Integrative medicine research
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Complementary and integrative medicine (CIM) use is widely sought by those diagnosed with cancer, with up to 50% of lung cancer patients seeking these therapies in the United States. The purpose of this study was to identify the quantity and assess the quality of CIM recommendations in clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for the treatment and/or management of lung cancer. ⋯ Guidelines that scored well could serve as a framework for discussion between patients and healthcare professionals regarding use of CIM therapies in the context of lung cancer. Guidelines that scored lower could be improved according to the AGREE II instrument, with insight from other guidelines development resources.
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Traditional medicine structures such as Persian medicine (PM) are deeply rooted in the global health system. These modalities, if applied correctly, could help health systems overcome situations such as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. However, the mismanagement of such traditional structures results in fear, stress, anxiety, and risky behavior among society. The current study aimed to assess the penetration of the recommendations and rumors related to PM during the COVID-19 pandemic and the relationships of these recommendations and rumors with related health factors. ⋯ The use of PM might be beneficial in the management of the COVID-19 pandemic provided that a revolution occurs in data sharing. Various approaches should be considered in the management of traditional medicine modalities such as PM during disease outbreaks to help overcome the current dilemma.
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Review
Herbal medicine and pattern identification for treating COVID-19: a rapid review of guidelines.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is pandemic and has caused illness to many people worldwide. This review aimed to summarize and analyze the herbal formulae provided by the guidelines for their pattern identifications (PIs) and compositions of herbs to treat patients with COVID-19. ⋯ This review can be used as guidance for the traditional medicine treatment of COVID-19. Clinical evidence is needed in the future to evaluate the efficacy of traditional medicine.
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Review
The Effects of Tai Chi Mind-Body Approach on the Mechanisms of Gulf War Illness: an Umbrella Review.
Gulf War illness (GWI) is a chronic and multisymptom disorder affecting military veterans deployed to the 1991 Persian Gulf War. It is characterized by a range of acute and chronic symptoms, including but not limited to, fatigue, sleep disturbances, psychological problems, cognitive deficits, widespread pain, and respiratory and gastrointestinal difficulties. The prevalence of many of these chronic symptoms affecting Gulf War veterans occur at markedly elevated rates compared to nondeployed contemporary veterans. ⋯ Based on the most prevalent GWI chronic symptoms and case definitions established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Kansas Gulf War Veterans Health Initiative Program, we reviewed and summarized the evidence from 7 published systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Our findings suggest that Tai Chi may have the potential for distinct therapeutic benefits on the major prevalent symptoms of GWI. Future clinical trials are warranted to examine the feasibility, efficacy, durability and potential mechanisms of Tai Chi for improving health outcomes and relieving symptomology in GWI.
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The impact of chronic low back pain (CLBP) is disproportionally higher in rural Nigeria than in urban areas but lack access to rehabilitation. While exercise and education are commonly advocated interventions for the rehabilitation of CLBP, there is a paucity of community-based randomized clinical trials assessing their benefits among adults with CLBP in rural Nigeria. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of motor control exercise (MCE) and patient education (PE) in the management of CLBP among community-dwelling adults in rural Nigeria. ⋯ This will be the first community-based trial to assess the benefits of exercise and education in the management of CLBP among adults in rural Nigeria. The study may provide a relatively inexpensive, assessable, and effective alternative intervention for reducing CLBP disability in a low-resource rural Nigerian community. Trial registration:This study is registered at ClinicalTrial.gov and the trial registration number is NCT03393104.