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Wang D, Wang Q, Wang Y, Li T, Tian M. Effects of acupuncture and moxibustion on ulcerative colitis: An overview of systematic reviews. Heliyon 2024; 10:e27524. [PMID: 38510004 PMCID: PMC10951544 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e27524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a gastrointestinal disease with an unknown etiology that severely affects patients' quality of life. Acupuncture and moxibustion therapies are effective in the treatment of UC, but existing systematic reviews (SRs) and meta-analyses (MAs) on this subject have variable methodological and outcome quality. Therefore, this study aimed to summarize and evaluate the evidence of existing SRs and MAs to provide more reliable evidence for clinical practice. Data were extracted from seven databases through systematic search and evaluated in terms of the methodological quality, reporting quality, risk of bias, and quality of evidence using the AMSTAR-2, PRISMA, ROBIS, and GRADE systems, respectively. Ten studies were finally included, and all of them showed many problems with the overall design and quality of outcomes. Because of the lack of high-quality evidence to support the findings from the existing studies, we should take this conclusion with caution and strictly implement the registration, design, and implementation of trials based on evidence to provide high-quality results in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Wang
- Department of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Gastroenterology, Third Affiliated Clinical Hospital to Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun 130117, Jilin, China
| | - Qi Wang
- College of Acupuncture and Massage, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun 130117, Jilin Province, China
| | - Yunhe Wang
- Department of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Gastroenterology, Third Affiliated Clinical Hospital to Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun 130117, Jilin, China
| | - Ting Li
- Department of Liver, Spleen and Stomach Diseases, The Affiliated Hospital to Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, Jilin, 130021, China
| | - Mi Tian
- Department of Liver, Spleen and Stomach Diseases, Jilin Province Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Changchun 130021, Jilin, China
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Sun H, Ji X, Jiao Y, Wang L, Wang J. Risk factors for ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome during IVF embryo transfer based on logistic regression analysis and construction of a forecasting model. Minerva Med 2024; 115:112-114. [PMID: 37310711 DOI: 10.23736/s0026-4806.23.08730-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Hairu Sun
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Hengshui People's Hospital, Hengshui, China -
| | - Xuexia Ji
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Hengshui People's Hospital, Hengshui, China
| | - Yan Jiao
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Hengshui People's Hospital, Hengshui, China
| | - Lei Wang
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Hengshui People's Hospital, Hengshui, China
| | - Jiao Wang
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Hengshui People's Hospital, Hengshui, China
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Dong HX, Wu X, Zhou Q, Huang DM, Zhang MM, Huang GY, Yang W. Effect of Acupuncture on Endometrial Blood Flow in Women Undergoing in vitro Fertilization Embryo Transfer: A Single Blind, Randomized Controlled Trial. Chin J Integr Med 2024; 30:10-17. [PMID: 36790554 DOI: 10.1007/s11655-023-3731-4] [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] [Accepted: 07/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect of manual acupuncture on endometrial blood flow parameters by three-dimensional (3D) power Doppler ultrasound in women undergoing in vitro fertilization embryo transfer (IVF-ET). METHODS Seventy patients undergoing IVF-ET were equally randomized into traditional or sham acupuncture treatment group for totally 4 days (from the day of oocyte aspiration to the day of embryo transfer) of treatment by random envelope method at the Reproductive Medicine Center and Outpatient Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medicine College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology from January 2013 to December 2015. Patients in the traditional acupuncture group accepted traditional acupuncture methods with manual acupuncture, and Zhongji (CV3), Qihai (CV 6), Sanyinjiao (SP6), Taichong (LR 3), Tianshu (ST 25), Guilai (ST 29) and Zusanli (ST 36) were chosen. Patients at the sham acupuncture group accepted shallow acupuncture methods at 4 non-meridian points at each shoulder and upper arm. Outcome measures included endometrial ultrasonic indices such as vascularization index (VI), flow index (FI) and vascularization flow index (VFI), endometrial thickness and volume, subendometrial VI (sVI), subendometrial FI (sFI), subendometrial VFI (sVFI), implantation rate, clinical pregnancy rate, abortion rate, live birth rate and number of live births. RESULTS Finally, 34 patients in the traditional acupuncture group and 35 in the sham acupuncture group completed this trial. VI, FI and VFI of the traditional acupuncture group were significantly higher than those in the sham acupuncture group (P<0.05). No significant differences were found in endometrial thickness, endometrial volume, sVI, sFI, sVFI, implantation rate, clinical pregnancy rate, abortion rate, live birth rate and number of live births (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS Manual acupuncture performed after oocyte aspiration and before transplantation improved the endometrial blood flow parameters VI, RI and VFI in women who underwent IVF-ET, instead of sVI, sFI and sVFI. Therefore, acupuncture might be beneficial in women undergoing IVF-ET by increasing endometrial blood flow and endometrial receptivity. (Registration No. ChiCTR2100053354).
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao-Xu Dong
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Xiao Wu
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Qin Zhou
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Dong-Mei Huang
- Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Ming-Min Zhang
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Guang-Ying Huang
- Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Wei Yang
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
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Yu J, Fu Y, Zeng L, Xie P, Li L, Zheng Y. Burden of female infertility in China from 1990 to 2019: a temporal trend analysis and forecasting, and comparison with the global level. Sex Health 2023; 20:577-584. [PMID: 37967574 DOI: 10.1071/sh23029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Infertility is a common reproductive disease that affects not only individuals and families, but also the growth of the social population. Hence, understanding the burden of female infertility in China and worldwide is of great significance for the development of infertility prevention and treatment strategies. METHODS The Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD 2019) Data Resources were used to collect and collate relevant data on female infertility in China and worldwide from 1990 to 2019. The difference in the number, age-standardised prevalence rate (ASPR), disability-adjusted life years and age-standardised disability-adjusted life years rate (ASDR) of women with infertility in different periods and geographical areas were analysed. The autoregressive integrated moving average method was used to predict the ASPR and ASDR of female infertility in China and worldwide in the next 11years. RESULTS In the past 30years, the number of female infertility cases increased by 7.06million in China and 56.71million worldwide. The corresponding average annual increase of ASPR was 10.10% and 7.28%, respectively, and that of ASDR was 0.08% and 0.79%, respectively. In addition, there are differences in age and time between Chinese and global female infertility. In 1990, the crude prevalence rate of female infertility was the highest in women aged 40-44years and 35-39years in China and worldwide, respectively. In 2019, the crude prevalence rate of female infertility was still the highest in women aged 40-44years in China, whereas that around the world reached the highest in women aged 30-34years, which was significantly earlier. The forecast for the next 11years suggests that the ASPR and ASDR for female infertility in China will first rise and then decline, but the overall magnitude of change is not very significant, whereas the ASPR and ASDR for female infertility globally are still on the rise. The ASPR value of female infertility is expected to be 5025.56 in 100 000 persons in China and 3725.51 in 100 000 persons worldwide by 2030. The ASDR value of female infertility is expected to be 26.16 in 100 000 persons in China and 19.96 in 100 000 persons worldwide by 2030. CONCLUSION The burden of female infertility is still increasing in China and worldwide. Therefore, it is of great significance to pay more attention to infertile women, and advocate a healthy lifestyle to reduce the burden of disease for infertile women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingwei Yu
- Gynecology of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Panyu Maternal and Child Care Service Centre (Panyu He Xian Memorial Hospital), Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province 511442, China
| | - Yanhong Fu
- Department of Gynecology, Guangzhou Huadu District Maternal and Child Care Service Centre, Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province 510800, China
| | - Lei Zeng
- Department of Gynecology, First Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province 510405, China
| | - Pengpeng Xie
- Department of TCM Gynecology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province 510623, China
| | - Limei Li
- Department of Women's Health Care, Guangdong Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province 511442, China
| | - Yongxia Zheng
- Gynecology of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Panyu Maternal and Child Care Service Centre (Panyu He Xian Memorial Hospital), Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province 511442, China
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Lundin K, Bentzen JG, Bozdag G, Ebner T, Harper J, Le Clef N, Moffett A, Norcross S, Polyzos NP, Rautakallio-Hokkanen S, Sfontouris I, Sermon K, Vermeulen N, Pinborg A. Good practice recommendations on add-ons in reproductive medicine†. Hum Reprod 2023; 38:2062-2104. [PMID: 37747409 PMCID: PMC10628516 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/dead184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION Which add-ons are safe and effective to be used in ART treatment? SUMMARY ANSWER Forty-two recommendations were formulated on the use of add-ons in the diagnosis of fertility problems, the IVF laboratory and clinical management of IVF treatment. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY The innovative nature of ART combined with the extremely high motivation of the patients has opened the door to the wide application of what has become known as 'add-ons' in reproductive medicine. These supplementary options are available to patients in addition to standard fertility procedures, typically incurring an additional cost. A diverse array of supplementary options is made available, encompassing tests, drugs, equipment, complementary or alternative therapies, laboratory procedures, and surgical interventions. These options share the common aim of stating to enhance pregnancy or live birth rates, mitigate the risk of miscarriage, or expedite the time to achieving pregnancy. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION ESHRE aimed to develop clinically relevant and evidence-based recommendations focusing on the safety and efficacy of add-ons currently used in fertility procedures in order to improve the quality of care for patients with infertility. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS ESHRE appointed a European multidisciplinary working group consisting of practising clinicians, embryologists, and researchers who have demonstrated leadership and expertise in the care and research of infertility. Patient representatives were included in the working group. To ensure that the guidelines are evidence-based, the literature identified from a systematic search was reviewed and critically appraised. In the absence of any clear scientific evidence, recommendations were based on the professional experience and consensus of the working group. The guidelines are thus based on the best available evidence and expert agreement. Prior to publication, the guidelines were reviewed by 46 independent international reviewers. A total of 272 comments were received and incorporated where relevant. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE The multidisciplinary working group formulated 42 recommendations in three sections; diagnosis and diagnostic tests, laboratory tests and interventions, and clinical management. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION Of the 42 recommendations, none could be based on high-quality evidence and only four could be based on moderate-quality evidence, implicating that 95% of the recommendations are supported only by low-quality randomized controlled trials, observational data, professional experience, or consensus of the development group. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS These guidelines offer valuable direction for healthcare professionals who are responsible for the care of patients undergoing ART treatment for infertility. Their purpose is to promote safe and effective ART treatment, enabling patients to make informed decisions based on realistic expectations. The guidelines aim to ensure that patients are fully informed about the various treatment options available to them and the likelihood of any additional treatment or test to improve the chance of achieving a live birth. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) All costs relating to the development process were covered from ESHRE funds. There was no external funding of the development process or manuscript production. K.L. reports speakers fees from Merck and was part of a research study by Vitrolife (unpaid). T.E. reports consulting fees from Gynemed, speakers fees from Gynemed and is part of the scientific advisory board of Hamilton Thorne. N.P.P. reports grants from Merck Serono, Ferring Pharmaceutical, Theramex, Gedeon Richter, Organon, Roche, IBSA and Besins Healthcare, speakers fees from Merck Serono, Ferring Pharmaceutical, Theramex, Gedeon Richter, Organon, Roche, IBSA and Besins Healthcare. S.R.H. declares being managing director of Fertility Europe, a not-for-profit organization receiving financial support from ESHRE. I.S. is a scientific advisor for and has stock options from Alife Health, is co-founder of IVFvision LTD (unpaid) and received speakers' fee from the 2023 ART Young Leader Prestige workshop in China. A.P. reports grants from Gedeon Richter, Ferring Pharmaceuticals and Merck A/S, consulting fees from Preglem, Novo Nordisk, Ferring Pharmaceuticals, Gedeon Richter, Cryos and Merck A/S, speakers fees from Gedeon Richter, Ferring Pharmaceuticals, Merck A/S, Theramex and Organon, travel fees from Gedeon Richter. The other authors disclosed no conflicts of interest. DISCLAIMER This Good Practice Recommendations (GPRs) document represents the views of ESHRE, which are the result of consensus between the relevant ESHRE stakeholders and are based on the scientific evidence available at the time of preparation.ESHRE GPRs should be used for information and educational purposes. They should not be interpreted as setting a standard of care or bedeemedinclusive of all proper methods of care, or be exclusive of other methods of care reasonably directed to obtaining the same results.Theydo not replace the need for application of clinical judgement to each individual presentation, or variations based on locality and facility type.Furthermore, ESHRE GPRs do not constitute or imply the endorsement, or favouring, of any of the included technologies by ESHRE.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - K Lundin
- Department Reproductive Medicine, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden
| | - J G Bentzen
- The Fertility Department, Rigshospitalet Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - G Bozdag
- Department Obstetrics and Gynecology, Koc University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - T Ebner
- Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics, and Gynecological Endocrinology, Kepler University, MedCampus IV, Linz, Austria
| | - J Harper
- Institute for Women’s Health, London, UK
| | - N Le Clef
- European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology, Brussels, Belgium
| | - A Moffett
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - N P Polyzos
- Department Reproductive Medicine, Dexeus University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | | | - K Sermon
- Research Group Reproduction and Genetics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - N Vermeulen
- European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology, Brussels, Belgium
| | - A Pinborg
- The Fertility Department, Rigshospitalet Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Lv Y, Chen Y, Hu L, Ding H, Liu M, Li H, Hou Y, Xing Q. Is glucocorticoid use associated with a higher clinical pregnancy rate of in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer? A meta-analysis. Heliyon 2023; 9:e15833. [PMID: 37215803 PMCID: PMC10196514 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e15833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Background It has been reported that the use of glucocorticoids may be able to improve clinical pregnancy rates in patients receiving in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET). The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between glucocorticoid use and clinical pregnancy rate in IVF-ET patients. Methods This study has been registered on the International Register of Prospective Systems Evaluation (PROSPERO) (ID: CRD42022375427). A thorough and detailed search of databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library was conducted to identify eligible studies up to October 2022. Quality assessment was conducted on the modified Jadad Scoring Scale and Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, and the inter-study heterogeneity was estimated by Q test and I2 test. Combined hazard ratios with 95% CI were calculated using random effects or fixed effects models based on heterogeneity. Meanwhile, Begg's and Egger's tests were used to detect the existence of publication bias, the leave-one-out method was used for sensitivity analysis and multiple subgroup analyses were conducted. Results Seventeen studies involving 3056 IVF-ET cycles were included. We found that glucocorticoid use was associated with a higher IVF-ET pregnancy rate (OR = 1.86, 95% CI = 1.27-2.74, P = 0.002). In the subgroup analysis, studies of different regions and different study types all showed similar results that glucocorticoid is beneficial to improve the clinical pregnancy rate of patients with IVF-ET, and patients with positive autoantibodies and patients receiving IVF-ET multiple times also showed the same results. However, there was no significant change in clinical pregnancy rates in the seven studies with negative autoantibodies and in the seven studies with initial IVF-ET treatment. The results of the 12 medium-acting glucocorticoids and 4 long-acting glucocorticoids were also generally consistent with each other. There was no statistical difference in subgroup analysis of whether patients had endometriosis or not. Conclusion Appropriate use of glucocorticoids is beneficial for improving the clinical pregnancy rate in women receiving IVF-ET, but this result still needs to be verified by more high-quality and large sample size randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaxuan Lv
- Department of Clinical Medicine, School of the First Clinical Medicine, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Yue Chen
- Department of Clinical Medicine, School of the First Clinical Medicine, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Lei Hu
- Department of Clinical Medicine, School of the First Clinical Medicine, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Haitian Ding
- Department of Clinical Medicine, School of the First Clinical Medicine, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Mengqing Liu
- Department of Clinical Medicine, School of the Chaohu Clinical Medicine, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Hailong Li
- Sun Yat-sen University, No.74 Nonglin Road, Guangzhou, 510030, Guangdong, China
| | - Yuyang Hou
- Department of Clinical Medicine, School of the First Clinical Medicine, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Qiong Xing
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, No 218 Jixi Road, Hefei, 230022, Anhui, China
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health and Genetics, Anhui Medical University, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract (Anhui Medical University), No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
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Feng T, Wang X, Jin Z, Qin X, Sun C, Qi B, Zhang Y, Zhu L, Wei X. Effectiveness and safety of manual therapy for knee osteoarthritis: An overview of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1081238. [PMID: 36908468 PMCID: PMC9999021 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1081238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Manual therapy has been used as an alternative approach to treat knee osteoarthritis (KOA) for many years. Numerous systematic reviews (SRs) or meta-analyses (MAs) were published to evaluate its effectiveness and safety. Nevertheless, the conclusions of SRs/MAs are inconsistent, and the uneven quality needs to be critically appraised. Objectives To conduct a comprehensive overview of the effectiveness and safety of manual therapy for KOA and the quality of relevant SRs/MAs, thus providing critical evidence and valuable direction for future researchers to promote the generation of advanced evidence. Methods The pre-defined search strategies were applied to eight electronic databases from inception to September 2022. Suitable SRs/MAs were included in accordance with the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The methodological quality, risk of bias, reporting quality, and evidence quality were assessed by two independent reviewers who used respectively the A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews 2 (AMSTAR-2), the Risk of Bias in Systematic Reviews (ROBIS), the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020 Version (PRISMA 2020), and Grades of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) based on the method of narrative synthesis. We excluded the overlapping randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and performed a re-meta-analysis of the total effective rate. Results A total of eleven relevant SRs/MAs were included: nine SRs/MAs were rated critically low quality, and two were rated low quality by AMSTAR-2. According to ROBIS, all SRs/MAs were rated low risk in Phase 1 (assessing relevance) and Domain 1 (study eligibility criteria) of Phase 2. Three SRs/MAs (27.27%) were rated low risk in Domain 2 (identification and selection of studies). Ten SRs/MAs (90.91%) were rated low risk in Domain 3 (data collection and study appraisal). Five SRs/MAs (45.45%) were rated low risk in Domain 4 (synthesis and findings). And five SRs/MAs (45.45%) were rated low risk in Phase 3 (risk of bias in the review). By PRISMA 2020, there were some reporting deficiencies in the aspects of abstract (2/11, 18.18%), search strategy (0/11, 0%), preprocessing of merging data (0/11, 0%), heterogeneity exploration (6/11, 54.55%), sensitivity analysis (4/11, 36.36%), publication bias (5/11, 45.45%), evidence quality (3/11, 27.27%), the list of excluded references (3/11, 27.27%), protocol and registration (1/11, 9.09%), funding (1/11, 9.09%), conflict of interest (3/11, 27.27%), and approach to relevant information (0/11, 0%). In GRADE, the evidence quality was defined as moderate quality (8 items, 21.05%), low quality (16 items, 42.11%), and critically low quality (14 items, 36.84%). Among the downgraded factors, risk of bias, inconsistency, imprecision, and publication bias were the main factors. A re-meta-analysis revealed that manual therapy can increase the total effective rate in KOA patients (risk ratio = 1.15, 95% confidence interval [1.12, 1.18], p < 0.00001; I2 = 0, p = 0.84). There are four reviews that narratively report adverse effects, and no severe adverse reactions occurred in the manual therapy group. Conclusions Manual therapy may be clinically effective and safe for patients with KOA. However, this conclusion must be interpreted with caution because of the generally unsatisfactory study quality and inconsistent conclusions of the included SRs/MAs. Further rigorous and normative SRs/MAs are expected to be carried out to provide robust evidence for definitive conclusions. Systematic review registration https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/#myprospero, identifier: CRD42022364672.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianxiao Feng
- Wangjing Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xu Wang
- Wangjing Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zikai Jin
- Wangjing Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaokuan Qin
- Wangjing Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chuanrui Sun
- Wangjing Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Baoyu Qi
- Wangjing Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yili Zhang
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine and School of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Liguo Zhu
- Wangjing Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xu Wei
- Wangjing Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
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8
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Zhu C, Xia W, Huang J, Zhang X, Li F, Yu X, Ma J, Zeng Q. Effects of acupuncture on the pregnancy outcomes of frozen-thawed embryo transfer: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Public Health 2022; 10:987276. [PMID: 36159230 PMCID: PMC9501879 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.987276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Acupuncture is increasingly used as adjuvant therapy for infertile women undergoing frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET); however, its effects and safety are highly controversial. This study aimed to evaluate the pooled effects of adjuvant acupuncture on FET pregnancy outcomes. Methods We considered only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared acupuncture with sham acupuncture or no adjuvant treatment during FET and the primary outcome was clinical pregnancy rate. Two authors separately selected studies, extracted data, and performed a risk of bias assessment. Pooled data were expressed as risk ratio (RR) or mean difference (MD), with a 95% confidence interval (CI). In addition, we conducted subgroup and sensitivity analyses to investigate the sources of heterogeneity, and we also constructed funnel plots to assess the likelihood of publication bias. Finally, Grading of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) was applied to evaluate the quality of evidence. Results A total of 14 RCTs with a total of 1,130 participants were included in the study. We found significant effects of acupuncture adjuvant to FET on the outcomes of clinical pregnancy rate (RR = 1.54, 95% CI [1.28, 1.85], I 2 = 34%; 14 trials), biochemical pregnancy rate (RR = 1.51, 95% CI [1.21, 1.89]; 5 trials), endometrial thickness (MD = 0.97, 95% CI [0.43, 1.51]; 12 trials), and endometrial pattern (RR = 1.41, 95% CI [1.13, 1.75]; 7 trials). For live birth rate (RR = 1.48, 95% CI [0.90, 2.43], 4 trials), there were no statistical effectiveness. For subgroup analyses, most variables had tolerable heterogeneity (I 2 = 0%) except for trials that were sham-controlled, performed acupuncture only after FET, or <5 times, which appeared to interpret most of the heterogeneity. Additionally, the quality of evidence of all outcomes in this review ranged from low to moderate. Conclusion Acupuncture could be instrumental in the pregnancy outcomes of FET, and has very few risks of severe adverse events; however, the quality of evidence is unsatisfactory. Further research with rigorous methodological quality should be considered, and the protocols of acupuncture also need more investigations (e.g., appropriate control groups, sessions, and times).
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Affiliation(s)
- Can Zhu
- Department of Gynecology, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China,School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, China
| | - Wanting Xia
- Department of Gynecology, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Jinzhu Huang
- School of Nursing, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Xuan Zhang
- Department of Gynecology, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Fangyuan Li
- Department of Gynecology, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaorun Yu
- Department of Gynecology, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Jiamin Ma
- Department of Gynecology, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Qian Zeng
- Department of Gynecology, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China,*Correspondence: Qian Zeng
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Casale M. Improving the health and treatment success rates of in vitro fertilization patients with traditional Chinese medicine: Need for more robust evidence and innovative approaches. JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE 2022; 20:187-192. [PMID: 35216931 DOI: 10.1016/j.joim.2022.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Maximising access to and the success of fertility treatments should be a priority for global reproductive health, as should overall patient well-being. The demand for in vitro fertilization (IVF) and other assisted fertility treatments has increased over the past decade and is likely to further increase in years to come. Nevertheless, there is still considerable unmet demand for infertility support worldwide. Moreover, the high emotional, physical and financial burden experienced by individuals undergoing IVF cycles can be a risk for their mental and physical health, which in turn can influence treatment continuation and the likelihood of IVF success. Studies from various parts of the world show that most individuals undergoing IVF also use adjunct alternative medicines and procedures, the most common being traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). The complementary and synergistic role of TCM for individuals undergoing IVF is an area that merits further attention and research, both for its potential positive effects on IVF success rates and for its broader physical and mental health benefits. However, much of the existing evidence is not sufficiently robust or consistent for findings to be adopted with confidence. This commentary argues that much work must be done to understand the efficacy and clinical best practices for these integrated approaches. This can be achieved in part by developing more robust and clinically relevant randomized controlled trial protocols, collecting and triangulating evidence through a variety of study designs and methods, and strengthening the collection and pooling of clinic-level data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marisa Casale
- School of Public Health, University of the Western Cape, Bellville 7535, South Africa.
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Liu A, Yu W, Chen J, Guo T, Niu P, Feng H, Jia Y. Methodological quality and risk of bias of systematic reviews and meta-analyses on stem cells for knee osteoarthritis: A cross-sectional survey. Stem Cells Dev 2022; 31:431-444. [PMID: 35316077 DOI: 10.1089/scd.2022.0060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Clinical guidelines need high-quality studies to support clinical decision-making, in which the evidence often was collected from systematic reviews (SRs) and/or meta-analyses (MAs). At present, the methodological quality and risk of bias (RoB) of SRs/MAs on stem cell therapy for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) has been poorly investigated. This study aims to strictly evaluate the methodological quality and RoB in SRs/MAs of stem cell therapy for KOA. Four electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases) were searched, from inception to October 5th, 2021. SRs/MAs involving randomized control trials (RCTs) or cohort studies on stem cell therapy for the treatment of KOA were included. The methodological quality and RoB were assessed using AMSTAR 2 and ROBIS tool respectively. In total, 22 SRs/MAs were included. According to the results obtained by AMSTAR 2 tool, all SRs/MAs were rated as "Critically low". Main methodological weaknesses were as follows: up to 81.82% did not meet protocol registration requirements, only 13.64% provided a list of excluded studies and justification, and 13.64% investigated and discussed the publication bias.. ROBIS-based RoB assessment showed that all the SRs/MAs were rated as "High". Besides, the lack of following the implementation of the PRISMA reporting guideline seems to reduce the methodological quality of the studies. The overall methodological quality of the SRs/MAs concerning the application of stem cell therapy in treating KOA is "Critically low", while the RoB is high. It is difficult to provide effective evidence for the formulation of guidelines for KOA treatment. We suggest that the relevant methodological quality assessment should be carried out in the future before the SRs/MAs are used as clinical evidence. In addition, it may be necessary for many journals to include the checklist with a submitted manuscript.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aifeng Liu
- First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 74770, Tianjin, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Tianjin, China;
| | - Weijie Yu
- First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 74770, Tianjin, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Tianjin, China;
| | - Jixin Chen
- First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 74770, Tianjin, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Tianjin, China;
| | - Tianci Guo
- First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 74770, Tianjin, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Tianjin, China;
| | - Puyu Niu
- First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 74770, Tianjin, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Tianjin, China;
| | - Huichuan Feng
- First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 74770, Tianjin, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Tianjin, China;
| | - Yizhen Jia
- First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 74770, Tianjin, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Tianjin, China;
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Acupuncture as Treatment for Female Infertility: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2022; 2022:3595033. [PMID: 35222669 PMCID: PMC8865966 DOI: 10.1155/2022/3595033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 01/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Background The effects of acupuncture on female infertility remain controversial. Also, the variation in the participant, interventions, outcomes studied, and trial design may relate to the efficacy of adjuvant acupuncture. The aim of the study is to systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture for female with infertility and hopefully provide reliable guidance for clinicians and patients. Methods We searched digital databases for relevant studies, including EMBASE, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library up to April 2021, for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the effects of acupuncture on women undergoing IVF and other treatment. We included studies with intervention groups using acupuncture and control groups consisting of no acupuncture or sham (placebo) acupuncture. Primary outcomes were clinical pregnancy rate (CPR) and live birth rate (LBR). Meta-regression and subgroup analysis were conducted on the basis of ten prespecified covariates to investigate the variances of the effects of adjuvant acupuncture on pregnancy rates and the sources of heterogeneity. Results: Twenty-seven studies with 7676 participants were included. The results showed that the intervention group contributes more in outcomes including live birth rate (RR = 1.34; 95% CI (1.07, 1.67); P < 0.05), clinical pregnancy rate (RR = 1.43; 95% CI (1.21, 1.69); P < 0.05), biochemical pregnancy rate (RR = 1.42; 95% CI (1.05, 1.91); P < 0.05), ongoing pregnancy rate (RR = 1.25; 95% CI (0.88, 1.79); P < 0.05), adverse events (RR = 1.65; 95% CI (1.15, 2.36); P < 0.05), and implantation rate (MD = 1.19; 95% CI (1.07, 1.33); P < 0.05) when compared with the control group, and the difference is statistically significant. In terms of the number of oocytes retrieved, good-quality embryo rate, miscarriages, and ectopic pregnancy rate, the difference between the acupuncture group and the control group was not statistically significant. Conclusions: Our analysis finds a benefit of acupuncture for outcomes in women with infertility, and the number of acupuncture treatments is a potential influential factor. Given the poor reporting and methodological flaws of existing studies, studies with larger scales and better methodologies are needed to verify these findings. More double-blind RCTs equipped with high quality and large samples are expected for the improvement of the level of evidence.
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