACE has obvious therapeutic effects on patients with PHC.It can improve liver function indices and tumor markers of patients without increasing the rate of liver toxicity or adverse reactions.

Clinical efficacy,bone density,and follow-up in implant and orthodontic treatment for inclined adjacent teeth

BACKGROUND Tooth defects can cause elongation of occlusal teeth,leading to insufficient repair space.The combination of dental implant restoration and orthodontic treatment of oblique adjacent teeth has a significant therapeutic effect.AIM To explore clinical efficacy,bone density,and follow-up of implant and orthodontic treatment for patients with inclined adjacent teeth.METHODS In total,98 patients with oblique adjacent teeth were randomly assigned to implant restoration combined with orthodontic treatment(group A,n=49)or to receive implant restoration alone(group B,n=49).Changes in alveolar ridge bone density and apical bone density were observed before and after treatment in the two groups.Changes in chewing function and language function were compared between the two groups of patients.Follow-up lasted for 12 mo after repair to observe any adverse reactions in the oral cavity.RESULTS The clinical effective rates of group A and group B were 97.96%and 85.71%,respectively,with group A having a higher clinical effective rate than group B.After treatment,the bone density of the alveolar ridge and apical bone in both groups decreased compared to before treatment,while the chewing and language functions improved.The changes in various indicators in group A were more significant.After treatment,the satisfaction rate of group A(97.96%)was higher than that of group B(79.59%).The incidence of adverse reactions in group A(2.04%)was lower than that in group B(24.49%).CONCLUSION The amalgamation of implant restoration and orthodontic treatment for adjacent tilted teeth demonstrates notable clinical efficacy,diminishes alveolar bone resorption,and fosters patient functional rehabilitation while exhibiting negligible adverse reactions.

OBSERVATION ON CURATIVE EFFECTS OF BEATING-ACUPUNCTURE ON 100 CASES OF CERVICAL SPONDYLOPATHY

Beating-acupuncture therapy is developed by Li Xutang, Director of the Section of TCM in the Jingdezhen Municipal First Hospital. Amng the 100 cases in the beating-acupuncture group, 85 cases were cured and 11 cases improved, the cure rate was 85 %; Of the 50 cases in the filiform needle acupuncture group, 25 cases were cured and 23 improved, the cure rate was 50 %. There was a statis-tically significant difference(P<0.01 ) between the two grdrips. It is indicated that the curative effect of beating-acupuncture on cervical spondylopathy is obviously superior to that of fili form-needle acupuncture, which provides a new therapy without traumatic pain for clinical treatment of cervical spondylopathy,

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CONCENTRATION OF METHIMAZOLE IN PLASMA AND INTRATHYROID AND ITS CURATIVE EFFECT

In order to investigate the relationship between concentration of methimazole(MMTand clinical curative efficacy,the concentration of MMI in Plasma and thyroid tissue was measuredin 26 patients with Graves' disease by HPLC,meanwhile their T-lymphocyte subsets,thyroid autoimmune antibodies and serum immunoglobulin were also measured.The results showed: ① The plasmaand intrathyroid concentrations of MMI of recovery group were much higher than those of unrecovery group(P<0.001).② The hardness of thyroid had a significant effect on the concentration ofMMI in thyroid.③Plasma concentration of MMI in the patients with no or 1￣2-degree enlargement of thyroid was much higher than that in the patients with 3-degree enlargement of thyroid(P<0.001). In addition, the plasma concentration of MMI in the subjects with soft thyroid was mudhigher than that in those with hard thyroid(P<0.001).Our study demonstrated that MMI playeda role in the immune supression of thyroid autoimmune antibodies and the immune regulation of Tand B-lymphocytes.Effective MMI concentration in the plasma and intrathyroid is the key of thesuccessful clinical treatment and correlates with the size and hardness of thyroid.

Observation of Curative Effect of Massage and Acupoint Block on 250 Patients with Scapulohumeral periarthritis

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100 Cases of Obstinate Insominia of Curative Effect by Acupuncture Da Ling Point

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Analysis of the Curative Effect of Cold-Dampness Epidemic Prescription(寒湿疫方)on the Main Symptoms of Quarantined People in Community

Objective:To evaluate the curative effect of"Cold-Dampness Epidemic Prescription(寒湿疫方)"on the main symptoms of quarantined people in community based on real-world research data,and to provide scientific basis for Chinese medicine to fight Coronavirus disease 2019 under the"Wuchang Model".Methods:From February 4,2020 to March 5,2020,the data of community quarantined people who only took"Cold-Dampness Epidemic Prescription(寒湿疫方)"under the management of"Wuchang Model"were collected,and the demographic characteristics,basic diseases,distribution of sick people,treatment process,disappearance time of eight clinical symptoms,adverse reactions and clinical outcomes of patients were statistically analyzed.Results:A total of 951 quarantined people in COVID-19 community were included,including 440 males(46.27%)and 511 females(53.73%),the oldest was 89 years old,the youngest was 2 years old,and the average age was 43.34 years old;Among the quarantined population in the community,there were 141 cases diagnosed by CDC(14.83%),CDC excluded 810 cases(85.17%);106 cases of CDC were diagnosed as COVID-19,accounting for 47.96%of the self-reported cases,and 311 cases(32.70%)had previous medical history;696(73.19%)had no obvious symptoms,and 255(26.81%)developed fever,fatigue,cough,sputum,shortness of breath,loss of appetite,diarrhea and mood,of which 187(19.66%)had cough symptoms,followed by sputum coughing(14.30%)and fever(13.56%).Conclusion:"Cold-Dampness Epidemic Prescription(寒湿疫方)"is effective in treating the clinical symptoms of COVID-19 without obvious adverse reactions.

Study on inflammatory factors and curative effect of Rhizoma Imperata on community acquired pneumonia based on TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway

Objective:To investigate the curative effect of Rhizoma Imperata in the treatment of patients with community-acquired pneumonia and its influence on inflammatory factors related to TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway,so as to seek new drugs for the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia.Methods:120 patients with community-acquired pneumonia who were treated in Department of respiratory medicine,the First Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical College from November 2019 to September 2020 were collected and randomly divided into control group and experimental group,with 60 patients in each group.The control group was given cefuroxime sodium injection,and the experimental group was given cefuroxime sodium injection+Baimao root decoction.The levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein(CRP)and the level of serum CRP in the two groups before and after treatment were compared Objective To observe the expression of procalcitonin(PCT),IL-6,IL-8,TNF-αand TLR4/NF-κB mRNA levels,and to observe the effect of Radix Imperata Rubra on community-acquired pneumonia.Results:The fever,cough,expectoration subsided time and chest CT inflammation absorption time of the experimental group were shorter than those of the control group,the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05);the total effective rate of the experimental group(96.67%)was higher than that of the control group(85%),the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05);after treatment,the serum CRP,PCT,IL-6,IL-8,TNF-αin the two groups were lower than before,and the experimental group was significantly lower than the control group,the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05),There was statistical significance(P<0.05);after treatment,TLR4/NF-κB mRNA of the two groups were decreased,and the experimental group was significantly lower than the control group,the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).Conclusion:In the treatment of cap,Rhizoma Imperata can reduce the levels of CRP,PCT,IL-6,IL-8 and TNF-α.The mechanism is related to inhibiting the activation of TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway,so as to reduce the release of inflammatory factors and improve clinical symptoms.

临床治疗老年骨质疏松性股骨粗隆间骨折的疗效观察Curative effect observation on treating senile osteoporotic femoral intertrochanteric fracture

目的：探讨不同方法治疗老年骨质疏松性股骨粗隆间骨折的临床疗效。方法：采用回顾性方法分析，选取我院自2009年3月~2012年3月3年以来收治的92例老年骨质疏松性股骨粗隆间骨折患者的临床资料。随机将其分为两组，各46例，应用股骨近端防旋髓内钉固定治疗为PENA组，采用动力髋螺钉固定治疗为DHS组，两组患者均给予中医药辨证治疗。比较两组患者的手术时间、术中出血量、骨折愈合时间以及术后并发症。结果：两组患者在术中以及术后情况比较，PENA组患者术中以及术后情况均优于DHS组，手术时间、术中出血量、术中以及术后并发症、骨折愈合时间以及髋关节功能评分上均有明显的差异，具有差异统计学意义（P〈0．05）。结论：股骨近端防旋髓内钉对老年骨质疏松性股骨粗隆间骨折患者有显著的疗效，同时操作方法比较简单，创伤小，固定牢固以及并发症少，并且结合中医药辨证治疗，有利于骨折的稳定以及早期进行功能锻炼，值得临床推广。

The Effectiveness of Albumin Combined with Diuretics in Treating Ascites in Cirrhosis

Cirrhosis often leads to various complications during its progression,with ascites being one of the most common.Among these cases,5%to 10%are classified as refractory ascites.In recent years,clinical research on the treatment of cirrhotic ascites has yielded increasingly enriched results.In this paper,a large number of clinical data on the treatment of ascites using albumin combined with diuretics were collected,and it was found that there were more results in group control studies.It was believed that albumin combined with diuretic therapy could effectively improve symptoms,reduce the occurrence of adverse reactions,ensure the safety of patients,and have a good clinical application prospect.This paper reviews the efficacy of albumin combined with diuretics in the treatment of ascites in cirrhosis.

Application Status of Infrarde Thermography in the Evaluation of Curative Effect of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Infrarde thermography is a kind of functional imaging technology to detect the surface temperature of human body.To a certain extent,it provides a scientific basis for the datamation,visualization and objectification of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM).It has the characteristics of noninvasive,accuracy and predictability.In this paper,infrarde thermography was applied,and summed up its advantages and disadvantages,so as to play a more important role in the field of TCM infrarde thermography.