• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.93-112
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• 2017

Objectives : To evaluate and summarize the efficacy and safety of acupuncture treatment (AT) in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Methods : Fifteen databases (Pubmed, Cochrane, EMBASE, AMED, CINAHL, CNKI, Wanfang, and eight Korean databases) were searched up to September 2016. Only trials in which acupuncture was the sole treatment were included. Fatigue was used as the primary outcome measure, while the quality of life, pain, mood disorders, and adverse events were used as secondary outcome measures. We adopted three classifications: AT vs Sham AT, AT vs Wait-list, AT vs Western medication. The Cochrane risk of bias tool was used to assess the methodological quality. Results : A total of 11 randomized controlled trials involving 869 participants were identified. In comparison with Sham AT, AT significantly alleviated fatigue and pain, but no conclusions about the quality of life and mood disorders could be drawn. In the Wait-list group and Western medication groups, patients with CFS might feel less fatigued following acupuncture treatment, but the evidence was insufficient due to lack of study. Nine of 11 RCTs (81.8%) reported adverse events and there were two cases of mild subcutaneous hemorrhage, but no serious adverse cases. Conclusion : This review found evidence that patients with CFS may generally benefit from alleviation of symptoms by acupuncture treatment, and there is no evidence of worsening symptoms or causing of serious adverse events. A positive effect on fatigue and pain was observed, but no conclusion for improving quality of life and mood disorders.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.52-68
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• 2020

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to investigate the weight loss effects of auricular acupuncture in obese patients. Methods: Six databases (Research Information Sharing Service [RISS], Korean studies Information Service System [KISS], Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System [OASIS], PubMed, The Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure [CNKI]) were searched up to May 20, 2020. Eight eligible randomized controlled trials were included the present study. The quality of included studies was assessed by the Cochrane risk of bias tool and a meta-analysis was performed by Review Manager software. A meta-analysis was conducted using a random-effects model and a subgroup analysis was performed to detect the sources of heterogeneity, identify the selection of acupuncture methods and explore its contributions to the weight loss effects. Results: Among 8 trials, 5 trials used auricular acupuncture and 2 trials used auricular acupressure, 1 trial used both types of intervention. Most commonly selected acupoints were Shenmen (TF4) and stomach (CO4). Treatment duration was six to twelve weeks, and total treatment session was six to twelve. Compared to the control groups, auricular acupuncture significantly decreased body weight, body mass index (BMI), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL) and ghrelin. For the selection of acupuncture methods, both methods performed similarly in most outcome except waist circumference (WC), body fat percentage (BFP), and triglycerides (TG). Conclusions: We found that auricular acupuncture can be effective for weight loss and controlling appetite. However, the findings should be interpreted with caution due to heterogeneity. So further vigorous and well-designed studies should be conducted to strengthen the evidence of the use of auricular acupuncture for obesity.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.95-113
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• 2023

Objectives: To review studies evaluating effects of acupuncture on pain and depressive symptoms in fibromyalgia. Methods: Quantitative evidences (RCTs) were systematically reviewed. Literature were searched for a combination of fibromyalgia and depression (The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), EMBASE, medline (via PubMed), Kmbase, KISS, ScienceON, OASIS, CiNii, CNKI). Quantitative research findings were critically appraised by Cochrane risk of bias (RoB) tool and pooled. Meta-analysis was then conducted using Review Manager (RevMan) 5.4. Results: Eighteen studies were selected. American College of Rheumatology (ACR) classification criteria for Fibromyalgia Syndrome was most frequently used as diagnostic criteria for fibromyalgia. As for outcome measurement, Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD), Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and Total Effective Rate (TER) were used most commonly. Meta-analysis of ten studies revealed that both Depression and VAS scores of the Acupuncture+Western Medicine group were significantly lower than those of Western Medicine group (Depression: SMD, -0.94, 95% CI, -1.17 to -0.70; VAS: MD, -1.51, 95% CI, -1.83 to -1.19). Also, TERs of both Acupuncture group and Acupuncture+Western Acupuncture+Western Medicine group were significantly higher than those of the Western Medicine group (OR: 2.38, 95% CI: 1.29 to 4.41; and OR: 7.40, 95% CI: 3.41 to 16.07). There was no significant difference in Depression or VAS score between the Acupuncture Group and the Western Medicine Group. Conclusions: Acupuncture might be an effective option for pain and depressive symptoms of fibromyalgia when it is combined with Western Medicine treatment. For more accurate results, more types of Korean medicine treatment should be conducted.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.387-401
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• 2023

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the preventive effect of herbal medicines on restenosis after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) by reviewing randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Methods: RCTs were searched for herbal medicine treatment after PCI using eight online databases (PubMed, CNKI, Wanfang, J-STAGE, OASIS, ScienceON, KTKP, and KISS). Studies that confirmed restenosis through coronary angiography at follow-up were selected according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The primary outcome was the restenosis rate, and the secondary outcome was the angina recurrence rate. Data were extracted from the final selected studies according to the research methodology and then analyzed with Review Manager 5.4.1. Study quality was assessed using Cochrane's risk-of-bias (RoB) tool. Results: Of the 252 papers obtained through the primary search, nine studies that met the selection criteria were finally selected. In these nine studies, herbal medicine combined with western medicine was used for the experimental group, and western medicine treatment was used alone for the control group. The meta-analysis result revealed that the restenosis rate and angina recurrence rate were significantly lower in the experimental group than in the control group (RR=0.34, 95% CI: 0.22-0.53, p<0.00001, I²=0% and RR=0.47, 95% CI: 0.29-0.78, p=0.004, I²=0%, respectively). Furthermore, the quality of studies assessed by Cochrane's RoB was low. Conclusions: This study showed that the combined treatment of herbal medicine and western medicine was effective in preventing restenosis and angina after PCI. As the number of papers included in this study was small, a large number of high-quality clinical studies should be considered in the future.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.52 no.5
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• pp.450-458
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• 2020

The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review of the current published research related to improvement in cognitive function. A systematic search was performed in three bibliographic databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, and EMBASE) using "dementia", "memory", "food", "diet", and "nutrition" as keywords. Meal management intervention, including Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, Mediterranean (Med) diet, Diet Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet, and other studies, was also included in the analysis. Through extensive screening, 21 articles, out of 2101 papers retrieved, were used for the final systematic review. The methodological quality of the randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. These articles recommended vegetables, fruits, whole grains, olive oil, fish, berries, nuts, and beans. In conclusion, this study suggests the potential use of meal management to improve cognitive function.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.27 no.7
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• pp.145-152
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• 2022

Stroke results in balance disorders, these directly affect autonomy and gait ability. The aim of this meta-analysis was to determine the efficacy of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation on balance and gait. We included all randomized controlled trials assessing the efficacy of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation on balance and gait control in patients after stroke. This study was conducted according to the PRISMA guideline. Cochrane library, CINAHL, and PubMed were searched for studies published up to November 2021, and all randomized controlled trails(RCT) assessing PNF therapy were included. This analysis included only RCT. A total of 18 studies were selected from 1091 records obtained from the databases. The meta-analysis was performed using the R project for statistical computing version 4.0.2. The overall intervention effect was middle (standardized mean difference (SMD): 0.56) Additionally, berg balance scale (SMD: 0.48), functional reach test (SMD: 0.51), timed up and go test (SMD: 0.78), 10m walking test (SMD: 0.52), and dynamic gait index (SMD: 0.33) had medium effect sizes. The average Pedro scale was 6.63 out of 18, with a low risk of bias. These findings indicate that PNF is an effective therapy for improving balance gait in stroke patients.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.57-63
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• 2023

Purpose: The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review of randomized controlled studies from 2012 to present that explore the diagnostic accuracy of clinical tests used for diagnosing anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. Methods: Study design: Systematic review. Literature search of the PubMed and Scholar databases was conducted using keywords related to diagnostic accuracy of clinical tests for ACL injury. The PRISMA Guidelines were followed to conduct this study. The Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool was utilized to assess the quality of each included study. Results: As a result, 8 studies were included, and 6 clinical tests used in ACL tears were evaluated for diagnostic accuracy. The pivot shift test was reported as having the highest +LR (29.5) value with a sensitivity of 59% and a specificity of 98%. However, the test with the lowest -LR value was the lever test, and the values were as follows: -LR (0.08), +LR (4.7), specificity (80%), sensitivity (94%). Conclusion: In this study, it was concluded that a single clinical test is not sufficient to determine the presence of ACL injury. Test combinations have a higher diagnostic accuracy than a single test. In this study, the accuracy of the clinical tests was examined without considering the amount of ACL rupture and acute-chronic condition. Further research is required to examine the impact of these two factors on diagnostic accuracy of clinical test.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.3-12
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• 2012

Purpose: Anti-rheumatic agents target common molecular pathways of inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and periodontitis. The purpose of this study was to determine the relative effect of anti-rheumatic agents on the levels of inflammatory biomarkers and periodontal inflammation in RA patients with periodontitis. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted of studies comparing periodontal parameters of inflammation, such as bleeding on probing, and biomarkers of inflammation in RA patients with periodontitis and healthy adults with and without periodontitis. The search included the electronic databases MEDLINE, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and Google Scholar, inclusive through October 2011, with no language restrictions. Hand searches were conducted of the bibliographies of related journals and systematic reviews. Observational and interventional studies assessing the effects of antirheumatic therapy qualified for inclusion. Two reviewers performed independent data extraction and risk-of-bias assessment. Of the 187 identified publications, 13 studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Results: When compared to healthy adults without periodontitis, RA subjects were found to have significantly higher levels of bleeding on probing and limited evidence of higher levels of interleukin-$1{\beta}$ and tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$) in gingival crevicular fluid and saliva. No consistent differences were found in periodontal parameters and inflammatory biomarkers between RA subjects and adults with periodontitis. Studies evaluating the effect of anti-TNF-${\alpha}$ therapy in RA subjects with periodontitis have yielded inconsistent results. Conclusions: There are limited data, however, to suggest that anti-TNF-${\alpha}$ agents can reduce local production of inflammatory cytokines and periodontal inflammation in RA patients with periodontitis.

• The Journal of Churna Manual Medicine for Spine and Nerves
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.1-14
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• 2015

Objectives : To evaluate the evidence supporting the effectiveness of Chuna manual therapy for functional dyspepsia. Methods : We conducted search across the 3 electronic databases (Pubmed, CAJ and Oasis) to find all of randomized controlled clinical trials(RCTs) that used Chuna manual therapy as a treatment for functional dyspepsia. The methodological quality of each RCT was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Results : Thirteen RCTs met our inclusion criteria. The meta-analysis showed positive results for the use of Chuna manual therapy combined with medication treatments in terms of the efficacy rate when compared to medication treatments alone. Positive results were also obtained, in terms of the efficacy rate, when comparing Chuna manual therapy combined with medication plus specific electromagnetic therapy to medication treatments alone. Conclusions : Our systematic review found encouraging but limited evidence of Chuna manual therapy for functional dyspepsia. However, to obtain stronger evidence without the drawbacks of trial design and the quality of studies, we recommend sham-controlled RCTs or comparative effectiveness research to test the effectiveness of Chuna manual therapy.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.29-52
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• 2024

The aim of this review is to consolidate findings from clinical investigations spanning the past decade regarding the impact of acupuncture on Parkinson's disease (PD). The objective is to assess the efficacy of acupuncture as a therapeutic approach to PD, with the intention of informing future clinical practices and advancing the foundation for subsequent research endeavors in this area. A comprehensive literature search was conducted to identify clinical trials exploring the effects of acupuncture on PD between January 2014 and August 2023. Databases search included PubMed, EMBASE, CNKI, OASIS, KISS, KMBASE, RISS, and ScienceON. Quantitative evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was systematically reviewed, and the methodological quality of the included studies was assessed using Cochrane's risk of bias tool. Meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager (RevMan) 5.4.1 software. The systematic review encompassed a total of 38 RCTs involving 2,786 participants. Meta-analysis of 12 studies revealed that individuals treated with a combination of acupuncture and Western medicine exhibited notable improvements compared to those receiving Western medicine alone or sham acupuncture alongside Western medicine. However, the overall quality of the RCTs was deemed low, and no serious adverse events were reported. Across clinical investigations conducted in the past decade, acupuncture appears to hold promise as a complementary treatment for PD patients when administered alongside Western medicine. Nevertheless, this study identifies certain limitations that warrant consideration in future research endeavors. Enhanced emphasis on conducting high-quality RCTs is imperative to comprehensively evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture in managing PD.