• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.12
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• pp.6337-6342
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• 2012

Background: Clinical trials on cancer subjects have one of the highest dropout rates. Barriers to recruitment range from patient-related, through institutional-related to staff-related factors. This paper highlights the low response rate and the recruitment barriers faced in our Qigong exercises trial. Materials and Method: The Qigong trial is a three-arm trial with a priori power size of 114 patients for 80% power. The University Malaya Medical Centre database showed a total of 1,933 patients from 2006-2010 and 751 patients met our inclusion criteria. These patients were approached via telephone interview. 131 out of 197 patients attended the trial and the final response rate was 48% (n=95/197). Results: Multiple barriers were identified, and were regrouped as patient-related, clinician-related and/or institutional related. A major consistent barrier was logistic difficulty related to transportation and car parking at the Medical Centre. Conclusions: All clinical trials must pay considerable attention to the recruitment process and it should even be piloted to identify potential barriers and facilitators to reduce attrition rate in trials.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.45-55
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• 2020

Objectives : The objective of this study is to review the Trend of clinical trials conducted with the acupuncture treatment on Atopic Dermatitis. Methods : Through 4 foreign online databases(PubMed, Cochrane library, EMBASE, CNKI) and 3 domestic online databases(NDSL, RISS, OASIS), we searched for clinical studies performed acupuncture treatment for Atopic Dermatitis from 2010 to December 2019. Only randomized controlled trials(RCT) was selected and anlayzed according to the research method. Results : A total 4 studies were reviewed. LI11, ST36, SP10 were most frequently used acupoints in acupuncture treatment. Among the evaluation indexes, SCORAD, VAS, DLQI were used most. In most of the 4 studies, acupuncture treatment showed significant therapeutic effects. Conclusions : These results suggest that it is necessary to develop more detailed standards about Acupuncture treatment method as the method of acupuncture is getting more diverse, and objective tools are needed in evaluating Atopic Dermatitis.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2013

Objective: The aim of this review is to explore the latest intervention trends and effects of EMG-triggered functional electrical stimulation on the upper extremity functions in stroke patients. Design: Systematic review on clinical trials. Methods: A systematic literature search was performed to identify clinical trials evaluating the effects of EMG-triggered functional electrical stimulation (EMG-FES) and task-oriented EMG-triggered FES on the hand functions in stroke patients. Literature review was conducted with the following key words: hand function, functional electrical stimulation, task-oriented, stroke. Results: Ten clinical trials were included; 8 of them were randomized controlled trial, 1 was block-randomized, and 1 was a pre-post comparison study. A positive effect of electrical stimulation was reported in the patient groups that were treated with functional electrical stimulation combined with specific tasks, and volitional muscle contraction-triggered stimulation that was synchronized with tasks. Motor capabilities of the hand and arm were improved after the rehabilitation. Conclusions: EMG-triggered electrical stimulation may be more effective than non-triggered electrical stimulation in facilitating the hand functions in stroke patients in terms of muscle strength and voluntary muscle contraction of the paretic hand and arm. Triggered electrical stimulation can be even more effective when it is combined with specific tasks.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.18-36
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• 2020

Objectives The purpose of this study is to analyze Chinese randomized controlled trials (RCTs), and to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the oral herbal medicine treatment for pediatric chickenpox. Methods We searched RCTs after 2000s from the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI). Afterwards, the year of publication, demographic information, duration of chickenpox, intervention, treatment duration, outcome measure, results and adverse events were investigated and analyzed for this study. Results 21 RCTs out of 219 studies were collected and analyzed. Although each composition of the herbal medicine was different, they have common ingredients such as 清熱解毒, 散結消腫, 疏散風熱, 涼血解毒, 解表散風 in order to make efficacy of 清熱解毒, 散結消腫, 疏散風熱, 涼血解毒, 解表散風. The oral herbal medicine showed better efficacy and safety to improve clinical symptoms such as total efficacy, cure rate, antipyretic time, antipruritic time, scab time, anti-rash time, hospitalization period and herpes recovery time compared to the western medicine treatment. Conclusions These results show that the oral herbal medicine treatment on chickenpox in children may be more effective in reducing of clinical symptoms compared to the western medicine treatment.

• The Journal of Churna Manual Medicine for Spine and Nerves
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.15-23
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• 2012

Objectives: The aim of this study is to assess the quantity and quality of randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) published in the journal of Korean Society of Chuna Manual Medicine for Spine and Nerves (KSCMSN). Methods: All relevant RCTs were selected and extracted. Data extract of RCTs from all the articles published in the jounal of KSCMSN up to now, quantity assessment was made on the study design, sample size, intervention, control group and medical condition. of the consolidated standards of reporting trials (CONSORT) check list. Assessment was performed by 2 independent reviewers and disagreement was discussed based on concensus. Results: Among the 276 articles, 10 RCTs were published. 1st articles were published in 2003 and half of RCTs were published in 2011. All RCTs were parallel 2-arm designed. Average sample size was 29.2 per study and 14.6 per arm. Main intervention was consisted as acupuncture 40%, pharmacopuncture 30% and Chuna 30%. Average of adequacy of CONSORT check list was 10.3% and overall reports were insufficient. Conclusions: Though RCTs published in jounal of KSCMSN were increasing, the quality remains low. KSCMSN should make a effort to follow the CONSORT statement and improve the quantity and quality of studies.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.527-545
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• 2021

The aim of this systematic review was to determine the success rate of nitrous oxide-oxygen procedural sedation (NOIS) in dentistry. A systematic digital search was conducted for publications or reports of randomized controlled trials evaluating the clinical performance of NOIS. Abstracts of research papers were screened for suitability, and full-text articles were obtained for those who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria accordingly. The quality of the studies was assessed using the revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool (RoB 2). A total of 19 articles (eight randomized clinical trials with parallel intervention groups and 11 crossover trials), published between May 1988 and August 2019, were finally selected for this review. The studies followed 1293 patients reporting NOIS success rates, with a cumulative mean value of 94.9% (95% CI: 88.8-98.9%). Thirteen trials were conducted on pediatric populations (1098 patients), and the remaining six were conducted on adults (195 patients), with cumulative efficacy rates of 91.9% (95% CI: 82.5-98.1%) and 99.9% (95% CI: 97.7-100.0%), respectively. The difference was statistically significant (P = 0.002). Completion of treatment and Section IV of the Houpt scale were the most used efficacy criteria. Within the limitations of this systematic review, the present study provides important information on the efficacy rate of NOIS. However, further well-designed and well-documented clinical trials are required and there is a need to develop guidelines for standardization of criteria and definition of success in procedural sedation. Currently, completion of treatment is the most used parameter in clinical practice, though many others also do exist at the same time. To maximize NOIS efficacy, clinicians should strictly consider appropriate indications for the procedure.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.383-406
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• 2015

Objectives: People with tension-type headache generally take pain relievers, but long term dependency causes problems as well as side effects. The present study aimed to provide clinical evidence of herbal medicine for tension-type headache by systematic review of randomized controlled trials on the effect of herbal medicine for tension-type headache. Methods: Randomized or quasi-randomized controlled trials that verified effects of herbal medicine intervention on patients with tension-type headache were included in the study. A literature search of English, Japanese, Chinese, Korean databases was performed. The selected literature were assessed by Jadad scale and Risk of Bias. Results: Herein, 40 reports were selected from a total of 157. Meta-analyses of 2 trials indicated that the effective rate was significantly higher in the herbal medicine treatment group, as compared to the placebo control (risk ratio: 1.49, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.23 to 1.80, p<0.0001, I²=0%). Four trials that compared herbal medicine with routine care with routine care only group showed a significantly higher effective rate of benefits for herbal medicine with routine care, as compared to routine care only (RR: 1.57, 95% CI: 1.18 to 2.10, p=0.002, I²=0%). Conclusions: The effective rate was significantly higher than control and adverse events were less in the treatment group. Pattern analysis (辨證) indicated that the studies on wind-fire pattern (風火證) were highest. Yougeun-bang (柔筋方) in prescription and Paeoniae Radix Alba (白芍藥) in medicinal herbs were most used. This finding could be widely utilized in future clinical practice and form the basis for the development of clinical practice guidelines in advance.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.33-46
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• 2009

Objectives : The objective of the study was to summarize randomized clinical trials(RCTs) that have assessed the effectiveness of herbal medicine on treatment of obesity and to propose better process of study. Methods : NLM Medline(pubmed), EMBASE, the Cochrane library, Science Direct, EBSCO, 4 Korean medical databases were systematically searched and 4 Korean medical journals were manually searched for clinical trials investigating the efficacy of herbal medicines on treatment of overweight or obese people from 1998 to 2008. The methodological quality was assessed using a Jadad score and validity was assessed using Oxford Pain Validity Scale(OPVS). Results : 14 RCTs met all the inclusion criteria. The methodological and ethical quality of the trials was generally low. The mean score by Jadad was 2.6 and the mean score of validity was 11.2. Complex herbal medicine was used in 8 RCTs and single herbal medicine was used in 6 RCTs. Except 1 RCT, the other RCTs reported positive effects of herbal medicine on treatment of obesity. Herbal medicines didn't seem to affect toxicity. In general adverse events relevant with the therapy were minor, but more than half of RCTs did not report about the safety or adverse events of herbal medicine, questioning their reliability. Conclusions : Although most RCTs concluded the efficacy and safety of herbal medicines on treatment of obesity, the quality of trials was low in general. Further rigorous clinical trials using complex herbal medicine should be performed.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.90-111
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• 2020

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to analyze randomized controlled trials (RCTs) related to the effect and safety of Korean Traditional Medicine treatment for postpartum pain, and to suggest desirable future clinical research trend. Methods: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on postpartum pain were searched using domestic and foreign search engines to investigate the effect and safety of Korean Traditional Medicine on postpartum pain, and 12 studies were selected as a result. Results: There were 4 studies using Acupoint Therapy, 3 studies using Herbal Medicine, 3 studies using Using Acupoint Therapy and Herbal Medicine together, and 2 studies using Manipulative Therapy for postpartum pain. As control interventions, non-treatment, other Korean Traditional Medicine treatment, or Western medicine were used. All the studies reported a significant effect in experimental group compared to the control group, with no or minor side effects. Conclusions: Korean Traditional Medicine treatment showed effectiveness and safety for postpartum pain. In the future, it is necessary to eliminate the ambiguity of recruiting subjects and to study the most effective application method of Korean Traditional Medicine treatment for postpartum pain.

• The Journal of Churna Manual Medicine for Spine and Nerves
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2017

Objective : The purpose of this study is to review the randomized clinical trials of Chuna manual therapy for cervicogenic headache and provide a evidence for the efficacy of Chuna manual therapy. Methods : We searched randomized clinical trials that performed Chuna manual therapy for cervical headache up to Feb. 2017 in 6 databases. Randomized clinical trials were selected according to the inclusion criteria and the data were extracted and analyzed. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Criteria. Results : 16 RCTs met the inclusion criteria. The meta-analysis of 13 RCTs showed favorable results for the use of chuna manual therapy compared to drug, physical treatment. Conclusions : In 16 RCTs, we found that Chuna manual therapy was effective in cervicogenic headache. However, all RCTs are exposed to a number of bias risks. Therefore, well designed clinical trial would be needed to raise the evidence level of Chuna manual therapy.