• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.123-130
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• 2015

Objectives : Primary dysmenorrhea is one of the most common female gynecological diseases. Acupuncture and moxibustion therapy have been used to treat dysmenorrhea in Korea. The aim of this review was to examine the effectiveness of acupuncture and moxibustion therapy for primary dysmenorrhea as described in studies in Korea. Methods : A total of 8 databases were searched, with the search concluding February 15, 2015. These were the Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System, DBpia, Korean Studies Information Service System, National Digital Science Library, Korean Traditional Knowledge Portal, Research Information Sharing Service, and Pubmed. Randomized controlled Trails(RCTs) comparing acupuncture or moxibustion therapy with non acupoints stimulation or medication were selected. Data abstraction and assessment of methodology was conducted by authors and disagreements were resolved by discussion. Results : 7 trials were included in this review, with a total of 308 participants. 4 trials reported on acupuncture, 1 trial reported on acupress by magnet, 1 trial reported on pharmacopuncture, and the other trial reported on moxibustion. Quality of methodology was low. 2 trials showed that experimental therapy was effective for pain relief compared to the controlled group. However, 5 trials did not show a significant difference in pain relief. Conclusions : Acupuncture and moxibustion therapy may reduce period pain, however, it is needed for well designed RCTs in Korea.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.171-188
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• 2019

Objectives The purpose of this thesis is to compare and analyze outcomes of case studies and controlled studies about Hwangryunhaedok-tang (HHT) pharmacopuncture in clinical studies. Based on these studies reporting clinical effects by using HHT pharmacopuncture, we object to deduct the comparative review in applying clinical disorders limitedly. And conclusionally, by using this comparative review, we aim to make the fine evidence in treating clinical specific diseases. Methods We searched 106 studies about HHT pharmacopuncture from 6 Korean web databases by using in Korean word 'Hwangryunhaedok-tang pharmacopuncture'. This search had been progressed throughout 1 month (January, 2019). There was 106 thesis and we excluded studies that are not related to HHT pharmacopuncture, experimental research, not the case report or randomized controlled trials, non-randomized controlled trials, not using HHT pharmacopuncture, not using only one pharmacopuncture, and not using HHT pharmacopuncture for major treating method. As a result, 39 thesis are selected as a population. Results We analyzed 34 case reports and 5 controlled studies. As the final outcome, HHT pharmacopuncture was used in musculoskeletal diseases, dermatopathy, and 32 specific diseases. Conclusions After analyzing 39 studies, effective symptom changes clinically and statistically by using HHT pharmacopuncture herbal acupuncture were identified. However, these thesis designs were reported deficiently in many parts such as not excluding other confounding variables. After modifying defects of thesis design and conduct study, it can play a role as the evidence using HHT pharmacopuncture more precisely.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.331-343
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• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of short-wave therapy (SWT) for treatment of knee osteoarthritis (OA) as compared to placebo and control, and to assess the question of whether the effects are related to the mode, dosage, and application method. Methods: We searched randomized, placebo-controlled trials using electronic databases. We also manually reviewed sources in order to identify additional relevant studies. Results: Eight studies (597 participants) with OA were included in the meta-analysis. Pulse SWT had a significant effect on pain relief compared with control treatment, while did not favour compared with the placebo group. Pulse SWT had a significant effect on functional improvement compared with control and placebo treatment. Continuous SWT had no effect on pain relief and functional improvement. Capacitive SWT a significant effect on pain relief, functional improvement, and muscle strength. Continuous and capacitive SWT had increased muscle strength significantly. We found no clinical significance of all outcomes except pain and functional improvement in pulsed SWT with low dose. There was no difference in adverse events. None of the participants experienced any serious adverse events. Conclusion: Low dose pulsed SWT provided a short-term clinical benefit for pain relief and functional improvement. Pulsed SWD with low and high dose had effects on pain and function. There seems to be a placebo effect. We found significant effects on pain and function in capacitive SWT. Despite some positive findings, this analysis lacked data on how effectiveness is affected by mode, dosage, and application method of SWT. Further well-designed clinical studies are required in order to confirm the effectiveness of SWT.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.253-260
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• 2018

Background: One of the most frequent problems caused by diabetes is the so called painful diabetic neuropathy. This condition can be treated through numerous types of therapy. The purpose of this study was to analyze, as a meta-analysis, different treatments used to alleviate painful diabetic neuropathy, with the aim of generating results that help making decisions when applying such treatments to tackle this pathology. Methods: A search was conducted in the main databases for Health Sciences, such as PUBMED, Web of Science (WOS), and IME biomedicina (Spanish Medical Reports in Biomedicine), to gather randomized controlled trials about treatments used for painful diabetic neuropathy. The analyzed studies were required to meet the inclusion criteria selected, especially those results related to pain intensity. Results: Nine randomized controlled trials were chosen. The meta-analysis shows significant positive effects for those treatments based on tapentadol [g: -1.333, 95% CI (-1.594; -1.072), P < 0.05], duloxetine [g: -1.622, 95 % CI (-1.650; -1.594), P < 0.05], pregabalin [g: -0.607, 95% CI (-0.980; -0.325), P < 0.05], and clonidine [g: -0.242, 95 % CI (-0.543; -0.058), P < 0.05]. Conclusions: This meta-analysis indicates the effectiveness of the treatments based on duloxetine, gabapentin and pregabalin, as well as other drugs, such as tapentadol and topic clonidine, whose use is better prescribed in more specific situations. The results provided can help increase the knowledge about the treatment of painful diabetic neuropathy and also in the making of clinical practice guidelines for healthcare professionals.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.29-43
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• 2020

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to review and evaluate the effectiveness of oriental medicine per oral for recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis (RVVC). Methods: We searched articles from Korean journal databases including Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology, Korean studies Information Service Studies, and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, Cochrane Library, PubMed. Searched keywords were "재발성 칸디다성 외음질염", "recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis", "㚆发性外阴阴道假丝酵母菌病", "中藥". Results: 10 randomized controlled trials with 700 patients were identified and reviewed. 8 studies compared combination of oriental medicine and anti-fungal agent with anti-fungal agent, and 6 of them reported that treatment group (TG) showed statistically higher total effective rate or cure rate and lower recurrence rate. One study compared oriental medicine and anti-fungal agent and TG showed statistically higher total effective rate and lower recurrence rate after 1 month. One study compared combination of oriental medicine and lacto bacillus capsule with lacto bacillus capsule, and TG showed statistically higher total effective rate and lower positive fungul test rate after 6 months. No severe adverse response was reported. Conclusions: Our review found that oriental medicine per oral is effective for alleviating symptoms, lowering recurrence rate and positive fungal test in RVVC patients. We recommend standardized randomized controlled trial guideline should be made to obtain stronger evidence and well designed trials with larger sample sizes are needed.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.151-170
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• 2007

Backgraounds : Recent studies provide the evidences that the efficacy of acupuncture may be no better than placebo or inconclusive. These results are very different from those of the actual clinical situations in many acupuncture medical institutions. Objectives : The present study was designed to evaluate the influencing factors which affect the efficacy of acupuncture scale(FEAS) as the methodological assessment tool of acupuncture for examining acupuncture interventions and to demonstrate the importance of it in randomized controlled trials of acupuncture. Data sources : Electronic data were retrieved from NDSL, Pubmed, sciencedirect, LWW, OVID, Black-Well Synergy, Wiley Interscience, EBSCO HOST, springer, PML, and Kluwer. No electronic data were collected from MEDLIS and MEDLAS. Study selection : The inclusion criteria were five systematic reviews included in Alberta study and all randomized controlled trials obtained from their references. Study analysis : The acupuncture rationale, methods of stimulation, treatment regimen, and the practitioner's background were rated by FEAS, and the scores were compared with those by other methodological assessment tools. Results : The number of positive conclusions of high-rank RCTs by FEAS was the same as or higher than that of high-rank RCTs by other methodological assessment tools. Conclusions : We have analysed 5 systematic reviews and their objectives 58 RCTs using FEAS. Practitioner's background has been described slightly in some reviews and studies. It may directly influence the effectiveness of acupuncture negatively in the systematic reviews.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.87-100
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• 2013

Objectives : The aim of this study is to assess the quantity and quality of randomized controlled clinical trials(RCTs) published in the journal of oriental rehabilitation medicine(JORM). Methods : After searching RCTs from all the articles published in the JORM from the inception(1991) to Oct, 2012, quantity assessment were made on the study design, sample size, main intervention, intervention versus control design and medical condition. Quality assessment were made on the cochrane risk of bias(RoB) check list. Assessment was performed by 2 independent reviewers and disagreement was discussed based on concensus of all authors. Results : Among the 1013 articles, total 59 RCTs were published. First RCT was published in 1994. 49 RCTs were parallel 2-arm designed. Average sample size was 35.1 per study and 16.3 per arm. The most common medical condition is musculoskeletal disease(30.5%). Quality from cochrane RoB was generally low. Conclusions : Though RCTs published in JORM were increasing, the quality remains low. Researchers should make a effort to follow the RoB checklists and improve the quantity and quality of studies.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.23-39
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• 2014

Objective : This review aims at analyzing Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) therapies, using for oral health to know current use of CAM in dental area by analyzing randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs). Method : We searched the following 6 electronic databases until 1 July 2014. : Pubmed, Medline, Embase, Allied and Complementary Medicine Database(AMED), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature(CINAHL), the Cochrane Library. We included parallel RCTs and cross-over RCTs that assessed the efficacy of CAM regardless of blinding and language. Results : A total of 154 RCT articles were included. There were 2-arm parallel study design(69.5%), 3-arm parallel study design(20.8%), 4-arm parallel study design(4.5%) and Cross-over design(5.2%). Complementary and alternative medicine RCTs in oral health tend to increase in the early-2000s and in the mid-2010s. In addition, 154 citations were classified according to diseases and interventions that categorized Natural Products studies(68.2%), Mind and Body Practices studies(31.8%). We classified in detail that vitamin and mineral therapies(29.9%), dietary supplements(24.7%), acupuncture(23.3%), Herbal medicine(13.6%), homeopathy (2.6%), energy therapies(2.6%), Massage(1.9%), biofeedback(0.6%), traditional medicine(0.6%). Conclusion : Increasing publications and diverse interventions regarding CAM for oral health is observed by analyzing RCTs from the literature review. Further studies are needed to be performed as systematic reviews to verify their effectiveness and the research to inquire into side effect.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.141-155
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• 2021

Objective The purpose of this study is to gather information from clinical studies conducted in China and analyze the effects of herbal medicine treatment for childhood vitiligo. Methods The randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with herbal medicine treatment for childhood vitiligo from the Chinese Academic Journal (CAJ) from China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) were searched. Then, each study was analyzed by demographics, disease durations, interventions, treatment periods, outcomes, adverse events, and compositions of the herbal medicine used. Result A total of 6 RCTs were included. All the trials except for one used a combination of Chinese herbal medicine with Western medicine as their treatment groups. The total efficacy rate was used to measure the effectiveness, and the treatment groups reported a significantly higher total efficacy rate compared to the control groups in all studies. In one study, a control group treated with compound glycyrrhizin capsule and topical compound kaliziran tincture combination treatment was compared with a treatment group which used the same treatment that the control group received in addition to oral herbal medicine. This study also showed higher total effectiveness in the treatment group than the control group. Conclusions In pediatric vitiligo, a combination of herbal medicine treatment rather than Western medical treatment alone can improve symptoms. In addition, it was suggested that the therapeutic effect can be enhanced when oral herbal medicine is used in combination with other herbal medicine treatments.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.114-136
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• 2021

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to analyze the effectiveness and safety of herbal medicine treatment for treating hyperthyroidism. Methods: We searched for randomized controlled trials of Hyperthyroidism treated with herbal medicine, published from January 2016 to May 2021, through electronic database such as Pubmed, EMBASE, China Academic Journal (CAJ). Interventions and results of the selected clinical studies were analyzed. Results: The 25 randomized controlled trials were finally included according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Treatment group was treated with herbal medicine alone in 2 studies, and with herbal medicine and conventional medicine in 23 studies. Control group was treated with conventional medicine. Outcome measures are total efficacy rate, thyroid function test, Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome scores, liver function test, recurrence rate, etc. Prunellae Spica (夏枯草) (60%) was the most frequently used herb in herbal medicine treatment. In all of 25 studies, treatment group was more effective and safer for hyperthyroidism than the control group. Conclusions: This study indicates that herbal medicine treatment alone or combined with conventional medicine treatment could be helpful in improving the therapeutic effect on hyperthyroidism and reducing side effects as well.