European Journal of Integrative Medicine最新文献

{"title":"East Asian herbal medicine as an add-on to antipsychotics in schizophrenia spectrum disorders accompanied by agitation: a systematic review and meta-analysis","authors":"Chan-Young Kwon ,&nbsp;Ji-Won Kim ,&nbsp;Ji-Won Oh ,&nbsp;Hye-Li Jeon ,&nbsp;Min-Jae Kim ,&nbsp;Kyoung-Eun Lee ,&nbsp;Boram Lee ,&nbsp;Pyung-Wha Kim ,&nbsp;Yujin Choi","doi":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102583","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102583","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Agitation is a frequent and disrupting symptom of schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSDs) that can be difficult to manage with antipsychotic treatment alone. East Asian herbal medicine has been explored as a complementary therapy, but its effectiveness remains unclear. This review aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of East Asian herbal medicine as an add-on therapy to antipsychotics compared to antipsychotics alone in the management of agitation in patients with SSDs.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Ten sources including eight databases (PubMed, EMBASE, CENTRAL, CNKI, CiNii, KISS, ScienceON, OASIS) and two additional sources (WHO ICTRP, JSOM website) were searched to January 2025. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing East Asian herbal medicine added to antipsychotics with antipsychotics alone in patients with SSDs accompanied by agitation were included. The primary outcome was the agitation symptoms measured using standardized scales (CMAI, PANSS-EC, or BPRS-EC), where lower scores indicate reduced agitation. Random-effects meta-analyses were performed. Risk of bias was evaluated using Cochrane RoB 2. The certainty of evidence for each outcome was assessed using the GRADE approach.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Seven RCTs (n = 639) were included. Meta-analysis showed that East Asian herbal medicine added to antipsychotics significantly improved agitation symptoms (SMD −0.88 [95 % CI −1.26, −0.49]; I²=74 %), reduced adverse events (RR 0.44 [95 % CI 0.34, 0.57]; I²=0 %), and improved overall schizophrenia symptoms (SMD −1.99 [95 % CI −3.11, −0.86]; I²=68 %). Risk of bias was assessed as “some concerns” in all studies, mainly because of absence of allocation concealment reporting, placebo controls, and pre-registered protocols. Certainty of evidence was rated as moderate for agitation (downgraded for risk of bias) and low for secondary outcomes (downgraded for risk of bias and imprecision).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>East Asian herbal medicine may improve agitation and reduce adverse events in SSDs when combined with antipsychotics. Large effect sizes warrant caution regarding potential small-study effects and methodological limitations. Future research should use rigorous double-blind placebo-controlled designs, standardized formulations, extended follow-ups, and diverse populations.</div></div><div><h3>Registration</h3><div>Protocol of this review was registered via PROSPERO (CRD42025643106)</div></div><div><h3>Funding</h3><div>Ministry of Health &amp; Welfare, Republic of Korea [grant number RS-2024-00442840]</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11932,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Integrative Medicine","volume":"81 ","pages":"Article 102583"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145536861","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Rethinking “Evidence” in Traditional Medicine “Integration”","authors":"Amandine Nachtergael ,&nbsp;Katrin Solhdju","doi":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102603","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102603","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper explores the concept of integration of traditional medicine through a multidisciplinary approach that combines medical humanities and pharmaceutical sciences. While it aligns with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) objective of fostering a harmonious and functional coexistence between conventional medicine and other therapeutic practices to ensure optimal patient care, this paper critically examines the underlying rationale of the WHO’s strategy for achieving this integration. This logic is best illustrated by two of the central concepts that structure the WHO’s discourse on T&amp;CM<span><span>¹</span></span>: Integration and Evidence-Based. Both inform research-funding decisions, most notably in the cooperation for development sector, and have a decisive influence on public health policies. In most parts of the world, the necessity for an evidence-based integration of T&amp;CM functions like a mantra, rarely questioned by researchers within the medical or the social sciences, or by governmental and non-governmental actors. Consequently, the present paper problematizes the “evidence-based integration” of “traditional” medicines by challenging some of the key assumptions underpinning these concepts. In doing so, it aims to identify and highlight several elements that may serve as guides on the way to ethically and epistemologically more sound frameworks for the co-existence of modern and traditional medicines.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11932,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Integrative Medicine","volume":"81 ","pages":"Article 102603"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145920940","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects and safety of scalp acupuncture on swallowing function in patients with post-stroke dysphagia: A meta-analysis","authors":"GuanChao Chen ,&nbsp;WeiYu Wang ,&nbsp;HangYu Li ,&nbsp;Hong Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102598","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102598","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>This study aimed to evaluate the safety and feasibility of scalp acupuncture (SA) on swallowing function in patients with post-stroke dysphagia (PSD).</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Data, VIP Database, SinoMed, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, and Web of Science were searched from database inception to 26 April 2025. The risk of bias was assessed using Cochrane Risk of Bias 2.0 (RoB 2.0). Statistical analysis was performed using Stata 18.0.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Eighteen eligible papers, involving 1410 patients with PSD, were included. Meta-analysis showed that compared to conventional interventions alone, SA combined with conventional interventions significantly reduced water swallowing test (WST) scores [SMD=-1.00, 95 % CI (-1.35, -0.66), <em>Z</em>=-5.701, <em>P</em> = 0.000], reduced standardized swallowing assessment (SSA) scores [MD=-3.78, 95 % CI (-4.89, -2.68), <em>Z</em>=- 6.692, <em>P</em> = 0.000], increased swallowing quality of life (SWAL-QOL) scores [MD = 33.26, 95 % CI (12.79, 53.73), <em>Z</em> = 3.185, <em>P</em> = 0.001], reduced videofluoroscopic dysphagia scale (VDS) scores [MD = 6.28, 95 % CI (4.01, 8.55), <em>Z</em> = 5.419, <em>P</em> = 0.000], and increased Barthel index (BI) scores [MD = 11.62, 95 % CI (9.76, 13.48), <em>Z</em> = 12.248, <em>P</em> = 0.000]. The WST scores, SSA scores, and SWAL-QOL scores exhibited high heterogeneity. A funnel plot suggested no publication bias in WST scores (<em>t</em> = 0.78, <em>P</em> = 0.457). Sensitivity analysis showed strong robustness in the meta-analysis results for WST scores and SSA scores, while potential sources of heterogeneity were identified in SWAL-QOL scores. The quality of evidence was low for SWAL-QOL scores and high for the remaining scores.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Compared with conventional interventions alone, SA combined with conventional interventions has more advantages in improving the scores in WST, SSA, and SWAL-QOL in the treatment of PSD. However, the reliability of this conclusion is constrained by the low quality of evidence for outcome measures, the lack of regular follow-up, and the unclear risk of adverse events. To consolidate research findings and provide more reliable clinical guidance, future studies should prioritize conducting multicenter double-blind trials that incorporate regular follow-up, objective assessments, and standardized protocols.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11932,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Integrative Medicine","volume":"81 ","pages":"Article 102598"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145786860","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Using explainable machine learning to identify predictors of Kangaroo mother care implementation in Sierra Leone's healthcare system","authors":"Afeez A. Soladoye ,&nbsp;David B. Olawade ,&nbsp;Joseph E. Origbo ,&nbsp;Kobloobase O. Usani ,&nbsp;Ayomide Israel Adekoya ,&nbsp;Ojima Z. Wada ,&nbsp;Augustus Osborne","doi":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102596","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102596","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) reduces neonatal mortality and improves thermoregulation and breastfeeding, yet uptake remains inconsistent in Sierra Leone. Predictive and explainable tools could target implementation where the need is most significant and resources are scarce. This study aimed to predict KMC adoption and identify actionable predictors using explainable machine learning.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We analysed a nationally representative dataset from Sierra Leone comprising 7737 births. The study setting was Sierra Leone's healthcare system, with participants including mothers who delivered in health facilities. Following data preprocessing (imputation, MinMax normalisation, categorical encoding, and SMOTE for class imbalance), forward-backward selection reduced 22 candidate variables to 10 key predictors. Five classifiers were trained using a 70:30 stratified split: K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN), logistic regression (LR), Support Vector Machine (SVM), Random Forest (RF), and XGBoost. The outcome was KMC adoption (binary: received/not received). Performance was evaluated using accuracy, precision, recall, F1-score, and ROC-AUC. Interpretability was achieved through SHAP and LIME for global and local explanations.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>XGBoost performed best (accuracy 0.72, precision 0.75, recall 0.81, F1 0.78, ROC AUC 0.7685), followed by Random Forest. Predictors associated with KMC included delivery by caesarean section, type of birth, maternal employment, number of antenatal visits, place of delivery, health insurance coverage, and region, while sampling design variables captured contextual heterogeneity. SHAP and LIME consistently highlighted delivery characteristics and socio-economic factors as primary drivers.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Explainable ensemble models can flag infants likely to receive or miss KMC and indicate modifiable levers for improvement. High recall supports use as a screening aid to prioritise counselling, facility preparedness, and postnatal support. Prospective validation, threshold calibration, and integration within routine health information systems are warranted to translate these insights into sustained increases in KMC coverage in Sierra Leone and similar settings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11932,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Integrative Medicine","volume":"81 ","pages":"Article 102596"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145786910","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cannabidiol (CBD): An acceptable non-hormonal treatment option for women suffering with chronic pelvic pain – a cross-sectional observational study","authors":"Aisha Anwar ,&nbsp;Tara Ajith ,&nbsp;Róisín Lewis ,&nbsp;Vickie Kimandi ,&nbsp;Andrew J Drakeley ,&nbsp;Dharani K Hapangama ,&nbsp;Nicola Tempest","doi":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102597","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102597","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) represents a significant health issue among women, profoundly impacting their quality of life. Current treatment modalities primarily include hormonal therapy, analgesics, or surgical interventions, which may have side effects or be unsuitable for women attempting to conceive. The objective of this study is to determine if cannabidiol (CBD) is an acceptable non-hormonal self-management option for women with CPP.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A prospective, cross sectional observational questionnaire study that included 200 women with CPP who attended the gynaecological department at the Liverpool Women’s Hospital (LWH), UK, over a six-month period. The main outcomes included acceptability of CBD as a non-hormonal treatment option for CPP, current treatments/self-management strategies utilised, and interest in participation in future trials investigating CBD for CPP management.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Sixteen % (<em>n</em> = 32) of the questioned cohort were taking alternative treatments, 16.3 % (<em>n</em> = 26) had tried cannabis (prescribed/illicit), and 21.3 % (<em>n</em> = 34) had tried Hemp/CBD oil as an alternative treatment option. A total of 82.5 % (<em>n</em> = 165) of respondents were willing to try CBD; 73.9 % (<em>n</em> = 139) oral, 69.7 % (<em>n</em> = 131) a skin patch, 72.3 % (<em>n</em> = 136) a balm/gel and 33 % (<em>n</em> = 62) a CBD infused tampon. Most women, 75.5 % (<em>n</em> = 151), revealed their willingness to take part in future trials involving CBD as a treatment option.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>CPP remains inadequately treated, leading many women to seek alternative therapies. CBD is considered an acceptable option, with a high proportion of surveyed women reporting current or past use to manage their symptoms.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11932,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Integrative Medicine","volume":"81 ","pages":"Article 102597"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145786859","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Safety and effectiveness of ginger for acute respiratory infections: A systematic review of randomized controlled clinical trials","authors":"Camillus Mbaoji ,&nbsp;Martins Emeje ,&nbsp;Munira Abdullahi ,&nbsp;Amarachi Chukwuemeka ,&nbsp;Samuel Itopa ,&nbsp;Ibrahim Bello ,&nbsp;Xiaowen Zhang ,&nbsp;Sadia Wali ,&nbsp;Xiao-Yang Hu (Mio) ,&nbsp;Merlin Willcox","doi":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102585","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102585","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>The development of antibiotics is one of the greatest breakthroughs in modern medicine. However, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is exacerbated by excessive use of antibiotics, including in the treatment of upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) . It is estimated that over 1 million deaths each year are attributable to bacterial AMR, and this could increase to 10 million by 2050.</div><div>The search for novel alternatives to antibiotic therapies focuses on natural compounds from plants like ginger, which is widely used and believed to be effective for treating respiratory tract infections. Constituents of ginger have demonstrated antiviral, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate the clinical effectiveness and safety of ginger as a single herb in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for treating acute respiratory infections (ARIs).</div></div><div><h3>Methodology</h3><div>The protocol was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42024562098). We searched six electronic databases - PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane library, CINAHL, AMED and CNKI from inception to 27th February- 2nd October 2024. Data from this search was exported to Rayyan for screening. We included RCTs of ginger mono-herbal oral therapies in patients with diagnosis or symptoms of ARIs (including COVID-19) and compared with usual care, placebo or other interventions. The Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials (RoB-2) was used to assess risk of bias.</div></div><div><h3>Result</h3><div>A total of 10, 281 titles were screened in Rayyan. The screening yielded only one eligible RCT, with 227 adult participants who tested positive for COVID-19, were asymptomatic and quarantined in shelter hospitals in China. Ginger powder (1.5 g twice daily in warm water), in addition to standard care, reduced quarantine duration (time to negative Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) result, without major symptoms) by 2.4 days (95 % CI 1.6 – 3.2), compared to usual care alone. The effects seemed to be greater for participants aged 60 years or older, men, and those with pre-existing medical conditions. No data on adverse events were reported. The study was at high risk of bias due to concerns about randomisation and lack of blinding.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>More high-quality randomized controlled clinical trials are needed to assess the efficacy of ginger for the treatment of ARIs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11932,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Integrative Medicine","volume":"81 ","pages":"Article 102585"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145616103","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Opinion: A 2025 review of chiropractic spinal manipulation for headaches was bound for null results","authors":"Zachary E. Scott ,&nbsp;Robert J. Trager ,&nbsp;Casper Nim ,&nbsp;Dean L. Smith","doi":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102591","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102591","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>A systematic review by Ceballos-Laita et al. in 2025 published in the European Journal of Integrative Medicine (DOI: 10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102462) concluded the effectiveness of chiropractic spinal manipulation for cervicogenic, tension-type, and migraine headaches was uncertain, with very low evidence certainty. We highlight limitations in the review’s methods which were bound to lead to a null result that undermine its validity.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Methodological flaws, including, post-hoc protocol deviations, heterogeneity, inconsistencies and potential bias cast doubt on the review’s findings. Clinicians and stakeholders should interpret its results cautiously, considering existing meta-analyses examining spinal manipulation for specific headache types and populations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11932,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Integrative Medicine","volume":"81 ","pages":"Article 102591"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145733033","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Acupoint catgut embedding for functional constipation: a meta-analysis and data mining of randomized controlled trials","authors":"Peijia Li ,&nbsp;Fumin Wang ,&nbsp;Rudan Zheng ,&nbsp;Yuxuan Chao ,&nbsp;Qinxiu Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102593","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102593","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Functional constipation (FC) is a common gastrointestinal disorder. Acupoint catgut embedding (ACE) is widely used for FC management. This review aimed to investigate the effectiveness, safety and core acupoint combinations of ACE for FC.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We searched 9 databases and several registration platforms from inception to July 2025 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing ACE with conventional drugs, manual acupuncture (MA), or sham ACE. Meta-analysis, risk of bias assessment, and GRADE evaluation of evidence certainty were performed. Gephi-0.9.2 was utilized for visualizing the complex networks.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A total of 27 RCTs (<em>n</em> = 2221) were included. ACE significantly improved complete spontaneous bowel movements (CSBM) compared with MA (MD, 1.12, 95 % CI [0.60, 1.64]) and sham ACE (MD, 1.70, 95 % CI [0.94, 2.46]), with the latter exceeding the minimal clinically important difference (MCID). ACE also demonstrated higher total effective rates compared to conventional drugs. (RR, 1.15, 95 % CI [1.09, 1.21]), MA (RR, 1.17, 95 % CI [1.09, 1.25]) and sham ACE (RR, 1.79, 95 % CI [1.18, 2.70]). Superior total effective rate at follow-up was observed over conventional drugs (RR, 1.46, 95 % CI [1.15, 1.84]) and MA (RR, 1.47, 95 % CI [1.06, 2.03]). Additionally, ACE outperformed conventional drugs in improving stool formation (MD, 0.52, 95 % CI [0.18, 0.86]). ACE exhibited a more significant improvement in quality of life compared to conventional drugs (MD, -6.95, 95 % CI [-10.36, -3.54]), MA (MD, -3.11, 95 % CI [-6.06, -0.16], <em>p</em> = 0.04) and sham ACE (MD, -8.18, 95 % CI [-11.63, -4.73]), and all the differences reached the MCID. Adverse events were minimal and occurred infrequently. The evidence certainty ranged from very low to moderate. Core acupoints included ST25, SP15, ST37, RN4, RN12, BL25, ST36, RN6, SJ6.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>ACE may be an effective and safe option for FC, and the analysis of core acupoints provided important treatment direction. Nevertheless, the review highlighted the necessity for well-designed, higher-quality experiments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11932,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Integrative Medicine","volume":"81 ","pages":"Article 102593"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145733035","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effectiveness and safety of adjuvant therapy of chinese herbal medicine for adenomyosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials","authors":"Li Huang ,&nbsp;Xiaolan Yin ,&nbsp;Yan Wang,&nbsp;Shaobin Wei,&nbsp;Xiaoli Ji,&nbsp;Chengcheng Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102588","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102588","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) has long been extensively applied in China for the management of adenomyosis, particularly as an adjunct to conventional therapies. This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of combining CHM with a levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) in the treatment of adenomyosis.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A comprehensive literature search was performed across seven electronic databases from their inception to December 2024. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing CHM combined with LNG-IUS against LNG-IUS monotherapy were eligible for inclusion. Two reviewers independently screened the records and assessed the methodological certainty. Meta-analysis was employed to quantitively synthesize the effect estimates. To ensure the robustness of the results, subgroup analysis, sensitivity analysis, and publication bias assessment were performed. This study was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42020145842; Date: April 28, 2020) and OSF (DOI: 10.17605/OSF.IO/A2GHY, Date: April 26, 2020).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Twenty RCTs involving 2114 women were included. The methodological certainty of most included trials was low or very low. Meta-analysis demonstrated that the adjuvant use of CHM therapy might be superior in decreasing visual analogue scale (VAS) scores (MD -1.44, 95 % CI -1.89 to -0.99, <em>P</em>&lt;0.00001, low-certainty evidence) and the pictorial blood assessment chart (PBAC) (MD -13.00, 95 % CI -18.98 to -7.01, <em>P</em>&lt;0.0001, very low-certainty evidence). In terms of the secondary outcomes, the results indicated that CHM adjuvant therapy significantly reduced the endometrial thickness (MD -2.03, 95 % CI -2.52 to -1.53, <em>P</em> &lt; 0.00001, very low-certainty evidence), the serum CA125 level (MD -7.58, 95 % CI -10.11 to -5.05, <em>P</em> &lt; 0.00001, low-certainty evidence), and the uterine volume (MD -10.23, 95 % CI -15.06 to -5.04, <em>P</em> &lt; 0.0001, low-certainty evidence). Furthermore, the combination group exhibited a lower incidence of adverse events than the LNG-IUS monotherapy group (RR 0.53, 95 % CI 0.45 to 0.63, <em>P</em>&lt;0.00001, low-certainty evidence).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>CHM combined with LNG-IUS may enhance additional therapeutic outcomes and reduce adverse events in patients with adenomyosis. However, given the methodological limitations and considerable heterogeneity across the included trials, these findings should be interpreted with caution.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11932,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Integrative Medicine","volume":"81 ","pages":"Article 102588"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145681590","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Stakeholder preferences for traditional Chinese medicine services: A systematic review of discrete choice experiments in integrative healthcare","authors":"Meiyu Zhu ,&nbsp;Daiying Wu ,&nbsp;Xiaoting Sun ,&nbsp;Tongyu Zhang ,&nbsp;Chunmei Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102592","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102592","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is increasingly being integrated into modern healthcare systems worldwide. Understanding stakeholder preferences for TCM services is essential for developing culturally appropriate, patient-centered models of integrative care. This systematic review aims to synthesize and assess evidence from discrete choice experiments (DCEs) to reveal stakeholder preferences for TCM services.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A systematic literature review was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL, PsycINFO, CNKI, Wanfang, and SinoMed databases up to December 2024. Studies were included if they used DCE methodology to examine stakeholder preferences for TCM services among patients, healthcare providers, or the general population. Non-empirical articles and reviews were excluded. Two reviewers independently conducted the screening, data extraction, and quality appraisal. Data were synthesized narratively, and semi-quantitative analyses were used to evaluate the frequency, importance, and significance of each attribute. The review protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD420250632293).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A total of 23 studies were included. Attributes were primarily identified through literature review and expert consultation. Service cost and service convenience were the most frequently examined attributes. Among the 124 identified attributes, 87.1 % were statistically significant. Service experience, therapeutic effects, and service model were most often ranked as the most important attributes. Willingness-to-pay (WTP) varied considerably, with the highest values observed for service experience.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Stakeholders place considerable value on cost, convenience, and service quality when choosing TCM services. These findings provide important evidence to support the development of personalized, patient-centered TCM service models and inform health policy and practice to enhance the accessibility and acceptance of TCM.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11932,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Integrative Medicine","volume":"81 ","pages":"Article 102592"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145836857","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}