Evid Based Compl Alt
-
Evid Based Compl Alt · Jan 2015
The Effects of Guided Imagery on Patients Being Weaned from Mechanical Ventilation.
The study purpose was to assess the effects of guided imagery on sedation levels, sedative and analgesic volume consumption, and physiological responses of patients being weaned from mechanical ventilation. Forty-two patients were selected from two community acute care hospitals. One hospital served as the comparison group and provided routine care (no intervention) while the other hospital provided the guided imagery intervention. ⋯ During the second session, oxygen saturation levels significantly improved compared to the comparison group. Guided imagery group had 4.88 less days requiring mechanical ventilation and 1.4 reduction in hospital length of stay compared to the comparison group. Guided imagery may be complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) intervention to provide during mechanical ventilation weaning trials.
-
Evid Based Compl Alt · Jan 2015
Sympathetic Arousal during a Touch-Based Healing Ritual Predicts Increased Well-Being.
Objective. There is mounting evidence that more elaborate treatment rituals trigger larger nonspecific effects. The reasons for this remain unclear. ⋯ Conclusion. Higher sympathetic arousal during a touch-based healing ritual predicted improvements in subjective well-being. Results suggest the occurrence of an anticipatory stress response, that is, a state of enhanced sympathetic activity that is known to precede relaxation.
-
Evid Based Compl Alt · Jan 2015
Regulation of Neurotrophin-3 and Interleukin-1β and Inhibition of Spinal Glial Activation Contribute to the Analgesic Effect of Electroacupuncture in Chronic Neuropathic Pain States of Rats.
Growing evidence indicates that neurotrophin-3, interleukin-1β, and spinal glia are involved in neuropathic pain derived from dorsal root ganglia to spinal cord. Electroacupuncture is widely accepted to treat chronic pain, but the precise mechanism underlying the analgesic effect of EA has not been fully demonstrated. In this study, the mechanical withdrawal threshold and thermal withdrawal latency were recorded. ⋯ Furtherly, we found that EA upregulates the expression of NT-3 in DRG and spinal cord of CCI rats, while EA downregulates the expression of IL-1β. Additionally, immunofluorescence exhibited that CCI-induced activation of microglia and astrocytes was inhibited significantly by EA treatment. These results demonstrated that the analgesic effect of EA may be achieved through promoting the neural protection of NT-3 as well as the inhibition of IL-1β production and spinal glial activity.
-
Evid Based Compl Alt · Jan 2015
Progressive muscle relaxation improves anxiety and depression of pulmonary arterial hypertension patients.
We explored the effects of progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) on anxiety, depression, and quality of life (QOL) in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). One hundred and thirty Han Chinese patients with PAH were randomly assigned to a PMR group (n = 65) and a control group (n = 65). In a 12-week study duration, the PMR group received hospital-based group and in-home PMR practice, while the control group received hospital-based mild group stretching and balance exercises. ⋯ Moreover, the PMR group showed significant improvement in all QOL mental health domains (P < 0.05) but not the physical health domains. In contrast, the control group showed no significant improvement in any QOL domain. In conclusion, this study suggests that PMR practice is effective in improving anxiety, depression, and the mental health components of QOL in patients with PAH.
-
Evid Based Compl Alt · Jan 2015
Adenosine A2A Receptors Mediate Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Electroacupuncture on Synovitis in Mice with Collagen-Induced Arthritis.
To study the role of adenosine A2A receptor (A2AR) in mediating the anti-inflammatory effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on synovitis in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA), C57BL/6 mice were divided into five treatment groups: Sham-control, CIA-control, CIA-EA, CIA-SCH58261 (A2AR antagonist), and CIA-EA-SCH58261. All mice except those in the Sham-control group were immunized with collagen II for arthritis induction. EA treatment was administered using the stomach 36 and spleen 6 points, and stimulated with a continuous rectangular wave for 30 min daily. ⋯ EA treatment resulted in significantly reduced pathological scores, TNF-α concentrations, and bone damage X-ray scores. Importantly, the anti-inflammatory and tissue-protective effect of EA treatment was reversed by coadministration of SCH58261. Thus, EA treatment exerts an anti-inflammatory effect resulting in significant protection of cartilage by activation of A2AR in the synovial tissue of CIA.