• Journal of Convergence Korean Medicine
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.5-23
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• 2023

Objectives: This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of combination treatment of herbal medicine for external use and western medicine for atopic dermatitis (AD). Methods: We searched randomized controlled trials (RCTs) which assess the effect of combination treatment of herbal and western medicine for AD through 8 electronic databases from the start to December 2022. The data synthesis was conducted by using Review Manager (RevMan, ver.5.4.1) and Cochrane risk-of-bias tool was used to evaluate the risk of bias. Results: 13 RCTs were included. The combination treatment group had significantly higher total efficacy rate(p<0.0001) and lower SCORAD score (p<0.00001) than the western medicine treatment group. The adverse event rate was also significantly lower in the combination treatment than the western medicine treatment group (p<0.0001). But there was no significant difference in recurrence rate (p=0.09). Conclusion: This study demonstrates that the combination treatment of herbal and western medicine could be safe and effective for AD. However, due to limits of included studies such as high heterogeneity between the literature and unclear risk of bias, further studies are warranted.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.175-191
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• 2023

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The scientific evidence of a sodium-obesity association is limited by sodium intake assessments. Our specific aim is to synthesize the association between dietary sodium intake and obesity across the sodium intake assessments as evidenced by systematic reviews in adults. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A systematic search identified systematic reviews comparing the association of dietary sodium intakes with obesity-related outcomes such as body mass index (BMI), body weight, waist circumference, and risk of (abdominal) obesity. We searched PubMed on October 24, 2022. To assess the Risk of Bias in Systematic Reviews (ROBIS), we employed the ROBIS tool. RESULTS: This review included 3 systematic reviews, consisting of 39 unique observational studies (35 cross-sectional studies and 4 longitudinal studies) and 15 randomized controlled trials (RCTs). We found consistently positive associations between dietary sodium intake and obesity-related outcomes in cross-sectional studies. Studies that used 24-h urine collection indicated a greater BMI for those with higher sodium intake (mean difference = 2.27 kg/m²; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.59-2.51; P < 0.001; I² = 77%) compared to studies that used spot urine (mean difference = 1.34 kg/m²; 95% CI, 1.13-1.55; P < 0.001; I² = 95%) and dietary methods (mean difference = 0.85 kg/m²; 95% CI, 0.1-1.51; P < 0.05; I² = 95%). CONCLUSIONS: Quantitative synthesis of the systematic reviews has shown that cross-sectional associations between dietary sodium intake and obesity outcomes were substantially different across the sodium intake assessments. We need more high-quality prospective cohort studies and RCTs using 24-h urine collection to examine the causal effects of sodium intake on obesity.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.34-52
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• 2023

Objective This study aimed to evaluate the effect of herbal medicines on transient hip synovitis (TSH) in children. Methods We searched 10 Korean, English, Japanese, and Chinese databases for studies published up to September 19, 2023. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the effect of herbal medicines on TSH levels in children were included. The Cochrane risk of bias was used to evaluate the quality of the studies. A meta-analysis was conducted according to outcome measurements, such as total effective rate (TER), visual analog score (VAS), time to pain relief, and hip joint mobility disorder disappearance time, using the Review Manager website. Results Eleven RCTs were included in this study. TER in the treatment group was significantly higher than in the control group. The duration of pain relief was significantly shorter in the treatment group than in the control group. The VAS score of the treatment group was significantly lower than that of the control group, although the statistical heterogeneity was substantial. The hip joint mobility disorder disappeared in the treatment group treated with external therapy, which was significantly shorter than in the control group. Regarding safety, two of the 11 studies reported that there were no adverse events. Conclusions Herbal medicines are effective in the treatment of TSH in children. However, the safety of herbal medicines should be carefully considered due to the lack of data.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.288-305
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• 2023

Background: The compression therapy, which is the standard treatment for lymphedema patients, may be difficult to implement and contraindicated to some patients depending on their health condition. Objects: The purpose of this study is to investigate whether kinesiology taping (KT) can be used effectively and safely in the management of lymphedema as an alternative treatment through systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: In February 2023, the literature was systematically collected through eight search engines with a combination of terms, 'lymphedema' and 'kinesiology taping.' We qualitatively analyzed the differences and safety of KT methods, and quantitatively meta-analyzed the effects of volume reduction in edema, range of motion (ROM), and pain improvement using Review Manager ver. 5. 4. To assess the risk of bias in the randomized controlled trial (RCT) studies, Risk of Bias was used. Results: A total of 616 articles searched and 20 studies were selected, including 12 RCTs and eight case studies. KT intervention could not replace multilayer compression bandage (MLB), but it demonstrated similar or better results compared to compression garment (CG), with reduced pain and improved intervention comfort. Studies reported skin adverse events ranging from 2.5% to 20.68%, with a total adverse event incidence of 7.7%. There was no significant difference in the application method of KT. As a result of the meta-analysis from the 8 RCTs, the KT intervention showed a mean difference (MD) of -7.18 with a 95% confidence interval (CI) [-12.64 to -1.72] in the volume change of lymphedema, while the pain difference was MD 0.82 with CI 95% [0.50 to 1.15], in comparison to the MLB and CG intervention. Conclusion: KT therapy led to a reduction in edema size, volume, pain, and improved ROM and quality of life. KT may be a viable option for lymphedema patients who have trouble applying traditional compression therapies.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.69-99
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• 2024

Objectives: This study aimed to systematically review the effectiveness and safety of traditional herbal medicine treatments for metabolic syndrome (MS) in patients receiving antipsychotic drugs (APs). Methods: We searched 11 domestic and foreign databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) using traditional herbal medicines for MS in patients receiving APs. Results: Twenty RCTs conducted in China were included in the analysis. The most common disease among the participants was schizophrenia. Most studies used the 2004 Chinese Diabetes Society (CDS) standards as the diagnostic criteria for MS. The most used prescription was Yukultang (Liuyu-tang). The most used herbal material was Pinelliae Rhizoma, followed by Poria, Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium, and Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma. Traditional herbal medicines were mostly reported to improve the symptoms of MS. Conclusions: Traditional herbal medicines may be effective in improving the symptoms of MS in patients receiving APs. However, the quality of the included studies was low, and the studies were heterogeneous. Methodologically rigorous clinical studies on traditional herbal medicine treatments for MS in patients receiving APs are needed.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.396-414
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• 2024

Objective: This study assessed the effectiveness of Gammaekdaejo-tang for post-stroke depression through a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Methods: A search was conducted using keywords such as "Post-stroke Depression", "PSD", "Gammaekdaejo", and "Ganmai-dazao" on April 30, 2024. A meta-analysis was conducted according to outcome measurements, such as total effective rate (TER), HDRS (Hamilton Depression Rating Scale), and NIHSS (National Institute of Health Stroke Scale), using the Review Manager website. Results: A total of 10 RCTs was selected. The treatment group ((Gammaekdaejo-tang) or (Gammaekdaejo-tang combined with other ingredients or decoction)+Western medicine) showed significant improvement effects in terms of TER, HDRS, and NIHSS compared to the control group (Western medicine). [TER] RR: 1.19, 95% CI: 1.11 to 1.27, P<0.00001, RR: 1.24, 95% CI: 1.11 to 1.38, P<0.00001; [HDRS] MD: -2.29, 95% CI: -2.58 to -2.00, P<0.00001), MD: -3.28, 95% CI: -4.21 to -2.35, P<0.00001) [NIHSS] MD: -7.70, 95% CI: -8.52 to -6.89, P<0.00001. Conclusion: This study suggests that Gammaekdaejo-tang is effective in treating PSD. However, there are limitations, such as the small number of included studies, inability to clearly determine the effect of Gammaekdaejo-tang, inability to use various evaluation tools, and risk of bias. This research must be supplemented through systematic research design and implementation.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.29-52
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• 2024

Objective This study aimed to evaluate the effect of herbal medicines on alopecia areata (AA). Methods We searched 10 Korean, English, Japanese, and Chinese databases for studies published until April 3, 2024. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the effect of herbal medicines on AA were included. The Cochrane risk of bias tool was used to evaluate the quality of the studies. A meta-analysis was conducted according to outcome measurements, such as total effective rate (TER), full recovery rate, and recurrence rate, using the Review Manager software. Results Seventeen RCTs were included in this study, and the TER in the treatment group was 1.48 times higher than that in the control group [Risk ratio (RR): 1.48, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.40~1.55, I² = 43%]. The full recovery rate was 2.25 times higher in the treatment group [RR: 2.25, 95% CI: 1.62~3.12, I² = 53%], and the recurrence rate was 0.22 times lower, than that of the control group [RR: 0.22, 95% CI: 0.070~0.68, I² = 0%]. Four studies reported that there were no adverse events. Four studies reported mild gastric discomfort, a mild increase in alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and constipation in the treatment group. Conclusions Our meta-analysis showed that herbal medicines are significantly effective in treating AA. However, owing to the low quality of the included studies, future clinical studies are required to determine their potential for clinical applications.

• The Journal of Korean Academic Society of Nursing Education
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.197-211
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• 2024

Purpose: This study aims to comprehensively assess the characteristics and effectiveness of immersive virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR) in nursing education among nursing students and nurses. Methods: A thorough search was conducted in seven databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, RISS, KMbase, and KoreaMed) for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in English or Korean before February 20, 2024. The quality of the included RCTs was assessed using the revised Cochrane Risk of Bias tool for randomized trials. A random-effects model was applied for the meta-analysis using Review Manager 5.4. Results: Out of the 15,840 studies extracted, ten were selected. Of those ten, the majority (six, 60%) were conducted on education dealing with specific nursing situations. In addition to the use of immersive VR or AR during nursing education, lectures, debriefing, and discussion processes were applied together, and device usage orientation was also provided. The meta-analyses showed that immersive VR or AR in nursing education significantly improved knowledge (standardized mean difference, SMD=2.64; 95% confidence interval, 95% CI=1.10~4.17) and skills (SMD=0.58, 95% CI=0.02~1.15). Conclusion: Immersive VR or AR in nursing education can effectively enhance knowledge and skills. However, for their development and implementation, various factors should be considered, and these findings are expected to provide valuable evidence regarding that concern.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.549-567
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• 2024

Objectives: This study was aimed at evaluating the effectiveness and safety of Danggui buxue decoction (DBD) for iron deficiency anemia (IDA) by systematic review and meta-analysis of the randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Methods: Randomized controlled trials on the treatment of DBD for IDA patients were selected from among the literature published from the beginning of each database to May 30, 2023 in nine domestic and foreign databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, Chinese Academic Journals (CAJ), CiNii Research, J-STAGE, Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System (OASIS), Research Information Sharing Service (RISS), and ScienceON). The quality of the literature was evaluated using the Cochrane ROB tool 2.0 (ROB2) and GRADE method. The meta-analysis was conducted using RevMan5.4. Results: A total of 636 patients with IDA were finally selected from the 7 RCTs. The meta-analysis showed that the treatment groups that underwent both DBD and conventional treatment were statistically higher than the control groups that performed only conventional treatment in all indicators that showed effectiveness of DBD such as red blood cell (mean difference (MD) 0.38×10¹²/L, 95% CI: 0.16-0.60), hemoglobin (MD 12.45 g/L, 95% CI: 10.27-14.63), serum ferritin (MD 3.50 ㎍/L, 95% CI: 1.71-5.29), and total effective rate (relative risk (RR) 1.13, 95% CI: 1.05-1.21). The incidence of adverse events was 0.39 times lower in the DBD group than in the conventional group (RR 0.39, 95% CI: 0.22-0.70). Conclusion: This study demonstrated the effectiveness and safety of DBD with conventional treatment and further provided a basis for administering DBD to patients with IDA in clinical treatment.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.62-89
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• 2019

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of topical nasal application of Herbal medicine compared with Western medicine in the treatment of Allergic Rhinitis(AR). Methods : Electronic databases including Cochrane library, PubMed, EMBASE, CNKI, KMBASE, KISS, NDSL, OASIS, KISS and KJTK(Korean Traditional Knowledge Portal) were searched by the keywords such as 'allergic rhinitis', 'nasal sprays', 'herbal medicine', 'plant extracts', and 'external application'. The quality of each RCTs was assessed by Cochrane Collaboration of 'Risk of bias(RoB) Tool'. Results : 19 RCTs were finally selected from 1419 references screened. 19 RCTs were compared with the effects of topical nasal application of Herbal medicine and Western medicine. Based on the symptom scores from 13 RCTs, topical nasal application of herbal medicine generally has a better effect on relief of AR. The two treatments have similar effects on improving the level of specific factors like IgE, IgG, IL-13, $uLTD_4$ in blood and urine. 8 RCTs showed adverse effects(AEs) in both groups and severe AEs were not reported. Conclusions : This study shows that topical nasal application of herbal medicine can improve symptoms and related factors of allergic rhinitis. Well-designed RCT studies with low risk of bias should be conducted to confirm these findings.