Advances in the management of arteriosclerosis of the lower extremity:Integrating Western and Chinese medicine approaches

This editorial provides a commentary on the recent article.The paper reviews current literature and explores innovative treatment strategies for lower extremity arteriosclerosis obliterans(LEASO)through an integrative approach.It highlights the effectiveness of combination therapies that merge traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)with Western medical practices,suggesting that such integrative methods may improve patient compliance and outcomes through personalized care.This paper stresses the importance of rigorous clinical trials to evaluate the efficacy and safety of TCM interventions within LEASO treatment protocols,advocating for evidence-based validation of these combined therapies.Our recommendations emphasize accurate diagnosis,appropriate pharmacological in-terventions,the use of advanced surgical and endovascular techniques,and the inclusion of TCM to address underlying dysfunctions.Additionally,continuous monitoring,patient education,and lifestyle modifications are essential to slow disease progression and achieve optimal patient outcomes.The paper concludes by calling for further research to develop standardized treatment protocols that effectively integrate both Western and Chinese medical approaches in managing LEASO.

Treatment of 140 cerebral palsied children with a combined method based on traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)and western medicine

Objective:To observe and evaluate a method that is effective and practical for treatment of cerebral palsied(CP)children in China.Method:The patient's age and disease type and individual specific conditions were considered in choosingtherapy methods accordingly:Chinese herbs,acupuncture,auricnlar seed pressure,point finger pressing,massage,orthopedichand manipulation,physiotherapy,occupational therapy,language therapy,etc.Meanwhile we created a new CP treatment modelthat combines hospitalized treatment with family therapy.Results:The majority of CP patients improved greatly in motor andsocial adaptation capacities after treatment.Wilcoxon paired rank sum test analysis showed that there were significant differencesbetween the data before and after treatment(P<0.01).Conclusion:This combined therapy method,based on traditional Chinesemedicine and western medicine plus family supplemental therapy,is an effective and practical treatment strategy for CP children inChina.

A study of acupoint selection rules of moxibustion and auricular point therapy in the treatment of urinary retention after anorectal surgery based on data mining

Based on the Traditional Chinese Medicine Inheritance Support System(V2.5),we explored the compatibility rules of moxibustion and auricular point prescriptions in the treatment of urinary retention after anorectal surgery,and further to obtain new prescriptions.Methods:We searched CNKI,Wanfang,VIP and CBM databases for the literature of moxibustion and auricular point therapy for urinary retention after anorectal surgery,collecting complete prescriptions and entering them into the Traditional Chinese Medicine Inheritance Support System(V2.5).The acupoint frequency,association rules,and combination rules were analyzed by data mining method of software integration.Results:126 moxibustion prescriptions were selected,and the acupoints for urinary retention after anorectal surgery in the literature were analyzed,including 10 acupoints with frequency≥6,9 acupoint combinations with frequency≥26,5 acupoints with association rules,6 core acupoint combinations and 3 new prescription.124 auricular point prescriptions were selected,and the relevant acupoints in the literature were analyzed,including 10 acupoints with frequency of use≥18,15 acupoint combinations with frequency≥40,12 acupoint combinations with association rules,6 core acupoint combinations,and 3 new prescriptions.The core points include Qihai(RN6),Sanyinjiao(SP6),Zhongji(RN3),Guanyuan(RN4).The auricular point therapy is more to select the tenderness points and acupoints that have an impact on the urinary system,mainly including“Pangguang”(CO9),“Shenmen”(TF4),“Shen”(CO10),“Sanjiao”(CO17),“Pizhixia”(AT4),“Niaodao”(HX3),“Fei”(CO14),“Jiaogan”(AH6a).Conclusion:Moxibustion for the treatment of urinary retention is mainly based on invigorating“Primordial Qi”and regulating the functions of“Middle Jiao”(refers to the area of the body just below the diaphragm and above the navel that helps produce delicate nutrients).The entropic clustering of complex systems excavated new prescriptions for the treatment of urinary retention after anorectal surgery,providing new ideas for future research and treatment.

Update on the Fungal Biofilm Drug Resistance and Its Alternative Treatment

Candida albicans (C. albicans) and Aspergillus fumigatus (A. fumigatus) are the two main pathogens in the clinical setting to cause serious, sometimes, lethal fungal infections. Immunocompromised patients fall victims to these fungi, with a mortality rate rising drastically over the past decades. This is in correlation with the fact that conventional antifungals are no longer capable of completely eradicating the disease, or if so, high doses are usually required to do so, leading to eventual resistance to those drugs and severe side effects. High drug resistance is in association with the discovery that these opportunistic pathogens have the ability to develop a multicellular complex, known as biofilm. Biofilms prevent drugs from reaching the fungal cells by sequestering them in their extracellular matrix. Other factors such as extracellular DNA, persister cells or heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) also play a role in biofilm and contribute to drug recalcitrance. With the discovery of new antifungals lagging behind, scientists focused on other more profitable ways to counteract this phenomenon. Combination of two or more antifungals was found effective but came with serious drawbacks. Natural plant extracts, such as traditional Chinese medicine have also been demonstrated in vitro to possess antimicrobial actions. Great interest was directed towards their use with conventional antifungal agents with a possibility of lowering the necessary concentration required to inhibit the growth of fungi. This review aims in understanding the different factors contributing to clinical drug resistance and evaluating the effect of combination therapy and natural products on those cases difficult to treat.

Treatment of Phlegm-and Heat-induced Insomnia by Acupuncture in 120 Cases

Clinical DataThe 120 cases in this series were outpatients suffering from insomnia due to interior-stirring by phlegm-heat, ranging in age from 28 to 67 years. They were randomly divided into a treatment group and a control group.

CLINICAL OBSERVATION ON TREATMENT OF 80 CASES OF PROLAPSE OF LUMBAR INTERVERTEBRAL DISC BY COMBINATION OF ACUPUNCTURE AND MEDICINE

cases of prolapse of lumbar intervetebral disc were randomly divided into treatment and control groups. 80 cases in treatment group were treated with combination of acupuncture, oral administration of Chinese medicinal herbs, traction, point injection and intravenous drip of energy dehydration mixture; 70 cases in control group were managed by combination of acupuncture, oral administration of herbal medicines, traction, acupoint injection (without energy dehydration mixture). The results showed that the curative rate and the total effective rate of the treatment group were 91.25% and 98.75% separately, while those of the control group 62.86% and 92.86% respectively. Comparison of the curative rate between the 2 groups showed a remarkable significance (P<0.01). The observation demonstrated that combined treatment of prolapse of lumbar intervertebral disc with traditional Chinese and Western medicine is an effective approach.

Cohort Study on the Effect of a Combined Treatment of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine on the Relapse and Metastasis of 222 Patients with Stage Ⅱ and Ⅲ Colorectal Cancer after Radical Operation

Objective： To evaluate the effectiveness of a comprehensive therapy of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） in reducing the relapse and metastasis of stage Ⅱ and Ⅲ colorectal cancer based on conventional Western medicine （WM） therapy. Methods： Two hundred and twenty-two patients in total, diagnosed as stage Ⅱ and Ⅲ colorectal cancer from February 2000 to March 2006, were recruited from Xiyuan Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences and the General Hospital of Beijing Military Area. They were followed-up once every 3-6 months. Twenty cases dropped out from the cohort. The remaining 202 patients were all treated with routine WM treatment [including R0 radical operation, or chemotherapy or/and radiotherapy according to national comprehensive cancer network （NCCN） clinical guidelines]. These patients were assigned to two groups based on whether or not they were additionally treated with TCM comprehensive therapy （orally administered with a decoction according to syndrome differentiation, combined with a traditional patent drug over one year）. Ninety-eight patients from Xiyuan Hospital were treated with WM and TCM （combined group）, and 104 patients from the General Hospital of Beijing Military Area were treated with WM alone （WM group）. The demographic data at baseline were comparable, including the operation times, age, sex, TNM staging, and pathological types. The patients were followed-up for one to five years. Up to now, there are 98, 98, 77, 64, and 47 patients with 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 years of follow-up in the combined group, respectively; and 104, 104, 97, 81, and 55 patients in the WM group, respectively. The results of the 5-year follow-up of all the patients will be available in 2011. Results： The relapse/metastasis rate of 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, and 5-year were 0 （0/98）, 2.04% （2/98）, 11.69% （9/77）, 14.06% （9/64）, and 21.28% （10/47） in the combined group, and were 4.80%（5/104）, 16.35% （17/104）, 21.65% （21/97）, 25.93% （21/81）, and 38.18%（21/55） in the WM group, respectively. A significant difference was found in the second year between the two groups （X^2=12.117, P = 0.000）. Median relapse/metastasis time was 26.5 months in the combined group and 16.0 months in the WM group. Conclusion： The combined therapy of TCM and WM may have great clinical value and a potential for decreasing the relapse or metastasis rate in stage Ⅱ and Ⅲ colorectal cancer after conventional WM therapy.

Comment on the intervention of Traditional Chinese Medicine on survival rates of patients living with human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immune deficiency syndrome

Despite many differences between Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM) and conventional medicine,the use of TCM in the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immune deficiency syndrome(HIV/AIDS) is increasingly recognized and accepted by patients. Recent research findings on the benefits of Chinese herbal medicine on long-term survival in patients with HIV/AIDS are encouraging and hopeful, but inconclusive. More research is needed.

Long-term Effect of TCM Decoctions in Treatment of Nephrotic Syndrome

Fifty-seven cases of nephrotic syndrome were treated with TCM decoctions as accessory treatment for prednisone and cyclophosphamide, and the effects were observed in a follow-up period of 5-15 years. The long-term complete remission rate of 68.4% and recurrence rate of 26.3% in the treatment group were respectively higher and lower than those in the control group (P

Acupuncture, Moxibustion, and Combination Therapies for Insomnia

Insomnia, a common sleep disorder, affects general well-being, hastens the onset of other diseases, and impairs work performance. Hypnotic medications are efficacious in the short term but have obvious side effects. Acupuncture, often used to treat insomnia in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), is considered to be beneficial in restoring the normal sleep-wake cycle by regulating and restoring the natural flow of qi (energy power). The three main TCM theories for treating insomnia by acupuncture are the tranquilization disturbance, zangfu disturbance (disequilibrium of internal organs), and imbalance of yin and yang theories. Moxibustion, another treatment for insomnia, is usually combined with acupuncture. Acupuncture and moxibustion with tuina (exercise massage), acupuncture with Chinese herbal injection, electroacupuncture, and acupuncture with medication or psychotherapy are other interventions. Some acupuncture-based methods such as needle-rolling acupuncture, auricular acupoint plaster therapy, phlebotomy, and acupoint catgut-embedding therapy are used as well. Although most clinical trials have shown that acupuncture and its combination therapies are significantly effective in insomnia, the beneficial effects may have been overvalued, because of small sample size, nonstrict inclusion and exclusion criteria, flawed methodology, short follow-up, or nonstandardized evaluation. Therefore, clinical studies of high methodological quality are needed to verify the efficacy of acupuncture, moxibustion, and other combination therapies in insomnia.

Differential Treatment for Membranoproliferative Glomerulonephritis with TCM Prescriptions Plus Triptoryph Tablets A Report of 30 Cases

Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis is aglomerulopathy,which accounts for about 30% of thechronic glomerulonephritis in adults.TCMmedication with addition of triptoryph tablets(Tripterygium Wilfordii polyglycosidium) on thebasis of syndrome differentiation had yieldedsatisfactory results in 30 cases of this disease treatedfrom Jan 1998 to Aug 2002.A report follows.

Application of Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang According to TCM Differentiation of Syndromes

Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang (补中益气汤Decoction for Reinforcing the Middle-jiao and Replenishing Qi) is an effective formulated recipe commonly used for treating a variety of diseases with the manifestations of kidney-qi deficiency. In my opinion, however, it is also very effective for the conditions of which the symptoms of kidney-qi deficiency is not noticeable, but its mechanism lies in dysfunction of the spleen. The following are some examples.……

The Thinking on TCM Differential Treatment of Congestive Heart Failure

Congestive heart failure(CHF),the manifestationat the late stage of cardiovascular diseases,is a commonand critical illness.Traditional Chinese medicine showsa good therapeutic effectiveness in treatment of CHF,especially for latent heart failure,refractory heart failureand digitalis poisoning.The thinking on treatment ofCHF by traditional Chinese medicine on the basis ofclinical practice is described below.

中药脐疗治疗溃疡性结肠炎缓解期疗效观察

目的观察中药脐疗干预治疗溃疡性结肠炎缓解期临床效果。方法选取2021年1月至2023年3月在潍坊医学院附属高密市人民医院消化内科就诊溃疡性结肠炎缓解期患者,按照随机数表法分为治疗组、对照组,每组各35例。对照组口服美沙拉嗪肠溶片1.0 g,tid;治疗组同时给予中药脐疗“十味抗炎方”凝胶剂。采用改良Mayo评分评价溃疡性结肠炎严重程度;溃疡性结肠炎疾病活动指数评价疾病活动度;炎症性肠病生存量表评价生存质量;检查炎症因子白细胞介素-6、白细胞介素-8和肿瘤坏死因子-α;选择抑郁自评量表和焦虑自评量表评价患者心理情况。结果治疗组第5、6个月Mayo评分和疾病活动指数得分低于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);治疗组第3、4、5、6个月炎症性肠病生存量表得分高于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);治疗组第3、6个月炎症因子低于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);治疗组第3、6个月抑郁和焦虑自评量表评分低于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论中药脐疗提升患者生活质量,改善预后,临床疗效优于对照组。

阿尔茨海默病不同治疗方式研究新进展

阿尔茨海默病(Alzheimer’s disease,AD)是一种复杂的、起病隐秘的、病因不明的、缺乏特异性诊断方式的神经退行性病变。面对与日俱增的患病率,却缺乏有效的治疗方式。中医药治疗方式具有多层次、多靶点、多通路的独特优势,中西医结合方式的互补,非药物疗法的辅助,干细胞疗法、新的分子药物、抗体及蛋白疫苗、γ感官刺激等新颖的实验阶段新疗法等方式治疗AD。本文综述近年来的不同治疗方式治疗AD研究新进展,旨在为临床上治疗AD提供新思路、新方法及参考价值。

蒲地蓝消炎口服液治疗小儿支原体肺炎有效性和安全性的Meta分析

目的:系统评价中成药蒲地蓝消炎口服液联合西药治疗小儿支原体肺炎(MPP)的临床有效性和安全性。方法:通过全面检索关于蒲地蓝消炎口服液联合西药治疗小儿支原体肺炎的随机对照试验(RCT)文献,利用统计软件RevMan5.3提取并分析数据。结果:共纳入13项研究,共包含1313例患者,其中观察组661例,对照组652例。蒲地蓝消炎口服液联合西药治疗小儿支原体肺炎,临床有效率高于单用西药(RR=1.17,95%CI为1.13~1.22,P<0.0001),退热时间(MD=-1.29,95%CI为-1.35~-1.22,P<0.0001),听诊肺部啰音消退时间(MD=-1.77,95%CI为-1.85~-1.69,P<0.0001)及咳嗽症状消退时间(MD=-2.59,95%CI为-2.67~-2.52,P<0.0001)4个方面均优于单用西药。GRADE评价结果显示证据质量以低质量为主。结论:蒲地蓝消炎口服液联合西药优于单独应用西药,且不良反应较少,安全性较好。

中药联合抗肿瘤血管生成药物治疗非小细胞肺癌的研究进展

非小细胞肺癌(NSCLC)是肺癌最为常见的一种病理类型,一半以上的患者确诊时即为进展期肺癌,患者生存期较短。抗肿瘤血管生成药物是目前治疗非小细胞肺癌的重要靶向药物,其临床疗效已获得临床认可,但仍存在耐药性及毒副作用不可耐受的局限性,而中药辨证论治及减毒增效的优点,可减轻药物的不良反应,并提高临床疗效,已成为中西医结合治疗非小细胞肺癌的重要方向。本文主要通过检索2010年1月—2023年6月中国知网、万方、维普及PubMed等数据库中的相关文献,总结近年来不同中药联合各类抗肿瘤血管生成药物治疗NSCLC的相关研究,试从不同角度探讨治疗NSCLC的新思路。

5-氨基水杨酸口服制剂及联合中药在炎症性肠病治疗中的应用

5-氨基水杨酸(5-ASA)是1种从中药柳树皮中分离提纯得到的天然抗炎活性成分水杨酸的衍生物,别名阿米诺水杨酸、美沙拉嗪,是临床治疗炎症性肠病(IBD)并预防其复发的一线药物。尽管目前莎尔福(Salofalk)、亚沙可(Asacol)和潘他沙(Pentasa)等5-ASA口服结肠靶向制剂已广泛用于IBD的临床治疗,但仍存在在小肠提前释药和受胃肠道生理状态影响显著等制剂缺陷、对克罗恩病和重度溃疡性结肠炎(UC)治疗效果不佳等临床未满足的需求,以及减少UC患者黏膜菌群多样性、长期使用增加用药风险和降低患者服药依从性等问题。开发硅胶纳米粒、水凝胶等新型递药载体,基于pH依赖、时滞控制和菌群/酶触发等多机制结合释药原理设计新型口服结肠靶向制剂从而解决制剂缺陷问题,提高5-ASA疗效和患者服药耐受性、依从性是目前制剂研究的重点。此外,5-ASA口服制剂联合中药保留灌肠、中药口服制剂和注射液等治疗IBD可发挥协同抗炎作用,实现增效减毒目的。对5-ASA口服制剂品种、近年来新型制剂和递药载体的研究进展,以及与中药联用的临床应用和研究现状等进行综述,为5-ASA口服制剂的剂型改造、载体材料研究和临床用药等提供参考。

Traditional Chinese medicine integrated with chemotherapy for stage Ⅳ non-surgical gastric cancer: a retrospective clinical analysis

OBJECTIVE： Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） is regarded as an important treatment for gastric cancer patients, especially for those in advanced stage. To evaluate the effects of TCM treatment on gastric cancer patients, the authors performed a retrospective study to report the result of the integrated treatment of TCM with chemotherapy for stage IV non-surgical gastric cancer. METHODS： In this study, 182 patients with stage IV and non-surgical gastric cancer were retrospectively analyzed to evaluate the effects of TCM integrated with chemotherapy. Among the 182 cases, 88 cases received integrated therapy consisting of TCM and chemotherapy, while 94 cases received chemotherapy alone. The overall survival and Karnofsky performance status （KPS） score were measured as the main outcome. RESULTS： The median overall survival of the integrated therapy group and chemotherapy group were 16.9 and 10.5 months, respectively. The 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates of integrated therapy group vs. chemotherapy group were 70% vs. 32%, 18% vs. 4%, and 11% vs. 0%, respectively. There was a significant difference between the two groups （x2 = 42.244, P 〈 0.001 ）. After six-month treatment, KPS scores of the integrated therapy group and the chemotherapy group were 75.00 ± 14.78 and 60.64 ± 21.39, respectively （P 〈 0.001）. The Cox regression analysis showed that TCM treatment is a protective factor for patients＇ overall survival. CONCLUSION： This study demonstrated that TCM integrated with chemotherapy may prolong overal survival and improve survival rate and life quality of patients with stage IV non-surgical gastric cancer

单纯艾灸及艾灸联合疗法治疗膝骨关节病的研究进展

膝骨关节病是骨关节退行性疾病,主要症状为关节疼痛、积液、肿胀、畸形、运动受限、功能障碍等。临床膝骨关节病患者多接受西医保守治疗,但服用西药的长期疗效欠满意,手术治疗亦存在诸多缺点。艾灸作为中医传统外治法,用于治疗膝骨关节病有满意疗效。笔者通过检索相关文献,从单纯艾灸治疗和艾灸联合其他中医外治法治疗两方面,综述艾灸治疗膝骨关节病的临床研究进展,以期提供更多临床治疗膝骨关节病的治疗思路,提示更多临床研究中医外治法治疗膝骨关节病的方向。