Essential Oil from Citrus aurantium Alleviates Anxiety of Patients Undergoing Coronary Angiography: A Single-Blind, Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective To determine the effectiveness and safety of essential oil from Citrus aurantium on anxiety in patients undergoing coronary angiography.Methods A single-blind,randomized controlled trial was conducted in 80 patients experiencing coronary angiography in Imam Ali Hospital in Kermanshah,Iran from April to November in 2016.All patients were randomly divided into intervention and control groups by a random number table,40 cases in each group.The patients in the intervention group inhaled Citrus aurantium essential oil for 15–20 min about 60 min before angiography.Following the same procedure,distilled water was used instead of Citrus aurantium in the control group.Spielbergers State-Trait Anxiety Inventory(STAI)was filled in and vital signs including systolic blood pressure(SBP),diastolic blood pressure(DBP),respiratory and pulse rate were recorded before and 20 min after the intervention.Adverse reactions after intervention were observed.Results In the intervention group,the mean scores of STAI,SBP,DBP,respiratory and pulse rate were 53.30±10.13,134.82±11.75 mm Hg,84.49±6.99 mm Hg,17.87±1.73 times/min,and 76.48±12.55 beats/min at baseline and significantly decreased to 42.37±10.15,124.49±10.48 mm Hg,79.23±6.62 mm Hg,14.54±1.43 times/min,and 70.03±13.66 beats/min respectively 20 min after intervention(all P<0.05);however,in the control group,neither anxiety scores nor vital signs changed significantly(P>0.05).All subjects reported no adverse reactions.Conclusion Inhalation of the essential oil from Citrus aurantium was effective in reducing anxiety and stress levels in patients undergoing coronary angiography.

Effect of acupuncture anesthesia on acne vulgaris of pricking-blood-letting cupping: a single-blind randomized clinical trail

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect on acne vulgaris of pricking-bloodletting cupping at Dazhui(GV 14) under acupuncture anesthesia, and establish whether providing anesthesia to the treatment area by manipulating Hegu(LI 4) and Quchi(LI 11) might have an additional therapeutic benefit. METHODS: Thirty-eight patients were recruited and randomized into a control group and an intervention group with a single-blind(observer-blind) method. The control group was treated by pricking-bloodletting cupping at Dazhui(GV 14) and the studied group by pricking-bloodletting cupping at Dazhui(GV 14) under acupuncture anesthesia at Hegu(LI 4) and Quchi(LI 11). Both groups were treated twice weekly for 6 weeks. The analgesic and therapeutic effects of acupuncture were evaluated on a visual analog scale(VAS) and global acne grading system(GAGS), respectively.RESULTS: There were differences in the VAS scores of pain on pricking and in the pricked area, and the duration of pain between the groups. After 12 treatments, there was a significant reduction in GAGS scores from baseline in both groups, but there was no significant difference between the groups. CONCLUSION: Acupuncture anesthesia at Hegu(LI 4) and Quchi(LI 11) is an effective means of alleviating the pain of pricking-bloodletting cupping and reducing the duration of pain in the treatment area. Pricking-bloodletting cupping at Dazhui(GV 14) improves the skin lesions of patients with moderate acne vulgaris, but acupuncture anesthesia does not appear to have an additional therapeutic effect.

Comparative effects of artemisia vulgaris and charcoal moxa stimulating Zhongwan(CV 12) on body temperature in healthy participants:a cross-over single-blind randomized study

OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the efficacy,safety,satisfaction,discomfort and patient preference of moxa cones of artemisia vulgaris and charcoal moxa.METHODS:This comparative study of moxibustion treatment with Artemisia vulgaris and charcoal moxa cone stimulating Zhongwan(CV 12) is a cross-over single-blinded,randomized clinical trial.A total of 40 healthy subjects(24 males and 16females) participated in this study.Two subjects dropped out of the trial.Thirty-eight subjects were treated with Artemisia vulgaris and charcoal moxa cones for 30 min in a cross-over design.After treatment,the patients underwent a 30 minute waiting period,and then the temperatures at Tanzhong(CV 17),Zhongwan(CV 12) and Guanyuan(CV 4) were measured using digital infrared thermal imaging.RESULTS:After the use of Artemisia vulgaris moxa,the patients' body temperatures were slightly lowered at Tanzhong(CV 17),Zhongwan(CV 12)and Guanyuan(CV 4),but the changes were not statistically significant.After the use of charcoal moxa,the patients' body temperatures were somewhat increased at Zhongwan(CV 12) and Guanyuan(CV 4),but the changes were not statistically significant.After Artemisia vulgaris moxa use,the body temperature difference between Zhongwan(CV 12) and Guanyuan(CV 4)was significantly increased.After charcoal moxa use,the body temperature difference between Tanzhong(CV 17) and Zhongwan(CV 12) was significantly decreased in males and in the whole group.This change was caused by the difference in the moxibustion type and by gender differences.CONCLUSION:This pilot study found that moxibustion did not raise the body temperature,but temperature differences between acupoints were affected.Further large-scale randomized controlled trials are needed for the effect of moxibustion on body temperature.

Endosonography with linear array instead of endoscopic retrograde cholangiography as the diagnostic tool in patients with moderate suspicion of common bile duct stones

AIM: To evaluate the diagnostic efficiency of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) as the main imaging modality in patients with moderate suspicion of common bile duct stones (CBDS).METHODS: 55 patients with moderate clinical suspicion of CBDS were prospectively included to the study and evaluated with EUS. This study was done in single blind method in the clinical and biochemical data of patients. EUS was done with echo-endoscope Pentax FG 32-UA (f=5-7,5 MHz) and Hitachi EUB 405 ultrasound machine. Patients diagnosed with CBDS by EUS were excluded from this study and treated with ERC. All the other patients were included to the follow up study obtained by mail every 6 months for clinical evaluation (need of ERC or surgery).RESULTS: CBDS was found in 4 patients by EUS. Diagnosis was confirmed in all cases on ERC. The remaining 51 patients without CBDS on EUS were followed up for 6-26 months (meanly 13 months) There were: 40 women, 42cholecystectomized patients, aged: 55 (mean). Biochemical values (mean values) were as follows: bilirubin: 14,9 μmol.L-1,alkaline phosphatase: 95 IU.L-,1 γ-GTP: 131 IU.L-1, ALT: 50IU.L-1, AST: 49 IU.L-1, Only 1 patient was lost for follow up.In the remaining 50 patients with follow up, there was only 1 (2 %) patient with persistent biliary symptoms in whom CBDS was finally diagnosed by ERC with ES. All other patients remained symptoms free on follow up and did not require ERC or biliary surgery.CONCLUSION: Vast majority of patients with moderate suspicion of CBDS and no stones on EUS with linear array can avoid invasive evaluation of biliary tree with ERC.

A Clinical Study on Haunglian Fire-Purging Mixture In Treatment of 46 Cases of Primary Hypertension

In order to observe the therapeutic effects of Huanglian Fire-Purging Mixture (黄连清降合剂) on primary hypertension, 46 cases of primary hypertension in the treatment group were treated with Huanglian Fire-Purging Mixture to clear away heat from the liver, relieve mental stress, purge fire and remove toxin;and the other 26 cases of primary hypertension in the control group were treated with Niuhuang Bolus for Lowering Blood Pressure (牛黄降压丸). The effect in the treatment group was obviously superior to that in the control group (P＜0.05). The Huanglian Fire-Purging Mixture shows noticeable effects 3-6 hours after medication. The mixture can improve the clinical symptoms, the left ventricular diastolic function and myocardial ischemia, correct dyslipoproteinemia and dysglycemia, and reduce blood viscosity. And it is safe and with no obvious adverse reactions.

THERAPEUTIC EFFECT OF ABSTINENCE CAPSULE ON WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS OF HEROIN ADDICTS

435 heroin addicts were treated for 10 days to evaluate the therapeutic effectiveness ofabstinence capsule on heroin withdrawal symptoms and its main adverse actions.Lofexidine was applied in a control group of 48 addicts.The single blind method and somedetermination methods used internationally were employed to evaluate the therapeuticeffectiveness and adverse actions of the drugs.The results showed that the abstinence capsulehas better therapeutic effectiveness,with less adverse actions,wider safety range,longer timeof action and less cost than lofexidine.

CLINICAL STUDY ON LASER NEEDLE-KNIFE AND ACUPUNCTURE FOR VERTEBRAL-ARTERY-TYPE CERVICAL SPONDYLOSIS

Objective To compare the effect of laser needle-knife and acupuncture with medication for vertebral-artery-type cervical spondylosis （CSA）. Methods The 88 outpatients of CSA were divided with single-blind method into Treatment Group （treated by laser needle-knife and acupuncture） with 48 patients in it and Control Group （treated by Intravenous drip of Compound Salvia Miltiorrhiza Injection and oral taking of Flunarizine （Sibelium） with 40 patients in it. Before the treatment, the two groups were without difference statistically. Results In the treatment group, the curative rate was 60.42% and the total effective rate 97.92%. In the control group, the curative rate was 30% and the total effective rate 87.5%. In statistics, P〈0.05, a significant difference existed between the two groups. Conclusion The effect of laser needleknife and acupuncture for CSA is obviously better than that of medication, worth spreading.

单盲双模拟针灸临床试验设计思路与实践——以“手针和电针治疗绝经烘热疗效比较”研究为例

Randomized controlled trial(RCT)is the golden standard for evaluation of clinical evidence.To assess the effect of acupuncture,due to the specificity of acupuncture intervention,the blinding and control methods are the difficulties in study design.It is not practical to blind investigators,participants and evaluators simultaneously.At present,blinding is generally conducted for the participants and evaluators in clinical trial.We took a comparative study of manual acupuncture and electroacupuncture for menopausal hot flush as an example to explore a new way with the reference of double-dummy design in new drug study.A single-blind and double-dummy clinical trial model of acupuncture was established.Based on individual acupuncture intervention in each group,the placebo intervention was combined to ensure the form consistency of two groups.Such a study design may eliminate non-specific effect of acupuncture,and can be conductive to comparing the specific effect of acupuncture and can provide the references and regimens for study design.