Objectives: This study investigated the clinical characteristics of functional dyspepsia (FD) patients with food retention (FR) in regard to the parameters of cutaneous electrogastrography (EGG), Ryodoraku, and heart rate variability (HRV). Methods: This study reviewed the clinical records of 33 FD patients with FR who filled out the FR Questionnaire for FD (FRQ-FD) and underwent EGG for six months from March 1st, 2021. We summarized the clinical characteristics of FD patients with FR and analyzed the correlation between FRQ-FD score and parameters of EGG, Ryodoraku, and HRV. Results: FRQ-FD scores had a positive correlation with percentage of postprandial bradygastria and negative correlation with power ratio, detected on Channel 2, 3 of EGG. The total average (TA) Ryodoraku score was lower, and the high frequency density (HF) of HRV was higher than the normal value. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that clinicians can use EGG, Ryodoraku, and HRV to increase the accuracy of diagnosing FR in FD patients.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the latest clinical studies on Korean medicine treatment of post-concussion syndrome (PCS) in the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure Database (CNKI). Methods: We searched the last 10 years of clinical studies discussing Oriental medicine-based treatments for PCS in the CNKI database. The search focused on the authors, publication year, type of study, purpose of the study, method and duration of treatment, evaluation criteria, and results of each article. Results: Of the 22 selected studies, 1 was a non-randomized controlled trial (nRCT), 2 were case series, and 19 were randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Treatments included oral herbal medicine in 16 studies, oriental medicine through external use in 2 studies, acupuncture in 3 studies, and traditional Chinese medicine injection in 2 studies. The most frequently used herb was Cnidii Rhizoma (川芎). All 22 studies confirmed the efficacy of Oriental medicine treatments. Conclusion: More varied and scientifically designed clinical studies are required to develop treatments for PCS. The results of this study could be used as basic data for further PCS studies.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to analyze the correlation between patterns determined by pattern identification of functional dyspepsia (FD) and tongue features, including tongue coating and tooth marks, in FD patients. Methods: We reviewed the clinical records of 68 FD patients who visited the Department of Digestive Diseases of Kyung Hee University Korean Medicine Hospital from September 1, 2020 to August 31, 2021. The subjects were evaluated with a computerized tongue image acquisition system (CTIS) and by pattern identification of FD. Measurement included the percentage of tongue coating, tooth mark levels, and pattern scores. Results: Statistically significant negative correlations were noted between the scores of the pattern of 'spleen and stomach deficiency and cold' (SSDC) and the percentage of tongue coating in whole, center, and root of the tongue body. However, no other patterns were correlated with any parameter measured by CTIS. No significant difference was noted in the percentage of tongue coating and the tooth mark level between the patterns. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that the pattern of SSDC was significantly associated with the percentage of tongue coating. We suggest that the percentage of tongue coating could be a useful indicator for identifying the degree of patterning of SSDC in patients with FD.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the opinions of experts on abdominal examinations in Korean Medicine included in the curriculum of the College of Korean Medicine. Methods: Among Korean doctors, 14 experts on abdominal examinations were interviewed; the experts included 9 professors of Korean internal medicine, 1 expert in diagnostics of Korean Medicine, 1 primary care Korean medicine doctor, and 3 executives of a (former) Korean association of the abdomen. The interview consisted of questions regarding recognition of the clinical importance of abdominal examinations, how to perform abdominal examinations, the most frequent abdominal examination findings encountered in clinical practice, and the definition of some of the abdominal examination findings. Results: Most interviewees recognized abdominal examinations as important and used them in clinical practice. Opinions on additions and corrections were collected regarding observation items, posture, method, and order during abdominal examinations. Abdominal examination findings that were common clinically were abdominal fullness (腹滿), epigastric stuffness (心下痞鞕), abdominal tenderness, epigastric fullness (心下滿), and rib distention (胸脇苦滿). The answers to the question related to the definitions of abdominal examination findings included consent and supplementary opinions regarding definitions of deficiency-excess, cold-heat, abdominal tenderness, tension of abdominal muscles, succession sounds, and borborygmus; these were mainly selected based on abdominal symptoms that are highly quantifiable. Conclusions: In the future, based on the results of this study, additional research related to the drafting of a standard abdominal examination in Korean medicine should be conducted to provide an opportunity to increase the reliability of Korean medicine diagnosis.

Objectives: The aim of the current study was to investigate the effect of Sosiho-tang on thioacetamide (TAA)-induced liver fibrosis in mice and to elucidate its underlying mechanisms. Methods: The mice were divided into 4 groups: Normal mice (Normal), TAA-induced control mice (Control), TAA-induced and silymarin-treated (50 mg/kg) mice (Silymarin), and TAA-induced and Sosiho-tang treated (200 mg/kg) mice (SSHT). Liver fibrosis was induced via intraperitoneal injection of TAA three times a week for 8 weeks. Silymarin and Sosiho-tang were concomitantly administered for 8 weeks. Serum and liver tissues were then collected and the anti-oxidant and inflammatory protein levels in the liver tissues were evaluated using western blotting. Results: SSHT administration significantly reduced the levels of AST, ALT, ammonia, and MPO in the serum. SSHT also significantly down-regulated liver NADPH oxidase and regulated the Nrf2/Keap1 signaling pathway. SSHT treatment downregulated the liver NF-κB levels and suppressed inflammatory cytokines. SSHT treatment also decreased bile acid-related factors, such as CYP7A1 and NTCP, and fibrosis-related factors, such as α-SMA and Collagen I. Conclusions: Taken together, these data suggest that SSHT administration suppressed the progression of liver fibrosis by activating the Nrf2/Keap1 pathway and inhibiting NF-κB.

목적: 약열과 시술관련 발열(시술열)은 원내 발열의 원인이다. 한방은 여러 라에서 시행되나, 이에 의한 약열과 시술열의 빈도에 대한 자료는 없다. 본 연구의 목적은 한방치료에 의한 약열과 시술열의 빈도를 확인하는 것이다. 방법: 2006년부터 8년간 서울의 한 대학 부속 한방병원에서 후향적으로 시행했다. 결과: 한약을 복용한 10800명의 환자 중 95건의 약열이 발생하였다(0.89%). 환자들의 체온은 38.37±0.58 ℃이었고, 발열은 평균 1일간 지속되었다. 호산구증, 독성간염, 피부발진이 각각 15.79%, 8.42%, 5.26%에서 발생하였다. 약열과 관련된 흔한 한약재는 감초, 당귀, 백출이었다. 한방 시술을 받은 8125명의 환자 중 16건의 시술열이 발생하였다(0.20%). 환자들의 체온은 38.26±0.51 ℃이었고, 발열은 평균 1일간 지속되었다. 뜸이 가장 흔한 원인으로, 침이 두 번째였다. 결론: 한방치료에 의한 약열 및 시술열의 빈도는 서양의학보다 높지 않다.

Objectives: This study investigated the clinical characteristics and symptoms of patients with reflux esophagitis (RE) visiting a Korean medicine hospital. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients with an RE diagnosis who visited a Korean medicine hospital from June 15, 2020, to April 15, 2021. We analyzed the clinical characteristics and the results of a symptoms questionnaire. Results: Our sample included 1,151 patients (711 females). The median age was 58 years; the most common age bracket was 60-69 years. A total of 837 patients (72.7%) presented with symptoms lasting more than one year, and 1,035 (89.9%) had been prescribed medications for more than three months before visiting a Korean medicine hospital. Belching (77.6%) and acid regurgitation (70.9%) were the most frequent symptoms, followed by epigastric pain (61.6%) and throat globus (58.5%). Throat globus was the most bothersome symptom, and 72.4% of the patients experienced the symptom on more than five days in the preceding two weeks. Patients with a longer symptom duration were older (p<0.01) and more likely to be overweight (p=0.03). Patients experiencing symptoms for more than five years were more likely to report throat globus (p=0.02), hoarseness (p<0.01), and coughing (p<0.01). Conclusions: Most RE patients visiting a Korean medicine hospital were females in their sixties with chronic and refractory RE. Atypical symptoms (belching, epigastric pain, and throat globus) were common. Throat globus was highly prevalent in severe cases, suggesting that it warrants attention when treating RE patients.

Objectives: This study aimed to analyze the healthcare utilization behavior of patients visiting the department of Korean internal medicine in the Korean medicine hospital of Wonkwang University in Jeon-ju from July 2018 to June 2021. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 26,108 patients and sorted the data by period, month, visiting types, new or returning types, sex, and age group. IBM SPSS 26.0 and the R 4.05 'changepoint' package were used with various statistical methods, such as Independent t-test, Mann-Whitney test, Chi-square test, Simple regression analysis. The P-value was set at 0.05. Results and Conclusions: Females outnumbered males regardless of period, and the ratio of females fell after COVID-19. Regardless of visiting types, patients in their 50s, 60s, and 70s outrated any other age group. The average number of females among the returning patients decreased significantly after COVID-19, but did not in males. Outpatients under 10 and in their 10s decreased significantly after COVID-19, as did inpatients in their 40s and 60s. The average duration of hospitalization was extended significantly after COVID-19. The number of outpatients and inpatients decreased as time passed after COVID-19. We expect that the results of this study will be used as reference materials in analyzing the effects of COVID-19 on healthcare utilization.

Objectives: Phragmitis Rhizoma is the fresh or dried rhizome of Phragmites communis Trin., which has been prescribed in traditional Korean medicine to relieve fever and vomiting and to nourish the body fluids. Recently, the protective effect of Phragmitis Rhizoma extract or its components on myelotoxicity and inflammatory responses have been reported, but no study has yet been conducted on oxidative stress. Methods: The present study investigated whether an ethanol extract of Phragmitis Rhizoma (PR) could protect against cellular damage induced by oxidative stress in Chang liver cells. Results: Pretreatment with PR significantly suppressed the hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)-induced reduction of Chang cell viability and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), thereby deferring apoptosis. PR also markedly inhibited H₂O₂-induced comet tail formation and phospho-γH2AX expression, suggesting that PR protected against oxidative stress-mediated DNA damage. PR also effectively prevented the inhibition of ATP synthesis in H₂O₂-treated Chang cells by inhibiting the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, indicating that PR maintains energy metabolism through preservation of mitochondrial function while eliminating ROS generated by H₂O₂. Immunoblotting results indicated that PR attenuated the H₂O₂-induced downregulation of Bcl-2 and upregulation of Bax expression. Conclusions: PR protects against oxidative injury in Chang liver cells by regulating energy homeostasis via ROS generation blockade, which is at least partly mediated through inactivation of the mitochondria-mediated apoptosis pathway.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the perception difference between Korean Medicine doctors, Western Medicine doctors, and functional dyspepsia (FD) patients on the 'Collaborative and Integrated Medicine (CIM)' for FD management. Methods: Between February and April 2021, 545 Korean Medicine doctors, 121 Western Medicine doctors, and 186 FD patients were invited to participate in this survey. A questionnaire was developed by both the Korean and Western Medicine doctors and consisted of questions about general perceptions of FD and perceptions of CIM for FD. Results: Responses from 424 Korean Medicine doctors, 113 Western Medicine doctors, and 153 FD patients were analyzed for the CIM of FD. Significant perceptional differences were noted between Korean Medicine doctors, Western Medicine doctors, and FD patients on the CIM for FD, including necessity, effectiveness, safety, cost, and reliability of CIM for the management of FD (p<0.001). The FD patients also more strongly supported the necessity of developing CIM for FD than did the Korean and Western Medicine doctors (p<0.001), and 87.6% of the FD patients strongly agreed or agreed with the use of CIM for FD. Conclusions: A significant perception difference was detected between Korean Medicine doctors, Western Medicine doctors, and FD patients regarding the use of CIM for FD. Patients with FD favored the necessity and were more willing to accept CIM for FD than were the doctors. Therefore, more efforts may be warranted for doctors to promote CIM for FD.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the debate on the use of medical devices between Western Medicine and Korean Medicine, as this is one of the greatest conflicts in Korea's medical profession. Judicial precedents and interpretations of authority serve as regulations because medical affairs law states that Korean Medicine practices are ambiguous. Method: We conducted a search in the Korean RISS, OASIS, and DBPIA databases using several keywords associated with medical devices, Korean Medicine, and Korean Medicine Doctors. The search period was until November 5 2021. The retrieved papers were classified according to the selection and exclusion criteria by checking the title, abstract, and text. For precedents, searches were done regarding comprehensive legal information, etc., and in the case of non-disclosure precedents, we requested access to the precedents by web-court requests. Results: A total of 80 documents were found as a result of the search, and 13 publications were included in the study. The selected publications were classified and analyzed by this research team into Korean medicine, Western medicine, and legal or state agency research. In the existing literature and judgments, the arguments that played a major role changed depending on the time the judgment was made. "Social conventions", "curriculum", "academic principles", and "health and hygiene dangers" were the key arguments. Conclusions: Further studies will be needed that can comprehensively arrange the existing literature and clinical results, and continuous study will be needed to verify that the use of medical devices by Korean medicine doctors is helpful for prognosis and accurate treatment of their patients.

A 56-year-old male patient with a sudden onset of tremor and involuntary movement of right upper and lower extremities, head, and voice was diagnosed as having a drug-induced tremor, with valproic acid being the culprit drug. The patient had undergone admission treatment at an internal Korean medicine department with herbal medicine according to constitutional diagnosis, acupuncture, moxibustion, cupping, and rehabilitation. The change in the severity of tremor was assessed with the Fahn Tolosa Marine scale. After discharge, the patient took herbal medicine for two more months. After 20 days of admission and 2 months of treatment with herbal medicine, the patient's tremor improved. In this case, the patient with valproic acid-induced tremor showed improvement in symptoms after 20 days of hospitalization and further reduction of tremor and improvement of quality of life were confirmed through follow-up for 2 months.

A 42-year-old patient with functional dyspepsia had suffered from early satiation and postprandial fullness for 1 year despite Western medicine treatment. We treated her with the Spleen Daoyin method, along with acupuncture, moxibustion, and herbal medicine and scored her symptoms using a 4-point Functional Dyspepsia-related Quality of Life (4p-FD-QoL) questionnaire, the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS), and a visual analogue scale (VAS). A 7-day Spleen Daoyin treatment decreased her 4p-FD-QoL score from 61 to 51, with a marked decrease in the emotional part (18 to 10). Her GSRS score did not change, but her bloating score decreased from 3 to 1. Her VAS score decreased from 6.6 to 4.3 for upper abdomen discomfort, but lower abdomen discomfort was unchanged. The patient showed high compliance and satisfaction with exercise therapy and reported no adverse events. Spleen Dayoin may be a useful therapy for functional dyspepsia, especially when accompanied by psychological problems.

The purpose of this study is to report the effect of Korean medicine on a squamous cell lung cancer patient with chemotherapy induction peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). A 61-year old male patient, who had received 4 cycles of chemotherapy after lung surgery from squamous cell lung cancer, was treated with acupuncture and herbal medicines, including Uchasingi-hwan and Samchilchoongcho-capsule, to control CIPN and dyspnea on exertion. The degree of pain was assessed by a numeric rating scale (NRS). After receiving acupuncture and herbal medicines, the NRS score for CIPN symptoms was reduced from 4 to 1 and the NRS score for dyspnea on exertion decreased from 3 to less than 1. Korean medicine could therefore be useful in reducing peripheral neuropathy occurring after chemotherapy and dyspnea after lobectomy.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of additional administration of Banha-sasim-tang formulation to patients with gastrointestinal symptoms that did not improve with Western medicines. Methods: The patients who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were analyzed retrospectively. A paired t-test was performed on the Nepean Dyspepsia Index-Korean version (NDI-K) scores before and after administering the Banha-sasim-tang formulation. Results: A total of 27 subjects were included. The mean duration of taking the Banha-sasim-tang formulation was 15.6±3.1 days. The most commonly used Western medicine before taking the Banha-sasim-tang formulation was rebamipide. The means of the NDI-K score were 57.4±21.8 before administering Banha-sasim-tang formulation and 34.9±16.5 after administration, and the difference was statistically significant (p<0.0001). No serious side effects were encountered while taking the Banha-sasim-tang formulation. Conclusions: For patients whose gastrointestinal symptoms do not improve with Western medicines, additional administration of Banha-sasim-tang formulation may be an option. However, as this study is a retrospective chart review, prospective, large-scale, double-blind studies are needed in the future.

This study examined the effectiveness of Korean medical treatment in a patient with persistent drug-induced parkinsonism after drug discontinuation. The changes in symptoms were assessed using the unified parkinson's disease rating scale (UPDRS), postural instability-gait disturbance (PIGD) score, and the 20 m gait time and steps. After 22 days of hospitalization, the UPDRS, PIGD score, and 20 m gait time and steps showed clinically significant improvement. The improvement persisted after discharge. This study indicated that Korean medical treatment could be an effective alternative therapy for treating persistent drug-induced parkinsonism after drug discontinuation.