Complementary therapies in medicine
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Complement Ther Med · Dec 2014
Randomized Controlled TrialA randomized clinical trial of the efficacy of applying a simple protocol of boiled Anethum Graveolens seeds on pain intensity and duration of labor stages.
This study aimed to test the effects of boiled Anethum Graveolens seeds on pain intensity and duration of labor stages. ⋯ Results supported the boiled Anethum Graveolens seeds as an effective way to progress of the labor.
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Complement Ther Med · Dec 2014
Effect of gefitinib plus Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: a retrospective case-control study.
Some patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) respond well to the EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor gefitinib. Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) was effective in improving the quality of life and prolonging overall survival in patient with NSCLC. We aim to determine whether gefitinib plus CHM could prolong the progression-free survival (PFS) or median survival time (MST) in patients with NSCLC than gefitinib alone. ⋯ This case-control analysis suggested that treatment with gefitinib plus CHM prolonged PFS and MST compared with gefitinib in patients with NSCLC, and it is worthy of further study.
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Complement Ther Med · Oct 2014
Randomized Controlled Trial"I assumed that one was a placebo": exploring the consent process in a sham controlled acupressure trial.
In clinical trials where participants are likely to be able to distinguish between true and sham interventions, informing participants that they may receive a sham intervention increases the likelihood of participants 'breaking the blind' and invalidating trial findings. The present study explored participants' perceptions of the consent process in a sham controlled acupressure trial which did not explicitly indicate participants may receive a sham intervention. ⋯ Many trials of acupuncture and acupressure do not inform participants they may receive a sham intervention. The current study indicates patients' perceive this approach to the consent process as acceptable. However, the fact participants assume one treatment may be placebo threatens the methodological basis for utilising this approach to the consent process.
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Complement Ther Med · Oct 2014
Randomized Controlled TrialLipid-modifying effects of adjunctive therapy with curcuminoids-piperine combination in patients with metabolic syndrome: results of a randomized controlled trial.
Dyslipidemia is an established feature of metabolic syndrome (MS) that is associated with an increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Curcuminoids are natural products with anti-atherosclerotic and lipid-modifying effects but their efficacy in patients with MS has not yet been tested. ⋯ Curcuminoids-piperine combination is an efficacious adjunctive therapy in patients with MS and can modify serum lipid concentrations beyond what is achieved with standard of care.
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Complement Ther Med · Aug 2014
Review Meta AnalysisThe efficacy and safety of Chinese herbal medicine, Rhodiola formulation in treating ischemic heart disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Rhodiola formulation is widely used in treating ischemic heart disease (IHD), angina pectoris in China. A number of clinical studies have reported and claimed that Rhodiola formulation can relieve the symptoms of IHD. This study provides the first Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews (PRISMA)-compliant systematic review to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Rhodiola formulation in treating ischemic heart disease either as a sole agent or in combination with routine western medicine (RWM). ⋯ Rhodiola formulations may have a positive effect on treating IHD alone and in combination with RWM. However, poor quality of methodology and heterogeneity of the included trials means that larger sample size, multi-center, placebo-controlled, double blind studies are needed.