Integrative Medicine Research最新文献

{"title":"Herbal extract (Cervus elaphus Linnaeus, Angelica gigas Nakai, and Astragalus membranaceus Bunge) ameliorates chronic fatigue: A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.imr.2024.101085","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.imr.2024.101085","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) reduces the health-related quality of life in the working-age population; however, studies have rarely investigated this group. A mixture of Cervus elaphus Linnaeus, Angelica gigas Nakai, and Astragalus membranaceus Bunge (CAA) may be an effective anti-fatigue supplement. However, few clinical trials have explored the anti-fatigue effects of herbal medicines in human participants. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of the CAA herbal complex on muscle fatigue and endurance capacity in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>In an 8-week trial, 80 patients with chronic fatigue symptoms were randomly assigned to the CAA (43.5 ± 1.2 years) or placebo group (41.8 ± 1.3 years). Fatigue and cardiorespiratory endurance were measured at baseline, interim, and post-intervention. Fatigue-related blood biomarkers were assessed before and at the end of the intervention.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A significant improvement in overall fatigue scores was observed on the fatigue severity scale (<em>p</em> = 0.038), multidimensional fatigue inventory (<em>p</em> = 0.037), and 24-hour visual analog scale (<em>p</em> = 0.002) in the CAA group compared to those in the placebo group. Fatigue improvement was observed in the CAA group, as well as physiological variables, such as increased maximal exercise time to exhaustion (<em>p</em> = 0.003), distance until exhaustion (<em>p</em> = 0.003), and maximum oxygen consumption (<em>p</em> = 0.039).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>CAA positively and significantly affected fatigue and cardiorespiratory endurance in patients with chronic fatigue, suggesting the potential use of herbal supplements for treating chronic fatigue.</div></div><div><h3>Trial registration</h3><div>Clinical Research Information Service (CRIS, <span><span>https://cris.nih.go.kr/</span><svg><path></path></svg></span>): KCT0005613.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13644,"journal":{"name":"Integrative Medicine Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142326901","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Acupuncture treatment is associated with a decreased risk of dementia in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in Taiwan: A propensity-score matched cohort study","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.imr.2024.101086","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.imr.2024.101086","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>The purpose of this study was to understand whether acupuncture can decrease the risk of dementia in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Using the registry from the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan, we carried out a 1:1 propensity-score matched cohort study to analyze patients with RA diagnosed between 2000 and 2010. The patients who received acupuncture therapy were grouped as acupuncture users (<em>n</em> = 9,919), while the others were grouped as non-acupuncture users (<em>n</em> = 19,331). After propensity-score matching, the final sample included 9,218 matched participants in both groups, and these participants were followed up until the end of 2011. We used a Cox regression model to adjust for age, sex, comorbidiy, and conventional drugs and compared the hazard ratios (HRs) of developing dementia in the acupuncture and non-acupuncture groups.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Acupuncture users tended to be more female-dominant and younger than non-acupuncture users. After propensity-score matching, both groups have comparable demographic characteristics. Acupuncture users had a lower risk of dementia than non-acupuncture users (adjusted HR: 0.55, 95% CI: 0.46–0.66). The cumulative incidence of dementia in the acupuncture group was significantly lower than that in the non-acupuncture group (log-rank test, <em>p</em> &lt; 0.001). Patients who received the combinational treatment of conventional drugs and acupuncture had a significantly lower risk of developing dementia (adjusted HR: 0.64, 95% CI: 0.56–0.73) compared to those who only received conventional drugs.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Acupuncture therapy is associated with a reduced risk of dementia in patients with RA. Further clinical and mechanistic studies are needed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13644,"journal":{"name":"Integrative Medicine Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142326902","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Long-term follow-up of the treatment for severe COVID-19 with qigong exercise and acupressure: A randomized controlled trial","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.imr.2024.101084","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.imr.2024.101084","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Most clinical trials have reported significant short-term effects of traditional medicine therapies on COVID-19 patients. However, there is no clinical trial to determine the long-term effects of traditional medicine therapies on severe COVID-19 patients.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A total of 128 patients with severe COVID-19, who were recruited in our previous clinical trial following hospital discharge, were monitored at months 14 and 28. This trial aims to evaluate the long-term effect of an early Qigong exercise and acupressure rehabilitation program on patients with severe COVID-19.The intervention group received qigong exercise and acupressure therapy, plus standard therapies. The control group received standard therapies.The study was a single-center, parallel, randomized, prospective follow-up study. The outcomes of the study included changes in the modified Borg dyspnea scale (MBS), the modified Medical Research Council dyspnea scale (mMRC), the patient health questionnaire-9 scale (PHQ-9), the activity of daily living (ADL), the remaining clinical symptoms and any intervention related adverse events.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The intervention group showed a statistically significant improvement in the mMRC scores (−0.4, 95 % CI (−0.6, 0.2), <em>P</em> &lt; 0.001) and the MBS scores (−0.6, 95 % CI (−0.9, −0.3), <em>P</em> &lt; 0.001) after 14 months of discharge compared with the control group. At 28 months of discharge, the intervention group, compared with the control group alone, significantly increased their MBS scores (−0.4, 95 % CI (−0.7, −0.1), <em>P</em> = 0.024) and a significantly decreased positive rate of dyspnea symptoms after 14 months of discharge (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). However, ADL and PHQ-9 scores showed no significant difference between the two groups during the follow-up (<em>P</em> &gt; 0.05).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>QARP had long-term sustained efficacy for dyspnea, chest tightness, and cough in patients with COVID-19, especially in young and middle-aged patients, and the effect was significant at the 14th month of follow-up.</div></div><div><h3>Trial registration</h3><div>This trial was registered at the China Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2100044572).</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13644,"journal":{"name":"Integrative Medicine Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142326899","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Protective effect of Korean red ginseng water extract on levothyroxine-induced hyperthyroidism and propylthiouracil-induced hypothyroidism in rats","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.imr.2024.101071","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.imr.2024.101071","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Korean red ginseng extract (KRGE) (Family: Araliaceae) is one of the most widely used traditional herbs in Asia. Multiple studies have shown that KRGE has anti-inflammation, anti-fatigue, anti-obesity, anti-oxidant, and anti-cancer effects.</p></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><p>Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into five groups for PTU-induced hypothyroidism and six groups for LT4-induced hyperthyroidism. At the experiment's conclusion, rats were sacrificed, and blood, thyroid gland, and liver samples were collected. Body weight was recorded weekly, and serum hormone levels were assessed using enzyme-linked immunoassay. Thyroid gland and liver tissues were stained with hematoxylin and eosin. KRGE was prepared in 0.5% CMC and stored at 4 °C before administration.</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p>In the LT4-induced hyperthyroidism model, KRGE prevented decreases in body weight, thyroid gland weight, liver weight, serum glucose, and thyroid hormone levels compared to the PTU group. It also reduced increases in T3, T4, and serum aspartate aminotransferase levels after LT4 treatment. Additionally, KRGE improved thyroid gland and liver histopathology, effects not observed in the PTU-induced hypothyroidism model.</p></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>All things considered, our research points to KRGE's potential protective role in rat hyperthyroidism caused by LT4 by lowering thyroid hormone production.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":13644,"journal":{"name":"Integrative Medicine Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-08-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213422024000519/pdfft?md5=2bfff62d3c3349791481879f924ce4c5&pid=1-s2.0-S2213422024000519-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142041145","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An evidence map on traditional medicine across health outcomes","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.imr.2024.101070","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.imr.2024.101070","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Traditional medicine (TM) plays a significant role in healthcare either as part of the primary healthcare system or as an adjunct to conventional medicine. This study aimed to map systematic reviews (SRs) of TM modalities across health conditions and identify gaps in the research literature to facilitate priority setting in future TM research.</p></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><p>We searched 17 databases from January 2018 to December 2022. Reviewers in pairs independently performed the database search, screened each record for inclusion, extracted data, and performed quality assessments using the AMSTAR 2 - A Measurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews. To be included in this evidence map, the studies had to be SRs of clinical studies that evaluated the effectiveness of a TM modalities. The included SRs were analyzed according to TM modality, ICD-11 disease classification, and health outcomes, and visualized using graphical plots.</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p>We retrieved 241,509 records. After excluding duplicate records, 181,616 titles and abstracts were screened and 20,856 records were selected for full-text assessment, of which 18,137 records were further excluded. The final 2719 included SRs were primarily in adults (2591) with only 128 SRs in the pediatric population. The most commonly evaluated health conditions were diseases of the digestive system, circulatory system, and genitourinary system, with herbal medicine (<em>n</em> = 1867) and acupuncture (<em>n</em> = 471) being the most investigated TM modalities in treating these illnesses. Based on AMSTAR 2 criteria, the methodology quality of the included SRs is considerably low.</p></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>This evidence map provides a comprehensive overview of the extent and nature of the available research onTM modalities across health conditions. It provides an initial step towards characterizing the global evidence base and outlining gaps in the existing evidence. We regard this study as laying the basis for future research of TM modalities.</p></div><div><h3>Registration</h3><p>The protocol of this map is registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023416355).</p></div>","PeriodicalId":13644,"journal":{"name":"Integrative Medicine Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-07-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213422024000507/pdfft?md5=518b76b750cade7567feca3f20cd4ec2&pid=1-s2.0-S2213422024000507-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141847749","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effectiveness and safety of Liriope Tuber (Liriopis seu Ophiopogonis Tuber, Maidong) included traditional herbal medicine for patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: A systematic review, meta-analysis, and network analysis","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.imr.2024.101069","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.imr.2024.101069","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Conventional medicine (CM) for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) have limitations and side effects. Integrative approaches, including traditional herbal medicines like Liriope Tuber, are being explored for potential benefits, although evidence remains limited.</p></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><p>In April 2023, a literature search was conducted across nine databases, focusing on randomized controlled trials assessing the effects of Liriope Tuber in traditional herbal medicine (LTHM) on PAF. The risk of bias was evaluated using Version 2 of the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials. A random-effects model was employed for the meta-analysis.</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p>A total of 43 studies with 3,743 participants were included. The meta-analysis indicated that adding LTHM to CM reduced PAF frequency (SMD = -0.99, 95 % CI = -1.40 to -0.57, I² = 88 %, <em>N</em> = 16, <em>n</em> = 1266), left atrium diameter (LAD) (MD = -2.39 mm, 95 % CI = -3.09 to -1.68), P-wave dispersion (Pd) (MD = -6.41 ms, 95 % CI = -8.44 to -4.37), high sensitive C-Reactive Protein (hs-CRP) (MD = -1.10 mg/l, 95 % CI = -1.73 to -0.47), and improved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (MD = 4.71 %, 95 % CI = 3.17 to 6.25). Thirty-four studies raised concerns about bias, with eight showing high risk. Certainty of evidence was rated as \"low\" for PAF frequency, LAD, Pd, hs-CRP, and LVEF.</p></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>LTHM combined with CM may reduce PAF frequency. However, due to the complexity of interventions, with Liriope Tuber being only one component of the regimen, high risk of bias, substantial heterogeneity, and indirectness, interpretations should be cautious.</p></div><div><h3>Study registration</h3><p>PROSPERO (ID: CRD42023477926).</p></div>","PeriodicalId":13644,"journal":{"name":"Integrative Medicine Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213422024000490/pdfft?md5=237ae2a70db6069739ef94df9cad506b&pid=1-s2.0-S2213422024000490-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141840926","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"How can meta-research be used to evaluate and improve the quality of research in the field of traditional, complementary, and integrative medicine?","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.imr.2024.101068","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.imr.2024.101068","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The field of traditional, complementary, and integrative medicine (TCIM) has garnered increasing attention due to its holistic approach to health and well-being. While the quantity of published research about TCIM has increased exponentially, critics have argued that the field faces challenges related to methodological rigour, reproducibility, and overall quality. This article proposes meta-research as one approach to evaluating and improving the quality of TCIM research. Meta-research, also known as research about research, can be defined as “the study of research itself: its methods, reporting, reproducibility, evaluation, and incentives”. By systematically evaluating methodological rigour, identifying biases, and promoting transparency, meta-research can enhance the reliability and credibility of TCIM research. Specific topics of interest that are discussed in this article include the following: 1) study design and research methodology, 2) reporting of research, 3) research ethics, integrity, and misconduct, 4) replicability and reproducibility, 5) peer review and journal editorial practices, 6) research funding: grants and awards, and 7) hiring, promotion, and tenure. For each topic, we provide case examples to illustrate meta-research applications in TCIM. We argue that meta-research initiatives can contribute to maintaining public trust, safeguarding research integrity, and advancing evidence based TCIM practice, while challenges include navigating methodological complexities, biases, and disparities in funding and academic recognition. Future directions involve tailored research methodologies, interdisciplinary collaboration, policy implications, and capacity building in meta-research.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":13644,"journal":{"name":"Integrative Medicine Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-07-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213422024000489/pdfft?md5=e2ce1be4e96401768586ec31def6af2c&pid=1-s2.0-S2213422024000489-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141714803","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A practical guide to implementing artificial intelligence in traditional East Asian medicine research","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.imr.2024.101067","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.imr.2024.101067","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>In this paper, we present a comprehensive guide for implementing artificial intelligence (AI) techniques in traditional East Asian medicine (TEAM) research. We cover essential aspects of the AI model development pipeline, including research objective establishment, data collection and preprocessing, model selection, evaluation, and interpretation. The unique considerations in applying AI to TEAM datasets, such as data scarcity, imbalance, and model interpretability, are discussed. We provide practical tips and recommendations based on best practices and our own experience. The potential of large language models in TEAM research is also highlighted. Finally, we discuss the challenges and future directions of AI application in TEAM, emphasizing the need for standardized data collection and sharing platforms.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":13644,"journal":{"name":"Integrative Medicine Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213422024000477/pdfft?md5=9c38cb96d3ef0d68d7cfe03c59026a48&pid=1-s2.0-S2213422024000477-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141693547","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Herbal medicine Oryeongsan (Wulingsan): Cardio-renal effects via modulation of renin-angiotensin system and atrial natriuretic peptide system","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.imr.2024.101066","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.imr.2024.101066","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Oryeongsan (Wulingsan, Goreisan) has long been used for the treatment of impaired body fluid metabolism. However, the action mechanisms have not been clearly defined. Recently, effects of Oryeongsan on the body fluid and Na⁺ metabolism and the action mechanisms have been shown more clearly. The present review focuses on the recent findings on the effects of Oryeongsan in the cardio-renal system in relation with body fluid metabolism and action mechanisms leading to a decrease in blood pressure in animal models of hypertension.</p></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><p>The new and recent findings were searched by using searching systems including PubMed-NCBI and Google-Scholar.</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p>Oryeongsan induced an increase in glomerular filtration rate, and natriuresis and diuresis with a decreased osmolality and resulted in a contraction of the body fluid and Na⁺ balance. These findings were associated with a suppression of abundance of Na⁺-<em>H</em>⁺-exchanger isoform 3 expression and V₂ receptor/aquaporin2 water channel signaling pathway in the kidney. Further, treatment with Oryeongsan accentuated atrial natriuretic peptide secretion in the atria from spontaneously hypertensive rats in which the secretion was suppressed. In addition, Oryeongsan ameliorated impaired vasodilation in spontaneously hypertensive rats.</p></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>The effects of Oryeongsan in the kidney, atria, and vessel were accompanied by a suppression of AT₁ receptor and concurrent accentuation of abundance of AT₂/Mas receptors expression and modulation of the natriuretic peptide system in these organs from hypertensive rats. The review shows multiple sites of action of Oryeongsan and mechanisms involved in the regulation of volume and pressure homeostasis in the body.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":13644,"journal":{"name":"Integrative Medicine Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-06-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213422024000465/pdfft?md5=51720198071e538962214f187cfb01b6&pid=1-s2.0-S2213422024000465-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141997956","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Pharmacopuncture therapy for adhesive capsulitis: A pragmatic randomized controlled pilot study","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.imr.2024.101065","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.imr.2024.101065","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Although several studies have reported the effectiveness of acupuncture treatment for adhesive capsulitis (AC), research on pharmacopuncture therapy for AC remains limited. We compared the effectiveness and safety of pharmacopuncture and physiotherapy for AC.</p></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><p>This pragmatic, randomized, controlled, parallel-group pilot study enrolled patients with limitations of shoulder movement and a numeric rating scale (NRS) score for shoulder pain ≥5 randomized (1:1) to the pharmacopuncture therapy (PPT) and physiotherapy (PT) groups. Treatment sessions were administered twice weekly for 6 weeks, and the participants were followed up for 13 weeks after randomization. The primary outcome was the NRS score for shoulder pain, and the secondary outcomes were the visual analog scale (VAS), Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI), range of motion (ROM), patient global impression of change (PGIC), EuroQol 5-Dimension 5-Level (EQ-5D-5L), and Short Form 12 Health Survey (SF-12) scores. The intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis was set as the primary analysis.</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p>Among 50 participants, for the primary endpoint (week 7) the PPT group showed a significantly superior improvement in NRS, VAS, SPADI, ROM for flexion, ROM for abduction, and EQ-5D-5L scores. The ROM for extension, ROM for adduction, physical component summary, and patient global impression of change were significantly better in the PPT than in the PT group, and these effects were sustained until week 13.</p></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>In this pilot study, PPT showed better effects than PT, confirming the feasibility of a follow-up main study.</p></div><div><h3>Trial registration</h3><p>Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT05292482) and cris.nih.go.kr (KCT0007198).</p></div>","PeriodicalId":13644,"journal":{"name":"Integrative Medicine Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-06-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213422024000453/pdfft?md5=1f32ced5c03609af2391cdf46baaf036&pid=1-s2.0-S2213422024000453-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141932728","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}