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Wu W, Meng XJ, Wan BY, Fang QJ, Liu YL, Wang J, Fu Y, Yuan CC, Wang MZ, Chong FL, Wan YG, Shen SM. Combined detection of urinary biomarkers noninvasively predicts extent of renal injury in patients with early diabetic kidney disease with kidney qi deficiency syndrome: A retrospective investigation. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2023; 306:2945-2957. [PMID: 34910381 DOI: 10.1002/ar.24835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2021] [Revised: 10/02/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Incipient diagnosis and noninvasive forecasts using urinary biomarkers are important for preventing diabetic kidney disease (DKD) progression, but they are also controversial. Previous studies have shown a potential relationship between urinary tubular biomarkers (UTBs) and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome in patients with DKD. Thus, we further evaluated the clinical significance of combined detection of urinary biomarkers in noninvasively predicting the extent of renal damage in patients with early DKD with kidney qi deficiency syndrome, and preliminarily explored the potential biological link between UTBs and TCM syndrome in DKD. We categorized 92 patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus into three groups as follows: 20 patients with normoalbuminuria, 50 patients with microalbuminuria, and 22 patients with macroalbuminuria. We found that, in all groups, 24 hr urinary albumin (24hUAlb) and urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) showed stepwise and significant increases. Urinary cystatin C (UCysC), urinary N-acetyl-β-d-glucosaminidase (UNAG), and urinary retinol-binding protein (URBP) synchronously increased gradually, consistent with the degree of albuminuria in all groups. Moreover, 24hUAlb and UACR were positively correlated with UCysC, UNAG, and URBP, respectively. In 72 patients with Type 2 DKD with albuminuria, a positive correlation was observed between UNAG and URBP, UCysC was also positively correlated with UNAG and URBP, respectively. Additionally, TCM syndrome distributional characteristics in all patients were consistent with clinical manifestations of kidney qi deficiency syndrome. Therefore, the combined detection of UCysC, UNAG, URBP, and UAlb may be used as a practical clinical technique to noninvasively forecast the extent of renal injury in patients with early Type 2 DKD with kidney qi deficiency syndrome. UTBs may be one of the biological bases of the specific TCM syndromes in DKD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Wu
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
- Institute of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xian-Jie Meng
- Department of Nephrology, Affiliated Yancheng Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Yancheng, China
| | - Bing-Ying Wan
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- Department of Nephrology, Changzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Changzhou, China
| | - Qi-Jun Fang
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Ying-Lu Liu
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | - Jie Wang
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Yan Fu
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Can-Can Yuan
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Mei-Zi Wang
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Fee-Lan Chong
- The School of Pharmacy, Management and Science University, Shah Alam, Malaysia
| | - Yi-Gang Wan
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | - Shan-Mei Shen
- Department of Endocrinology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
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Liu JY, Li X. Standardization, objectification, and essence research of traditional Chinese medicine syndrome: A 15-year bibliometric and content analysis from 2006 to 2020 in Web of Science database. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2023; 306:2974-2983. [PMID: 34739744 DOI: 10.1002/ar.24821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Revised: 09/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The standardization, objectification, and essence research of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome influence the modernization and international development of TCM syndrome. A total of 253 relevant publications collected from the Web of Science Core Collection database from 2006 to 2020 were analyzed by bibliometric and content methods. The co-occurrence analysis of countries, institutions, journals, authors, and keywords analysis were carried out by using Citespace software. The high-yield institutions and high-impact authors contributed to TCM syndrome publications were concentrated in China. Since 2012, driven by some groundbreaking publications, the number of TCM syndrome literatures has increased rapidly. According to the results of bibliometric and content analysis, research hotspots in TCM syndrome in the last 15 years can be summarized in six aspects: (a) objectification research of four TCM diagnostic methods, (b) omics technology for the essence research of TCM syndrome, (c) research on TCM syndrome evaluation scale, (d) metagenomic technology for the essence research of TCM syndrome, (e) data mining technology for TCM syndrome differentiation, and (f) systematic research on TCM syndromes of chronic hepatitis B. Emerging trends can be identified according to the most recent keywords bursts: (a) TCM syndrome diagnostic models with multiple indexes should be constructed to develop personalized medicine. (b) The connotation of TCM syndrome should be verified through "syndrome detecting from recipe used," and the screened potential markers of TCM syndrome need clinical verification. (c) The intervention and integration of multi-disciplines is expected to find a new breakthrough in the research of TCM syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji-Yan Liu
- Department of Academic Journals, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiang Li
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Hangzhou, China
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Li X, Chen H, Yang H, Liu J, Li Y, Dang Y, Wang J, Wang L, Li J, Nie G. Study on the Potential Mechanism of Tonifying Kidney and Removing Dampness Formula in the Treatment of Postmenopausal Dyslipidemia Based on Network Pharmacology, Molecular Docking and Experimental Evidence. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:918469. [PMID: 35872979 PMCID: PMC9302042 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.918469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Management of menopausal dyslipidemia is the main measure to reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease in postmenopausal women. Tonifying Kidney and Removing Dampness Formula (TKRDF) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula that ameliorates dyslipidemia in postmenopausal women. This study applied network pharmacology, molecular docking, and in vitro and in vitro experiments to investigate the underlying mechanism of TKRDF against postmenopausal dyslipidemia. METHODS Network pharmacology research was first conducted, and the active compounds and targets of TKRDF, as well as the targets of postmenopausal dyslipidemia, were extracted from public databases. Protein-protein interaction (PPI), Gene Ontology (GO), and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis were used to identify the potential targets and signaling pathways of TKRDF in postmenopausal dyslipidemia. Molecular docking was then performed to evaluate the combination of active compounds with principal targets. Finally, an ovariectomized rat model was used for the in vivo experiment and alpha mouse liver 12 (AML12) cells treated with palmitic acid were used for the in vitro experiments to provide further evidence for the research. RESULTS Based on network pharmacology analysis, we obtained 78 active compounds from TKRDF that acted on 222 targets of postmenopausal dyslipidemia. The analysis results indicated that IL6, TNF, VEGFA, AKT1, MAPK3, MAPK1, PPARG and PIK3CA, etc., were the potentially key targets, and the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway was the possibly crucial pathway for TKRDF to treat postmenopausal dyslipidemia. Molecular docking suggested that the active compounds have good binding activity with the core targets. The in vivo and in vitro experiments demonstrated that TKRDF ameliorates postmenopausal dyslipidemia by regulating hormone levels, inhibiting inflammation, promoting angiogenesis and inhibiting lipid synthesis, which appear to be related to TKRDF's regulation of the ERK1/2 and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways. CONCLUSION This study clarified the active ingredients, potential targets, and molecular mechanisms of TKRDF for treating postmenopausal dyslipidemia. It also provided a feasible method to uncover the scientific basis and therapeutic mechanism for prescribing TCM in the treatment of diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuewen Li
- State Key Laboratory of Dampness Syndrome of Chinese Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hongyan Chen
- The Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hongyan Yang
- Department of Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jian Liu
- Department of Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yang Li
- Department of Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yue Dang
- College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Jiajing Wang
- The Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Dampness Syndrome of Chinese Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Dampness Syndrome of Chinese Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Guangning Nie, ; Jun Li,
| | - Guangning Nie
- State Key Laboratory of Dampness Syndrome of Chinese Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Guangning Nie, ; Jun Li,
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Test-Retest Reliability of the Coronary Heart Disease Damp Phlegm and Blood Stasis Pattern Questionnaire: Results from a Multicenter Clinical Trial. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2021; 2021:6291301. [PMID: 34824591 PMCID: PMC8610670 DOI: 10.1155/2021/6291301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Background Damp phlegm and blood stasis pattern (DPBSP) is the main pattern in coronary heart disease (CHD) patients. To quantify and standardize the diagnosis of DPBSP, questionnaires are usually administered. The CHD Damp Phlegm and Blood Stasis Pattern Questionnaire (CHD-DPBSPQ) is the standard metric for measuring CHD-DPBSP signs and symptoms in practice and clinical research. The CHD-DPBSPQ has moderate diagnostic efficiency, as evidenced by its receiver operating characteristic curves. Furthermore, and high reliability and validity have been shown in some studies but not in a multicenter clinical trial. Our purpose was to evaluate the test-retest reliability of a proprietary CHD-DPBSPQ. Methods The CHD-DPBSPQ uses a standard procedure for measuring symptoms. The (interrater) reliability and validity of this questionnaire have been previously studied. Here, we evaluated the test interval and weighted kappa value of items of test-retest (intrarater) reliability of the CHD-DPBSPQ. The test-retest reliability was evaluated by the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for the total CHD-DPBSPQ score and the phlegm domain and blood stasis domain scores. Weighted kappa statistics were calculated for the individual CHD-DPBSPQ items. Results Using the CHD-DPBSPQ, 79 patients with late-stage CHD who were participating in a multicenter clinical trial were assessed twice. The ICCs for the CHD-DPBSPQ score were as follows: 0.827 for the total CHD-DPBSPQ, 0.778 for the phlegm domain score, and 0.828 for the blood stasis domain score. The reliability was slightly better in patients whose test interval was ≤14 days. The weighted kappa values of individual items showed moderate consistency. Conclusions The CHD-DPBSPQ was found to have excellent test-retest reliability in this sample of patients.
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Hao X, Liang F, Wang L, Greenwood KM, Xue CC, Zheng Z, Li Y. Identifying Chinese Medicine Patterns of Tension-Type Headache and Understanding Its Subgroups. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE : ECAM 2021; 2021:5544571. [PMID: 34603470 PMCID: PMC8483907 DOI: 10.1155/2021/5544571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Revised: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Tension-type headache (TTH) is common among adults. Individualized management strategies are limited due to lack of understanding of subtypes of TTH. Chinese medicine (CM) uses the pattern differentiation approach to subtype all health conditions. There is, however, a lack of evidence-based information on CM patterns of TTH. This study aimed to identity common CM patterns of TTH. TTH sufferers were invited for a survey, consisting of a validated Chinese Medicine Headache Questionnaire (CMHQ), Migraine Disability Assessment Test, and Perceived Stress Scale. The CMHQ consisted of information about headache, aggravating and relieving factors, and accompanying symptoms. Principal component analysis was used for factor extraction and TwoStep cluster analyses for identifying clusters. ANOVA was used to compare cluster groups with disability and stress. In total, 170 eligible participants took part in the survey. The commonest headache features were continuous pain (64%); fixed location (74%); aggravated by overwork (74%), stress (74%), or mental strain (70%); and relieved by sleeping (78%). The commonest nonpain symptoms were fatigue (71%) and neck stiffness (70%). Four clusters, differing in their key signs and symptoms, could be assigned to three different CM patterns including ascendant hyperactivity of liver yang (cluster 1), dual qi and blood deficiency (cluster 2), liver depression forming fire (cluster 3), and an unlabelled group (cluster 4). Additionally, over 75% participants in clusters 1 and 2 have episodic TTH, over one-third participants in cluster 3 have chronic TTH, and a majority of participants in cluster 4 have infrequent TTH. The three patterns identified also differed in levels of disability and some elements of coping as measured with PSS. The three CM patterns identified are common clinical presentations of TTH. The new information will contribute to further understanding of the subtypes of TTH and guide the development of targeted intervention combinations for clinical practice and research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyu Hao
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 610075, China
- Acupuncture and Chronobiology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu 610075, China
| | - Fanrong Liang
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 610075, China
- Acupuncture and Chronobiology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu 610075, China
| | - Linpeng Wang
- Department of Acupuncture, Beijing Traditional Chinese Medical Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100010, China
| | | | - Charlie Changli Xue
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Melbourne VIC3083, Australia
| | - Zhen Zheng
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Melbourne VIC3083, Australia
| | - Ying Li
- Acupuncture and Chronobiology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu 610075, China
- Graduate School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 610075, China
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Development of a Diagnostic Questionnaire for Damp Phlegm Pattern and Blood Stasis Pattern in Coronary Heart Disease Patients (CHD-DPBSPQ). EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2019; 2019:6856085. [PMID: 31885659 PMCID: PMC6899310 DOI: 10.1155/2019/6856085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2019] [Revised: 10/09/2019] [Accepted: 10/25/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Background The aim was to develop a diagnostic questionnaire for damp phlegm pattern and blood stasis pattern in coronary heart disease patients (CHD-DPBSPQ). Methods The standard procedures of questionnaire development were carried out to develop and assess CHD-DPBSPQ. The patients were assessed using the CHD-DPBSPQ, CHD-DPPQ, and CHD-BSPQ. Four methods were used to select the items on the CHD-DPBSPQ in a pilot study based on data from a Guizhou tertiary grade A hospital. Cronbach's alpha and the split-half reliability, test-retest reliability, content validity, criterion validity, construct validity, and convergent validity were determined in a validation study using a nationwide sample. Results After item selection, the CHD-DPBSPQ contained 15 items in two domains: the phlegm domain (9 items) and the blood stasis domain (6 items). For the CHD-DPBSPQ, the alpha coefficient was 0.88, the split-half coefficient was 0.90, and the intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.83. The range of the item-level content validity index (I-CVI) was 0.71 to 1.0 and that of the scale-level content validity index/average (Scale-CVI/Ave) was 0.97. The domain scores on the CHD-DPBSPQ were in close relation to the scores on a questionnaire for damp phlegm pattern in coronary heart disease patients (CHD-DPPQ) and a questionnaire for blood stasis pattern in coronary heart disease patient (CHD-BSPQ) (P < 0.01). The root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) was equal to 0.05 (90% CI: 0.044, 0.059). Convergent validity was demonstrated with a moderate correlation. Conclusion The CHD-DPBSPQ is a reliable and valid instrument.
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Popplewell M, Reizes J, Zaslawski C. A Novel Approach to Describing Traditional Chinese Medical Patterns: The "Traditional Chinese Medical Diagnostic Descriptor". J Altern Complement Med 2019; 25:1121-1129. [PMID: 30383398 DOI: 10.1089/acm.2018.0065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives: In the first of a series of three articles by the present authors, diagnostic agreement between Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioners was found to be low. This was the first time that TCM diagnoses had been evaluated with an open population of patients and this result is a cause of concern. In the second article, incorrect statistics were shown to have often been used to calculate chance-removed inter-rater agreement, and appropriate statistics such as Gwet's Agreement Coefficient 2 (AC2) was recommended for future studies. In this, the third article, a novel approach to recording TCM diagnostic patterns, the Traditional Chinese Medical Diagnostic Descriptor (TCMDD), is presented that allows chance-removed agreement calculation. An example of mapping TCM diagnostic patterns to the TCMDD format is given and diagnostic agreement is evaluated. Design, Settings, Subjects: The same 35 subjects used to report agreement in our first article were also diagnosed by additional practitioners using the TCMDD format during the same experimental sessions at the University of Technology, Sydney Clinic. TCM diagnoses from the first article were also mapped to the TCMDD format. Outcome measures: Linearly weighted simple agreement and the AC2 statistic were utilized and all results compared. Results: Linearly weighted simple agreement using the TCMDD and TCM mapped to TCMDD format averaged 0.80 ± 0.02 compared with 0.19 for TCM. TCMDD and TCM mapped to TCMDD chance-removed agreement, as calculated with AC2, ranged between 0.67 and 0.73 ± 0.03. Conclusions: The TCMDD allows the essence of diagnoses expressed by TCM practitioners to be appropriately compared. This was confirmed by the TCM mapped to TCMDD results. In both cases, simple agreement was significantly greater than that obtained with the TCM format. Chance-removed statistics and error estimates can be reliably calculated with the AC2 and the TCMDD in open populations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - John Reizes
- Faculty of Engineering, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia
| | - Chris Zaslawski
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia
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Ijaz N, Rioux J, Elder C, Weeks J. Whole Systems Research Methods in Health Care: A Scoping Review. J Altern Complement Med 2019; 25:S21-S51. [PMID: 30870019 PMCID: PMC6447996 DOI: 10.1089/acm.2018.0499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives: This scoping review evaluates two decades of methodological advances made by “whole systems research” (WSR) pioneers in the fields of traditional, complementary, and integrative medicine (TCIM). Rooted in critiques of the classical randomized controlled trial (RCT)'s suitability for evaluating holistic, complex TCIM interventions, WSR centralizes the principle of “model validity,” representing a “fit” between research design and therapeutic paradigm. Design: In consultation with field experts, 41 clinical research exemplars were selected for review from across 13 TCIM disciplines, with the aim of mapping the range and methodological characteristics of WSR studies. Using an analytic charting approach, these studies' primary and secondary features are characterized with reference to three focal areas: research method, intervention design, and outcome assessment. Results: The reviewed WSR exemplars investigate a wide range of multimodal and multicomponent TCIM interventions, typified by wellness-geared, multitarget, and multimorbid therapeutic aims. Most studies include a behavioral focus, at times in multidisciplinary or team-based contexts. Treatments are variously individualized, often with reference to “dual” (biomedical and paradigm-specific) diagnoses. Prospective and retrospective study designs substantially reflect established biomedical research methods. Pragmatic, randomized, open label comparative effectiveness designs with “usual care” comparators are most widely used, at times with factorial treatment arms. Only two studies adopt a double-blind, placebo-controlled RCT format. Some cohort-based controlled trials engage nonrandomized allocation strategies (e.g., matched controls, preference-based assignment, and minimization); other key designs include single-cohort pre–post studies, modified n-of-1 series, case series, case report, and ethnography. Mixed methods designs (i.e., qualitative research and economic evaluations) are evident in about one-third of exemplars. Primary and secondary outcomes are predominantly assessed, at multiple intervals, through patient-reported measures for symptom severity, quality of life/wellness, and/or treatment satisfaction; some studies concurrently evaluate objective outcomes. Conclusions: Aligned with trends emphasizing “fit-for-purpose” research designs to study the “real-world” effectiveness of complex, personalized clinical interventions, WSR has emerged as a maturing scholarly discipline. The field is distinguished by its patient-centered salutogenic focus and engagement with nonbiomedical diagnostic and treatment frameworks. The rigorous pursuit of model validity may be further advanced by emphasizing complex analytic models, paradigm-specific outcome assessment, inter-rater reliability, and ethnographically informed designs. Policy makers and funders seeking to support best practices in TCIM research may refer to this review as a key resource.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadine Ijaz
- 1 Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | | | - Charles Elder
- 3 Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research, Portland, OR
| | - John Weeks
- 4 johnweeks-integrator.com, Editor-in-Chief, JACM, Seattle, WA
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Exploring pathogenesis in subjects with subjective Tinnitus having kidney deficiency pattern in terms of Traditional Chinese Medicine based on serum metabolic profiles. J TRADIT CHIN MED 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/s0254-6272(18)30918-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Wu HC, Chen KH, Hwang JS. Association of Menopausal Symptoms with Different Constitutions in Climacteric Women. Complement Med Res 2018; 25:398-405. [PMID: 30153672 DOI: 10.1159/000491389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to assess the correlation between the body constitution and menopausal symptoms in climacteric women. METHODS This cross-sectional study recruited 427 women aged 40-60 years from the hospital and nearby community. In addition to filling out a questionnaire on menopause rating scale - Traditional Chinese version, the participants completed the body constitution questionnaire. This classifies a person to 1 or more of 3 imbalanced constitutional types, which are yin-xu, yang-xu and stasis-stagnation. We constructed logistic regression models to estimate probabilities of the menopausal symptoms among climacteric women presenting with various menopausal status and differing body constitutions. RESULTS The frequency and scores of the yin-xu, yang-xu, and stasis-stagnation constitutions were significantly higher in perimenopausal and postmenopausal than premenopausal women. Compared to the non-constitution women, the odds ratio of having hot flushes, sleeping disorders, sexual problems, irritability, and anxiety were significantly higher with the yin-xu constitution. The women with a yang-xu constitution had significantly higher odds ratios for having bladder problems, muscle and joint problems, depressive mood, and heart discomfort. Symptoms of heart discomfort, physical and mental exhaustion, and sleeping disorders were correlated to the stasis-stagnation constitution. CONCLUSION With the additional key symptoms related to the 3 constitutional types, physicians performing traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) are able to diagnose the menopausal syndrome more accurately. Integrating menopausal symptoms with TCM constitutional theory will contribute to a more rapid diagnosis and treatment of menopausal syndrome.
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Development of a Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome-Specific Scale for Ulcerative Colitis: The Large Intestine Dampness-Heat Syndrome Questionnaire. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2018; 2018:4039019. [PMID: 30108653 PMCID: PMC6077564 DOI: 10.1155/2018/4039019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2018] [Revised: 05/21/2018] [Accepted: 06/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to develop and validate the large intestine dampness-heat syndrome questionnaire (LIDHSQ) for patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). The domains and items of the LIDHSQ were developed according to standard procedures, namely, construct definition, item generation, language testing, content validity, pilot study, and validation study. At first, a total of 20 items in 3 domains were generated based on literature review and expert consultation. After the item selection, the LIDHSQ contains 11 items in three domains: disease-related domain (diarrhoea, abdominal pain, bloody purulent stool, and mucus stool), heat domain (fever, dry mouth, red tongue, yellow fur, and anal burning), and dampness domain (greasy fur and defecation disorder). The Cronbach's alphas of all domains were greater than 0.6. All of the intraclass correlation coefficients were greater than 0.8. The LIDHSQ and domain scores of the patients with LIDHS were higher than those of the patients with other syndromes (P < 0.001). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the LIDHSQ was 0.900, with a 95% confidence interval of 0.872–0.928. When the cut-off value of the LIDHSQ was ≥ 7, the sensitivity and specificity were 0.867 and 0.854, respectively. The LIDHSQ is valid and reliable for measuring LIDHS in UC patients with good diagnostic efficacy. We recommend the use of the LIDHSQ in Chinese UC patients.
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Jeong H, Cha E, Lee J, Lee S, Park M, Kim D, Song B, Lee J, Kim S. Study on the Single Dose Toxicity of ShinEumHur Pharmacopuncture Injected into the Muscles of Rats. J Pharmacopuncture 2017; 19:350-358. [PMID: 28097044 PMCID: PMC5234355 DOI: 10.3831/kpi.2016.19.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives: This study was carried out to analyze the single dose toxicity of ShinEumHur (SEH) pharmacopuncture injected into the muscles of Sprague-Dawley rats. Methods: The SEH pharmacopuncture was made in a clean room at the Korean Pharmacopuncture Institute (K-GMP). After the mixing process with sterile distilled water had been completed, the pH was controlled to between 7.0 and 7.5. All experiments were conducted at Biotoxtech, an institution authorized to perform non-clinical studies under the Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) regulations. Sprague-Dawley rats were chosen for the pilot study. Doses of SEH pharmacopuncture, 0.25, 0.5 and 1.0 mL, were administered to the experimental groups, and a dose of normal saline solution, 1.0 mL, was administered to the control group. We examined the survival rate, weights, clinical signs, mean hematology parameters, mean clinical chemistry, necropsy and histopathological findings. This study was conducted under the approval of the Institutional Animal Ethics Committee. Results: No deaths or abnormalities occurred in any of the four groups. No significant changes in weight, hematological parameters or clinical chemistry between the control group and the experimental groups were observed. To check for abnormalities in organs and tissues, we used microscopy to examine representative histological sections of each specified organ; the results showed no significant differences in any of the organs or tissues. Conclusion: The above findings suggest that treatment with SEH pharmacopuncture is relatively safe. Further studies on this subject are needed to yield more concrete evidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hohyun Jeong
- Department of Korean Medicine, Shinangun Geriatric Hospital, Korea
| | - Eunhye Cha
- Department of Acupuncture & Moxibustion Medicine, Wonkwang University Gwangju Korean Medical Hospital, Gwangju, Korea; Nervous & Muscular System Disease Clinical Research Center of Wonkwang University Gwangju Korean Medical Hospital, Gwangju, Korea
| | - Jongcheol Lee
- Department of Acupuncture & Moxibustion Medicine, Wonkwang University Gwangju Korean Medical Hospital, Gwangju, Korea; Nervous & Muscular System Disease Clinical Research Center of Wonkwang University Gwangju Korean Medical Hospital, Gwangju, Korea
| | - Seongjin Lee
- Department of Acupuncture & Moxibustion Medicine, Wonkwang University Gwangju Korean Medical Hospital, Gwangju, Korea; Nervous & Muscular System Disease Clinical Research Center of Wonkwang University Gwangju Korean Medical Hospital, Gwangju, Korea
| | - Manyong Park
- Department of Acupuncture & Moxibustion Medicine, Wonkwang University Gwangju Korean Medical Hospital, Gwangju, Korea; Nervous & Muscular System Disease Clinical Research Center of Wonkwang University Gwangju Korean Medical Hospital, Gwangju, Korea
| | - Dongwoung Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Oriental Medical Hospital, Wonkwang University Gwangju Korean Medical Hospital, Gwangju, Korea
| | - Bongkeun Song
- Department of Oriental Internal Medicine, Oriental Medical Hospital, Wonkwang University Gwangju Korean Medical Hospital, Gwangju, Korea
| | - Jongdeok Lee
- Department of Radiology, Wonkwang University Gwangju Korean Medical Hospital, Gwangju, Korea
| | - Sungchul Kim
- Department of Acupuncture & Moxibustion Medicine, Wonkwang University Gwangju Korean Medical Hospital, Gwangju, Korea; Nervous & Muscular System Disease Clinical Research Center of Wonkwang University Gwangju Korean Medical Hospital, Gwangju, Korea
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Chung VC, Ho RS, Wu X, Wu JC. Incorporating traditional Chinese medicine syndrome differentiation in randomized trials: Methodological issues. Eur J Integr Med 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.eujim.2016.08.164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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Influence of Biomedical Factors on the Five Viscera Score (FVS) on Middle-Aged and Elderly Individuals: Application of Structural Equation Modeling. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2015; 2015:687015. [PMID: 26495022 PMCID: PMC4606208 DOI: 10.1155/2015/687015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2014] [Accepted: 03/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The five viscera score (FVS) is a diagnostic scale for traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). The purposes of current study are to elucidate the characteristics of FVS obtained from middle-aged to elderly individuals and to investigate the validity of FVS using biological medical data of middle-aged and elderly individuals. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to conduct assessments between FVS and medical data. Eighty men and 99 women participated in this study, whose mean ages (SD) were 58 ± 7 years in both genders showing no significant difference. FVS of women was significantly higher than that of men in the spleen of the 50s (P = 0.019) and liver of the 60s age group (P = 0.030). By SEM, the following biomedical factors were found to influence viscera: gender, diastolic blood pressure, and HDL-C for the liver; GLU, GOT, and γ-GTP for the spleen; age, BMI, and HCRP for the lungs; and HbA1c and creatinine clearance for the kidneys. These results provide objective evidence that FVS can be used for TCM diagnosis in middle-aged and elderly individuals.
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Age-related changes in prevalence and symptom characteristics in kidney deficiency syndrome with varied health status: a cross-sectional observational study. JOURNAL OF TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICAL SCIENCES 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jtcms.2014.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
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Wang H, Liu X, Lv B, Yang F, Hong Y. Reliable multi-label learning via conformal predictor and random forest for syndrome differentiation of chronic fatigue in traditional Chinese medicine. PLoS One 2014; 9:e99565. [PMID: 24918430 PMCID: PMC4053362 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0099565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2013] [Accepted: 03/06/2014] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Chronic Fatigue (CF) still remains unclear about its etiology, pathophysiology, nomenclature and diagnostic criteria in the medical community. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) adopts a unique diagnostic method, namely 'bian zheng lun zhi' or syndrome differentiation, to diagnose the CF with a set of syndrome factors, which can be regarded as the Multi-Label Learning (MLL) problem in the machine learning literature. To obtain an effective and reliable diagnostic tool, we use Conformal Predictor (CP), Random Forest (RF) and Problem Transformation method (PT) for the syndrome differentiation of CF. METHODS AND MATERIALS In this work, using PT method, CP-RF is extended to handle MLL problem. CP-RF applies RF to measure the confidence level (p-value) of each label being the true label, and then selects multiple labels whose p-values are larger than the pre-defined significance level as the region prediction. In this paper, we compare the proposed CP-RF with typical CP-NBC(Naïve Bayes Classifier), CP-KNN(K-Nearest Neighbors) and ML-KNN on CF dataset, which consists of 736 cases. Specifically, 95 symptoms are used to identify CF, and four syndrome factors are employed in the syndrome differentiation, including 'spleen deficiency', 'heart deficiency', 'liver stagnation' and 'qi deficiency'. THE RESULTS CP-RF demonstrates an outstanding performance beyond CP-NBC, CP-KNN and ML-KNN under the general metrics of subset accuracy, hamming loss, one-error, coverage, ranking loss and average precision. Furthermore, the performance of CP-RF remains steady at the large scale of confidence levels from 80% to 100%, which indicates its robustness to the threshold determination. In addition, the confidence evaluation provided by CP is valid and well-calibrated. CONCLUSION CP-RF not only offers outstanding performance but also provides valid confidence evaluation for the CF syndrome differentiation. It would be well applicable to TCM practitioners and facilitate the utilities of objective, effective and reliable computer-based diagnosis tool.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huazhen Wang
- College of Computer Science and Technology, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, China
| | - Xin Liu
- College of Computer Science and Technology, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, China
| | - Bing Lv
- College of Computer Science and Technology, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, China
| | - Fan Yang
- School of Information Science and Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Yanzhu Hong
- Department of traditional Chinese medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
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Birch S, Alraek T. Traditional East Asian medicine: how to understand and approach diagnostic findings and patterns in a modern scientific framework? Chin J Integr Med 2014; 20:336-40. [PMID: 24788086 DOI: 10.1007/s11655-014-1809-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Research into the diagnostic methods and patterns of traditional East Asian medical (TEAM) systems of practice such as acupuncture and herbal medicine face certain challenges due to the nature of thinking in TEAM and the subjective basis of judgments made in practice. The TEAM-based diagnosis can take into account various findings and signs such as the appearance of the tongue, palpable qualities of the radial pulses, palpable qualities and findings on the abdomen, the complexion of the patient and so on. Both diagnostic findings and the patterns of diagnosis cannot be assumed to have objective bases or to be causally related to the complaints of the patient. However, the diagnoses of TEAM based acupuncture and herbal medicine have tended to look at pictures of the whole patient and rather than focus on a particular symptom, they have looked across a myriad of signs and symptoms to decide or identify the 'pattern' of diagnosis according to the theory in question. Although open for selective and subjective biases each diagnosis pattern always comes with a prescribed treatment tailored to the pattern. Further, the same research requirements needed for the validation of the diagnoses are needed also for these clinical observations and judgments. Hence, it is necessary, albeit challenging for research on TEAM diagnoses to first address these issues before proceeding to more complex investigations such as the development of instruments for making diagnostic observations, instruments for forming diagnostic conclusions or studies investigating the physiological bases of the diagnostic patterns. Preliminary work has started and instruments have been made, but we suggest that any instrumentation must necessarily be first validated by matching of the calibrated or scaled observations or judgments to observations made and agreed upon by relevant experts. Reliability of all observations and judgments are needed before any other tool, technology or more advanced approach can proceed and also whenever the natural system of diagnosis-treatment is applied in clinical trials. In this paper the authors highlight the core problems and describe a step wise process for addressing them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen Birch
- University College of Health Sciences -Campus Kristiania, Oslo, Norway,
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Chang CM, Wu WH, Kuo BIT, Lee TY, Liu CY, Chang HH. Using a questionnaire among patient, resident doctor and senior supervisor: Are their answers the same? Complement Ther Med 2014; 22:296-303. [PMID: 24731901 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2014.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2013] [Revised: 01/30/2014] [Accepted: 02/23/2014] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study aims to contribute to the development of objective diagnostic standards in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), in order to improve the training of physicians. METHODS We devised a questionnaire study to evaluate the accuracy of resident doctors' diagnostic skills by comparing their assessment of patients with those of their senior supervising physician and the patients themselves. We selected 39 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taiwan, between November 1, 2008 and June 30, 2012, and had the resident doctors (R), their senior supervisor (S) and their patients (P) fill out questionnaires before treatment (V1), immediately after treatment (V5) and two months after treatment (V6), in order to record their assessments on the patients' condition. The R and S questionnaires covered subjective symptoms, tongue, and pulse, while the P questionnaires only included general symptoms. We then compared the assessment records to determine the level of agreement between them. RESULTS The agreements of inquiry during the study for P and S were 0.78 (V1) to 0.84 (V6) and 0.87 (V1) to 0.94 (V6) for R and S, respectively, the agreements between R and S for tongue diagnosis and pulse diagnosis were 0.87 (V1) to 0.90 (V6) and 0.91 (V1) to 0.95 (V6), respectively. All the above agreements improved with time from V1 to V6. CONCLUSIONS The results show that the patient input was feasible and effective and that the questionnaire method provided an objective assessment standard to determine how successfully the resident doctor was trained. Furthermore, it facilitated a training process that could help resident doctors improve their skills.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ching-Mao Chang
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, and Graduate Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33378, Taiwan.
| | - Wen-Hsiang Wu
- Department of Healthcare Management, Yuanpei University, Hsinchu 30015, Taiwan.
| | - Benjamin Ing-Tiau Kuo
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11221, Taiwan.
| | - Tzung-Yan Lee
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33378, Taiwan.
| | - Chia-Yu Liu
- Department of Chinese Medicine, Linsen Chinese Medicine Branch, Taipei City Hospital, Taipei 10453, Taiwan.
| | - Hen-Hong Chang
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, and Graduate Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33378, Taiwan; School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33378, Taiwan; Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan 33378, Taiwan.
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Guan Y, He Q. Liver Cancer: Zheng Classification of Qi Stagnation and Blood Stasis. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014. [DOI: 10.4236/pp.2014.51012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Chan RYP, Chien WT. Concepts of body constitution, health and sub-health from traditional Chinese medicine perspective. World J Transl Med 2013; 2:56-66. [DOI: 10.5528/wjtm.v2.i3.56] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2013] [Revised: 07/26/2013] [Accepted: 08/20/2013] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
This paper described and discussed the important literature and ideas about the concepts, types and measurement of body constitution, in terms of healthy, sub-healthy and disease status. In view of traditional Chinese medicine, ‘‘healthy” state is a status of relative balance of Yin and Yang to keep our bodily homeostasis. If there are significant physical and/or psychological stressors, such as loss of a beloved one and failure in study or work, the body can no longer keep its own bodily condition balanced and subsequently enter a state of ‘‘sub-health” (sub-optimal health). ‘‘unhealthy” body constitution such as ‘‘Dampness-heat”, ‘‘Cold-dampness” and ‘‘Heat- or Cold- dryness” with a subnormal body temperature and humidity and clinical manifestations such as insomnia, malaise and overweight will be presented. Immediate, appropriate strategies such as modification of life-style and seeking medical treatment can prevent evolution of an illness. Otherwise, the body will enter a disease status with a ‘‘pathological” body constitution of ‘‘Yin or Yang deficiency’’, ‘‘Blood-stasis” and/or ‘‘Phlegm-dampness”. To be complimentary with health promotion and disease prevention in Western medicine, understanding about an individual’s body constitution, together with its determinants (e.g., healthy eating and lifestyle behaviors), can contribute to a more proactive, holistic and individualized healthcare.
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Zhang L, Zhang J, Chen J, Xing D, Mu W, Wang J, Shang H. Clinical research of traditional chinese medicine needs to develop its own system of core outcome sets. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE : ECAM 2013; 2013:202703. [PMID: 24312133 PMCID: PMC3838829 DOI: 10.1155/2013/202703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2013] [Accepted: 10/20/2013] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Currently, quality issues concerning clinical research of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) have come into the spotlight. It has been recognized that poorly-devised research methodology largely restricted the development of clinical research in TCM. The choice of appropriate outcome measurements is key to the success of clinical research; however, the current procedure for outcomes selection in clinical research of TCM is problematic due to the underdevelopment of clinical methodology. Under this circumstance, we propose the introduction to the concept of Core Outcome Set (COS) and discuss the feasibility of developing a COS system that caters for clinical studies in TCM, in the hope that the outcome evaluation system could be up to international standards.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Zhang
- Center for Evidence-Based Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 312 Anshanxi Road, Nankai District, Tianjin 300193, China
| | - Junhua Zhang
- Center for Evidence-Based Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 312 Anshanxi Road, Nankai District, Tianjin 300193, China
| | - Jing Chen
- Center for Evidence-Based Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 312 Anshanxi Road, Nankai District, Tianjin 300193, China
| | - Dongmei Xing
- Center for Evidence-Based Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 312 Anshanxi Road, Nankai District, Tianjin 300193, China
| | - Wei Mu
- Center for Evidence-Based Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 312 Anshanxi Road, Nankai District, Tianjin 300193, China
| | - Jiaying Wang
- Center for Evidence-Based Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 312 Anshanxi Road, Nankai District, Tianjin 300193, China
| | - Hongcai Shang
- Center for Evidence-Based Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 312 Anshanxi Road, Nankai District, Tianjin 300193, China
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