European Journal of Integrative Medicine最新文献

{"title":"Effect of emotional freedom techniques on anxiety, surgical fear and birth perception in planned caesareans: A randomised controlled trial","authors":"Esra Karatas Okyay ,&nbsp;Sinem Guven Santur ,&nbsp;Zeliha Özsahin ,&nbsp;Yeşim Aksoy Derya","doi":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102584","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102584","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>The aim of this study was to determine the effect of emotional freedom techniques (EFT) applied before cesarean section on anxiety, surgical fear and perception of traumatic birth.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>This randomized controlled trial was conducted with 106 pregnant women (53 EFT, 53 control) at the pregnancy outpatient clinic of a public hospital in eastern Türkiye who were going to give birth by planned cesarean section. Personal Information Form, State Anxiety Inventory (STAI-I), Surgical Fear Scale (SFQ), Traumatic Birth Perception Scale (TBPS) and Subjective Experiences Scale (SUE) were used to obtain the data. Pregnant women in the experimental group received two EFT sessions one week apart, from the researchers. The control group did not receive any intervention. Descriptive statistics, Pearson chi-square test, t-test for dependent and independent groups, ANCOVA and repeated measures analysis of variance were used to analyze the data.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>It was determined that the mean scores of the pregnant women in the experimental and control groups who would give birth by planned cesarean section were similar in the pretest phase (p &gt; 0.05). After the EFT sessions applied to the pregnant women in the experimental group, it was found that the mean total scores of STAI-I, SFQ, and TBPS were statistically significantly lower and the mean SUE score was higher than the control group (p &lt; 0.05).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>It was determined that EFT applied to pregnant women who will give birth by planned cesarean section decreased state anxiety, surgical fear and traumatic birth perception.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11932,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Integrative Medicine","volume":"81 ","pages":"Article 102584"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145681591","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":"Impact of acupuncture therapy on pregnancy outcome of patients with the first frozen-thawed embryo transfer: A retrospective cohort study","authors":"Shu-Yuan Chen ,&nbsp;Yu-Quan Mao ,&nbsp;Yang-Ying Xu ,&nbsp;Duan Li ,&nbsp;Shan-Shan Li ,&nbsp;Miao Huang ,&nbsp;Yu-Jie Li ,&nbsp;Xue-Yu Wang ,&nbsp;Yu-Peng Jia ,&nbsp;Xiao-Wen Liu ,&nbsp;Cui-Fang Hao ,&nbsp;Xin Du","doi":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102601","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102601","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Acupuncture therapy has been widely used as a complementary and alternative treatment for frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) procedures in clinical practice worldwide. Herein, we aimed to evaluate the impact of acupuncture therapy on the pregnancy outcomes in patients undergoing their first FET and to identify the population most responsive to acupuncture.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This retrospective cohort analysis included clinical data from 2830 patients who underwent their first cycle of FET at the Reproductive Medicine Center of Women and Children's Hospital, affiliated with Qingdao University, from March 2021 to March 2024. Patients were divided into a control group undergoing routine FET without acupuncture (<em>n</em> = 1085) and an acupuncture group receiving routine FET plus acupuncture performed before and after the transfer day (<em>n</em> = 1745). Generalized linear and binary logistic regression models were used to analyze and adjust for potential confounding factors to evaluate the effect of acupuncture on pregnancy outcomes between the two groups.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The clinical pregnancy rate and implantation rate in the acupuncture group were higher than those in the control group (54.56 % vs. 48.85 %; adjusted odds ratios [aOR]=1.184, 95 % confidence interval [CI] = 1.011–1.387; <em>p</em> = 0.036; and 43.59 % vs. 39.17 %; aOR=0.034, 95 %CI=1.011–1.387; <em>p</em> = 0.045). There was no significant difference in the biochemical pregnancy rate, miscarriage rate, or live birth rate between the two groups (all <em>p</em> &gt; 0.05). Stratified analysis showed that acupuncture increased the likelihood of clinical pregnancy (aOR=1.225, 95 %CI=1.001–1.499; <em>p</em> = 0.048) in women &lt;35 years, but had no effect in women ≥35 years. Acupuncture was associated with a higher implantation rate (aOR=1.053, 95 %CI=1.013–1.095; <em>p</em> = 0.009), clinical pregnancy (aOR=1.256, 95 %CI=1.054–1.496; <em>p</em> = 0.011), and biochemical pregnancy (aOR=1.229, 95 %CI=1.025–1.473; <em>p</em> = 0.026) in women with normal ovarian reserve function, but showed no significant effect in those with decreased ovarian reserve function.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Acupuncture therapy can improve the implantation rate and clinical pregnancy rate in the first cycle of FET, and appears more beneficial in women &lt;35 years and those with normal ovarian reserve function, without associated adverse effects, indicating high safety. Nonetheless, more high-quality multicenter prospective randomized controlled trials are needed to further confirm these findings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11932,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Integrative Medicine","volume":"81 ","pages":"Article 102601"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145836856","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":"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}