• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.56-67
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• 2019

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to review clinical studies of herb medicine and acupuncture treatment on obesity in menopausal women. Methods: Key words "Obesity", "Menopause", "Herb medicine", "Acupuncture", "Moxibustion", "Catgut embedding" were searched on 9 database systems (PubMed Central, Cochrane Controlled Register of Trials, Embase, China Academic Journals, Korean Traditional Knowledge Portal, Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System, Korean Studies Information Service System, National Digital Science Library, DBpia) on April 30th 2019. Results: 1 case report and 17 clinical trials were collected in accordance with the selection and exclusion criteria. Among the 17 trials, 6 were randomized controlled trials, 1 was controlled clinical trial, and 10 were single-arm trials. The types of intervention were herb medicine, electroacupuncture, acupuncture, auricular acupuncture, warm needle acupuncture, moxibustion, laser acupuncture, and catgut embedding. The study design, study results and method of intervention were analyzed. Conclusions: 1 case report described the effectiveness of pharmacopuncture, 4 trials described the effectiveness of herbal medicine, 2 of electroacupuncture, 1 of laser acupuncture, and 2 of catgut embedding. Among the 17 trials, 2 studies showed that herbal medicine treatment was more effective than no treatment or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, and 1 study showed that electroacupuncture was more effective than hormone therapy. All of 18 selected studies reported the effectiveness of weight reduction and abdominal obesity reduction after the traditional Korean medicine treatment for obesity in menopausal women.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.188-192
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• 1994

The author reports a 32 years old female patient with late luteal phase dysphoric disorder who received evening bright light treatment for 7 consecutive days during the late luteal phase of menstrual cycle. After the treatment, beneficial clinical effects were observed. This result suggests that bright light can be an alternative treatment for LLPDD. However, the placebo effects should be ruled out completely. Further controlled studies with more patients will be needed.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.159-163
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• 2012

An appropriate research design for hypotheses and purposes leads to a good quality of research results. In this review article, we summarized the types of research methods and described the characteristics of clinical trials. Research designs are categorized into observational studies and experimental ones, depending on data collecting methods. In an observational study, there are cross-sectional, cohort and case-control studies. Parallel groups design and crossover trial studies are representative designs in a randomized controlled trial study, a kind of experimental study. Clinical researchers should understand the characteristics of clinical research designs including advantages and disadvantages and choose the suitable design according to their study purposes and the nature of collected data or subjects.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.23-30
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• 2016

Objectives The purpose of this study is to investigate recent clinical studies on effect of acupuncture for strabismus in Korea and other countries. We have analyzed 10 years (from 2006 to 2015) of case studies and randomized controlled trials (RCT) on effect of acupuncture for strabismus. Methods The search database includes Oasis, KTKP (Korean Traditional Knowledge Portal), Medline, Embase, and Cochrane library. To narrow the search, the following key search terms were used: 'strabismus, acupuncture'. The search was limited to the publication date from 2006 to 2015. 7 case studies and 5 control studies were selected for analysis. Results and Conclusions 1. The acupuncture treatment is effective for paralytic strabismus 2. The studies used BL1, GB1, ST2, TE23, GB15, EX-HN5, ST1, and LI4 acupoints and also an electroacupuncture treatment, which is 15 minutes of extraocular muscle stimulation, was used. 3. Degree of strasbismus was tested by Ocular motor range test, Corneal light reflex test, Ocular abducent scale test (Scott and Kraft, Diploptic range test).

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.137-148
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• 2009

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to review the recent trends in the clinical trial studies that have been published since 2004. Methods : We reviewed the Medline & Pubmedcentral databases by using searching word of "acupuncture". Then 20 articles were selected within total 803 articles. In oriental medicine journals in Korea, we investigated 6 journals represented Korean Oriental medicine and chose 13 articles. Results & Conclusions : 1. We found 33 articles in journals. 2. The patterns of study were as follows: Randomized Controlled Trials(18), Single case series clinical study(9), Case-Control clinical study(4), Randomized crossover Trial(1) and Prospective Clinical analysis(1). 3. The fields of study were as follows: Combined anxiety, depression & other psychiatic symptoms(18), Stress & heart rate variablity(5), The single study of anxiety(5), The single study of depression(3), Stress & pupil variablity(1), Stress and heart rate & pupil variablity(1). 4. The methods of acupuncture were as follows: Acupuncture on points of 14 meridians(24), Auricular acupuncture(3), Electro acupuncture(2) and Both Auricular & Electro acupuncture(1). 5. Stomach meridian(足陽明胃經) and ST36(足三里) were used mostly.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.73-82
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• 2013

Objectives The purpose of this review is to investigate studies of Scolopendrid pharmacopuncture and the evidence of it's effects in order to suggest a better research method in the future. Methods We retrieved numbers of clinical studies about Scolopendrid pharmacopuncture from 7 Korean web databases, using key words such as 'Scolopendrid', 'Scolopendrid AND Pharmacopuncture'. This study had been conducted from 1st May 2013 to 31th July 2013. Controlled studies and case studies were only used for this study. Clinical studies that we picked from the databases were classified according to the diseases that those studies are about, and from these clinical studies, we are to research what has to be improved generally in clinical researches. Results 18 case studies, 4 controlled studies had been under research. Scolopendrid pharmacopuncture has a therapeutic effect mainly in musculoskeletal and neurological diseases such as herniated intervertebral disc, carpal tunnel syndrome, swollen leg, feeling of cold on legs, wrist ganglion, lateral epicondylitis, radial nerve palsy, cervical myelopathy, cauda equina syndrome, postauricular pain; as an early symptom of Bell's palsy, pain of popliteal part, gout, plantar fasciitis, cellulitis, frozen shoulder, pain of hip adductors. However objectivity and reliability of the Scolopendrid pharmacopuncture studies still remains controversial. Conclusions It has been suggested that there are positive effects of Scolopendrid pharmacopuncture therapy in treating specific diseases (especially neuromusculoskeletal diseases). However, this narrative review can't conclude and prove that the Scolopendrid pharmacopuncture has positive effectiveness on these diseases unlike systematic review. So, in order to put Scolopendrid pharmacopuncture therapy to use for many kinds of diseases in more reasonable ways, it is essential to build well-designed clinical research tools. In the future, abundant case studies, more follow-up trials and randomized controlled trials based on the korean medicine should be done to use Scolopendrid pharmacopuncture for a clinical purpose.

• Journal of Korean Dental Science
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.34-39
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• 2010

In our daily practice, we think about the diagnosis of our patient and get into a situation wherein we have to make a clinical decision. Diagnosis and treatment come from the knowledge and experiences that each dentist should have, but sometimes, we can have doubts on our decisions. "On what evidence did I make such decision? Was that really right?" Drawing our attention these days as a possible answer to this question, evidence-based dentistry seeks to apply the best available evidence gained from the scientific method to medical decision making. To make a good decision, the strength of evidence is assessed. Specifically, randomized controlled trial, systematic review, and meta-analysis are considered the highest level of evidence; cohort study, case control study, case series, animal study, bench test, and biological plausibility follow. With the approach of evidence-based dentistry, we can make objective, scientifically sound clinical decisions. It is also patient-oriented, incorporating clinical experiences and stressing good judgments; thorough and comprehensive, it uses transparent methodology. That is the reason evidence-based dentistry can be better than other assessment methods when we make a clinical decision in modern dentistry.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.48-58
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• 2012

Objectives These prescribing recommendations have been written to guide clinicians on the appropriate use of Bangpungtongseong-san(BT) and Bangkihwangki-tang(BH) in the treatment of obesity. These recommendation are aimed at providing evidence based information concerning diagnosis and management of obesity. Methods We collected all relevant references about treatment effect of BT and BH on obesity in the forms of meta-analysis, systematic review, randomized controlled trial, case-control study, observational study and practice guideline from international and domestic databases and paper journals. We examined treatment effect, side effects, recommendations for dose, indication and contraindication of BT and BH. Results The treatment effect of BT and BH on obesity has been proved through clinical trial. BT is indicated for obese patients (Body mass index, $BMI{\geq}25$) with strong abdomen and a tendency to constipation, BH is indicated for obese patients ($BMI{\geq}25$) with a fair skinned, soft muscled, edematous and sweat easily. Conclusion We wish the information contained in theses recommendations will help clinicians reach a reasonable and beneficial decision with evidence-based results. Further studies are strongly needed to develop better treatment strategies for herbal medicines on obesity.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.25-35
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• 2017

About 60% to 90% of a total population experience low back pain at least once of life, and about 35% to 79% among them experience a recurrent and chronic low back pain. thread-embedding therapy is mainly used to improve appearance or treat obesity in early stage, but recently it is also used to treat musculoskeletal pain. This study aimed to search Chinese study using thread-embedding therapy on low back pain and to analyse their methodology. Three Chinese database(CNKI(www.cnki.net), WANFANG(www.wanfangdata.com), WEIPU(www.cqvip.com)) were searched for clinical study of thread-embedding therapy up to March 2016. The characteristics of included studies and regimen of thread-embedding in those studies were analyzed. The total 21 studies (4 case studies, 16 non-randomized controlled trials, 1 randomized controlled trial) were included. All studies on thread embedding treatment of low back pain reported that its effectiveness was very good. The most frequently used acupoints was Ashi acupoints and acupoints on bladder meridian(BL) or governor vessel(GV). Thread-embedding therapy is considered very useful for low back pain in Traditional Chinese medicine. Further studies are needed to investigate the effect of thread-embedding therapy and to expand its application. This study is limited in that the literature search in the Chinese database were restricted.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.109-116
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• 2010

Objectives : Since The Journal of Korean Acupuncture and Moxibustion Society(JKAMS) started publishing in 1984, randomised controlled trials(RCTs) and non-randomised clinical studies(NRSs) consistently have increased in quality and quantity. There has been no study on quality assessment of NRSs. Thus, this study evaluted non-randomised comparative clinical trials in the JKAMS to assess the quantity and quality. Methods : Upon extracting NRSs for assessing the intervention effects from all the articles published in the JKAMS from 1984 to 2009, assessments were made on methodological index for non-randomised studies(MINORS). Also, the analysis were made upon the proportion of non-randomised comparative clinical trials within original articles. The mean scores by research methods and years, and total scores and mean scores of yearly research methods were analyzed. Results : A total of 44 trials on non-randomised comparative clinical trials were selected. In 1980s, 4.3% of the total selected original articles, in 1990s, 4.1%, and in 2000s 14.2% were NRSs. According to the research designs, the mean scores of MINORS were Case-control study 18.3, Controlled before and after 18.5, Quasi randomised trial 18.5, and non randomised trial 17.9(out of 24), respectively. Cross-sectional study was the most frequently used(41.9%). Conclusion : Although NRSs consistently increased in quantity, the assessed mean scores were low and most articles used Cross-sectional study. Thus, there should be studied using appropriate research methods in the future.