• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.71-79
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• 2018

Objectives The aim of this study is to observe the effectiveness of complex Korean medicine treatment applied to the patients with degenerative meniscal tear and the correlation among clinical effectiveness, body mass index (BMI) and Kellgren-Lawrence grade (KL-grade). Methods The study participants were 38 patients who had been diagnosed with degenerative meniscal tear. Participants were classified by BMI, KL-grade and treated with acupuncture, electroacupuncture and pharmacopuncture. Clinical outcomes were assessed using Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC Index) and EuroQol-5 Dimension Index (EQ-5D Index). Results Both NRS and WOMAC scores were significantly reduced after treatment (p<0.001). The EQ-5D for assessing quality of life showed further improvement (p<0.05). A statistically significant correlation was observed between the BMI and NRS, EQ-5D. KL-grade was correlated with WOMAC. Conclusions These results show that complex Korean medicine treatment to the patient with degenerative meniscal tear may be effective as a conservative therapy. Further research is required to confirm the effectiveness of Korean medicine treatment.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.101-115
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• 2019

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to analyze the use of herbal medicine as a treatment method in the case studies on warts in Korea, to identify trends in herbal medicines and herbal prescriptions according to the characteristics of individual patients and to systematically analyze concurrent therapies. Methods : Domestic databases (OASIS, RISS, NDSL, KTKP, KISS, KISTI, KISTI) were used to search for case studies related to the herbal medicine treatment of warts. There was no restriction on the time of publication. A total of 9 papers were selected. Results : A total of 13 prescriptions were presented 23 times in 18 cases. Among them, bojungikgi-tang gamibang(補中益氣湯加減方) was the most frequently prescribed. Gwakhyangjeonggi-san gamibang(藿香正氣散加減方) and Damsoeun-tang gagam were the next most frequently prescribed. 69 herbs were used in a total of 13 prescriptions. Herbs were commonly classified as heat-clearing medicine(淸熱藥), exterior-releasing medicine(解表藥), and tonifying and replenishing medicine(補益藥) in descending order. The herbs used more than 6 times included Coicis Semen(薏苡仁), Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma(甘草) (10 times), Bupleuri Radix(柴胡), and Scutellariae Radix(黃芩) (6 times). Concurrent therapies were performed except for 1 study, and they were acupuncture, moxibustion, pharmacopuncture, external agents, and cupping therapy. Conclusions : This is the first study to analyze the use of herbal medicine as a treatment method for warts in case studies performed in Korea. We hope that this study would give helpful information about the treatment of warts in clinical practices.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.738-745
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• 2021

Objective: This study investigated the efficacy of using Nokyonggunbi-tang and other Korean medical treatments for a patient with consumptive disease and chronic fatigue. Methods: A 59-year-old female patient with fatigue, headache, dizziness, and neck pain due to consumptive disease and chronic fatigue was treated with herbal medicine (Nokyonggunbi-tang), together with acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, cupping, and chuna manual therapy, for 22 days. The treatment effects on the pain were evaluated using the scores for the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), European Quality of Life Five Dimensions (EQ-5d) Scale, Neck Disability Index (NDI), and Numerical Rating Scale (NRS). Results: Following treatment, the patient showed a decrease in the FSS, NDI, and NRS scores and an improvement in the EQ-5d score. Conclusions: Nokyonggunbi-tang and Korean medical treatment significantly improved fatigue symptoms in a patient with no substrate disease.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.119-128
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• 2021

Objectives: This is a five-year survival case report on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with western medicine and traditional Korean medicine. 44-year old man diagnosed NSCLC IIIB in 2015 went through two months' concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) first, however the cancer did not response. After CCRT he began to take intensive integrative therapy including acupuncture, abdominal moxibustion, wild ginseng pharmacopuncture, herbal medicinal product of ginseng, hyperthermia, Thymosin α1, and mega vitamin C injection for 4 years and 9 months. After three months of intensive treatment, the state of cancer changed first to partial response and then complete response. He finally succeeded in five-year survival without any recurrence or complication in 2020, We suggest that integrative approach including traditional Korean medicine can be a meaningful treatment option for nonoperable NSCLC. Further studies with more cases should be performed to establish proper treatment protocol of integrative medicine for lung cancer.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.67-74
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• 2021

Objectives: This case report presents the effects of Korean medicine treatment in a patient with a new daily, persistent headache. Methods: A 58-year-old female patient with a new daily, persistent headache was treated with Yonggakgyodaeyeong-tang and Kyoungbang Chungsanggyuntong-tang granules, acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, and chuna therapy for 68 days. Headache and neck disability were assessed using a numeric rating scale (NRS), the headache impact test-6 (HIT-6), and the neck disability index (NDI). Results: After 68 days of treatment, headache was relieved, as measured by an NRS decrease from 7 to 4. In addition, the HIT score decreased from 30 to 18, and the NDI score decreased from 42 to 20. Conclusion: These results show that a daily, persistent headache can be relieved with Korean medicine treatment. However, additional well-designed studies are required to confirm these findings.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.61-74
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• 2019

Objectives This study aimed to review clinical studies about Korean medicine used in peroneal nerve palsy. Methods In 11 online databases (Earticle, Research Information Sharing Service, Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System, KMbase, Korean Traditional Knowledge Portal, National Digital Science Library, MEDLINE/Pubmed, Ebscohost, Cochrane CENTRAL, EMBASE, China National Knowledge Infrastructure), we searched clinical studies about Korean medicine. Among the studies that we've searched, we excluded the studies that are not related to Korean medicine, case reports, randomized controlled trials and retrospective studies. As a result, 16 case studies and 1 randomized controlled trial are included. Results Total number of patients was 123. In these studies, acupuncture (100%), herbal medicine (58.8%), pharmacopuncture (58.8%), Korean physical therapy (58.8%), moxibustion (41.1%), cupping (41.1%) etc. were used. In acupuncture, GB34 and ST36 were most frequently used. Most of the herbal medicines used in these studies were different. Range of movement were most frequently used in outcome measure. Conclusions In this study, we reviewed studies about Korean medicine used in peroneal nerve palsy. It was difficult to clearly determine which intervention has improved the symptom. In the future, Further clinical studies will be needed to retain the evidence for the treatment of peroneal nerve palsy. And also more randomized controlled clinical trials to prove the efficacy of Korean medicine will be needed.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.254-261
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• 2019

Objective : Miller-Fisher syndrome(MFS) is a type of acute inflammatory polyneuropathy, a disease characterized by abnormal muscle coordination, absence of tendon reflexes, and paralysis of the eye muscle. This study is to report a case of delayed facial palsy and dizziness in Miller-Fisher syndrome, treated with traditional Korean medicine. Methods : A 57-year-old male was diagnosed with Miller-Fisher syndrome accompanied by neurological symptoms such as right facial palsy and dizziness. He received traditional Korean medicine treatment such as acupuncture(including pharmacopuncture, needle embedding therapy, electroacupuncture) and herbal medicine for 17 days. Results : Each neurological symptoms were improved after traditional Korean medicine. In case of facial palsy, House Brackmann Grading System was reduced form grade 3 to grade 2, and Sunnybrook Scale was improved from 39 to 55. Also, other symptoms such as dizziness and headache was also improved. Conclusions : This case report suggests that traditional Korean medicine may have a role in treating neurological symptoms such as facial palsy and dizziness in patient diagnosed with Miller-Fisher syndrome.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.165-172
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• 2019

Background: To suggest potential of Korean medicine treatments as a conservative management for neurogenic claudication and lower extremity weakness due to spinal stenosis. Case Summary: The patient suffered weakness, pain and numbness of the right leg and difficulty walking with diagnosis of spinal stenosis due to herniated lumbar intervertebral disc. Korean medicine treatments, including herbal medicine, acupuncture, pharmacopuncture and Chuna manual therapy were applied. The Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) of pain and numbness in the right leg decreased from 7 to 4, with an increase in strength of the right leg from 60% to 95% compared to the strength of left leg. Walking duration also increased from less than one minute to more than five minutes. Conclusion: Korean medicine treatment may be considered as an effective conservative management for symptoms of spinal stenosis.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.70-88
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• 2019

Objective: This study investigated the trends in pancreatic cancer research on Korean medicine in order to establish a direction for further study. Methods: Pancreatic cancer research on Korean medicine was reviewed using databases such as OASIS, KoreanTK, KISS, RISS, KISTI, and NDSL. The search terms were "pancreatic cancer" "Korean medicine," and "herbal medicine." There was no restriction on publication dates, and the reviewed studies were analyzed according to the type of research. Results: Nineteen studies were reviewed. The numbers and types of research were as follows: 9 clinical studies including case reports, 2 review studies, and 8 in vitro studies; there was no in vivo study. Among the clinical research were 3 descriptive studies and 6 case reports. The baseline characteristics and quality of life of pancreatic cancer patients were analyzed in the descriptive studies. In the case reports, interventions such as herbal medicine, pharmacopuncture, and acupuncture were used. Research articles on the review of pancreatic cancer were titled "Preliminary Study for Development of Korean Medicine Clinical Practice Guideline for Pancreatic Cancer" and "Systemic Review on the Tumor Dormancy Therapy." Cell lines such as PANC-1, MIA PaCa-2, and AsPC-1 were used for in vitro studies. These studies have reported decreased cell viability, induced apoptosis, and changes in cancer-related gene expression. Conclusion: Through this review, we found that using Korean medicine for treating pancreatic cancer is applicable. However, due to overall limited the number of study, the benefit of Korean medicine for pancreatic cancer may be substantiated to a limited degree. Better methodological quality and large controlled trials are expected to further quantify the therapeutic effect of Korean medicine.

• Journal of Acupuncture & Meridian Studies
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.367-374
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• 2018

This study describes the reliability of pragmatic combinations of acupuncture points for lateral epicondylalgia (LE) as prescribed by physiotherapists who were experts in acupuncture. Raters (n = 14; 33-59 years) independently prescribed acupuncture points for 30 simulated human patients with LE who were surveyed via a printed questionnaire. The frequency and cooccurrence of acupuncture points prescribed for patients with lateral epicondylitis were assessed. Absolute agreement and Light's kappa (${\kappa}_{Light}$) with 95% confidence interval (CI) were used to quantify the interrater agreement. Raters prescribed 103 unique acupuncture points in different combinations with a median (min-max) of 5 (0-11) acupuncture points. The most prescribed acupuncture point was LI-11 (297 of 420; 71%), and the most common cooccurring acupuncture points were LI-11 and LI-4 (160 of 420; 38%). The absolute agreement for prescribing the acupuncture points ranged from 70% (point GB-20) to 0% (points LI-10, SP-6, LI-11, GB-34, LI-12, and LI-4). Point LR-3 showed the highest interrater reliability for prescribing the acupuncture points [${\kappa}_{Light}=0.112$, 95% CI = (0.055-0.194)], whereas point LI-4 showed the lowest reliability [${\kappa}_{Light}=-0.003$, 95% CI = (-0.024 to 0.024)]. These findings suggest that pragmatic prescriptions of acupuncture points for LE are unreliable among physiotherapists who are experts in acupuncture. Explicit, high-level evidence-based rules for prescribing and teaching combinations of acupuncture points for LE are warranted.