Category: Nevin Manimala

Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2024 Mar 12;44(3):271-275. doi: 10.13703/j.0255-2930.20230703-k0002.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To observe the clinical efficacy of the parallel needling technique for peripheral facial paralysis with qi deficiency and blood stasis.

METHODS: Sixty-two patients with peripheral facial paralysis of qi deficiency and blood stasis were randomly assigned to a parallel needling group and a conventional acupuncture group, with 31 patients in each group. The conventional acupuncture group received needling at Yangbai (GB 14), Quanliao (SI 18), Jiache (ST 6), Dicang (ST 4), Yifeng (TE 17) on the affected side, Hegu (LI 4) on the healthy side, and bilateral Zusanli (ST 36), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Xuehai (SP 10) and Qihai (CV 6) etc. The parallel needling group, in addition to the conventional acupuncture points, received parallel needling at three additional groups of acupoints, i.e. forehead wrinkle group, mid-face group, and corner of the mouth group. Both groups retained needles for 30 min, with one session every other day and a total of three sessions per week, lasting for four weeks. The House-Brackmann (H-B) facial nerve function grading, physical function (FDIP) and social function (FDIS) scores of facial disability index (FDI), TCM syndrome score before and after treatment were compared between the two groups, and the clinical efficacy was assessed.

RESULTS: Compared with before treatment, after treatment, both groups showed improvements in H-B facial nerve function grading (P<0.05), FDIP total scores and sub-item scores were increased (P<0.05), FDIS total scores, sub-item scores, and TCM syndrome scores were decreased (P<0.05). After treatment, the parallel needling group showed the higher FDIP total score and eating sub-item score and lower FDIS total score and insomnia sub-item score compared with those in the conventional acupuncture group (P<0.05). The total effective rate was 90.3% (28/31) in the parallel needling group and 87.1% (27/31) in the conventional acupuncture group, with no statistically significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: The parallel needling technique combined with conventional acupuncture, is as effective as conventional acupuncture alone in treating facial paralysis with qi deficiency and blood stasis. However, the parallel needling technique combined with conventional acupuncture shows advantages in the improvement of food intake and sleep quality.

PMID:38467501 | DOI:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20230703-k0002

Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2024 Mar 12;44(3):261-265. doi: 10.13703/j.0255-2930.20230509-0001.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To observe the clinical effect of the modified painless blistering moxibustion with wheat-grain sized moxa cone on cough variant asthma (CVA) differentiated as pathogenic wind attacking the lung and explore the influences on eosinophil count (EOS) in the peripheral blood and the content of interleukin-4 (IL-4) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in the serum of patients.

METHODS: Ninety-two patients with CVA of pathogenic wind attacking the lung were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 46 cases in each group. In the observation group, the modified painless blistering moxibustion with wheat-grain sized moxa cone was applied to the unilateral Feishu (BL 13), Gaohuang (BL 43) and Zusanli (ST 36) in each session of treatment, once every 3 days. In the control group, budesonide and formoterol powder inhaler was delivered, 4.5 μg per inhalation, once every half an hour after breakfast and dinner; one more time of inhalation needed if the symptoms were not well controlled, but less than 6 times of inhalation per day. The duration of treatment was 8 weeks in both groups. Separately, before and after treatment, and during the 1-month follow-up after treatment completion, the score of the symptoms of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) was observed in the two groups; using the lung function detector, the indexes of pulmonary function (forced expiratory volume in one second [FEV1], FEV1/forced vital capacity [FVC] and peak expiratory flow [PEF]) were determined, and the count of EOS in the peripheral blood and the content of IL-4 and TNF-α in the serum were determined before and after treatment; and the clinical effect was compared between the two groups.

RESULTS: After treatment and in follow-up, the TCM symptom scores were decreased compared with those before treatment in the two groups (P<0.05), and the score in the observation group was lower than that of the control group in follow-up (P<0.05). After treatment, FEV1, FEV1/FVC and PEF were increased when compared with those before treatment in the two groups (P<0.05), and the count of EOS in the peripheral blood and the content of IL-4 and TNF-α in the serum were reduced (P<0.05); there was no statistical difference in these indexes between the two groups (P>0.05). After treatment, the total effective rate of the observation group was 95.7% (44/46), which was not different statistically in comparison with the control group (93.5% [43/46], P>0.05). In the follow-up, the total effective rate of the observation group was 95.7% (44/46), which was higher than that of the control group (78.3% [36/46], P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: The modified painless blistering moxibustion with wheat-grain sized moxa cone may ameliorate the symptoms of CVA of pathogenic wind attacking the lung and improve the pulmonary functions, which is probably related to the regulation of the count of EOS in the peripheral blood and the content of IL-4 and TNF-α in the serum, thereby, reducing the inflammatory response.

PMID:38467499 | DOI:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20230509-0001

ESC Heart Fail. 2024 Mar 11. doi: 10.1002/ehf2.14730. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

AIMS: Serum calcium level is widely used for evaluating disease severity, but its impact on clinical outcomes in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) remains poorly understood. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between serum calcium levels and in-hospital mortality in CHF patients.

METHODS AND RESULTS: We conducted a retrospective analysis utilizing clinical data from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care database, encompassing a cohort of 15 983 CHF patients. This cohort was stratified based on their serum calcium levels, with the primary objective being the determination of in-hospital mortality. To assess the impact of admission serum calcium levels on in-hospital mortality, we employed various statistical methodologies, including multivariable logistic regression models, a generalized additive model, a two-piecewise linear regression model, and subgroup analysis. Comparative analysis of the reference group (Q3) revealed increased in-hospital mortality in the first quintile (Q1, the group with the lowest blood calcium level) and the fifth quintile (Q5, the group with the highest blood calcium level), with fully adjusted odds ratios of 1.38 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.13-1.68, P = 0.002] and 1.23 (95% CI: 1.01-1.5, P = 0.038), respectively. A U-shaped relationship was observed between serum calcium levels and in-hospital mortality, with the lowest risk occurring at a threshold of 8.35 mg/dL. The effect sizes and corresponding CIs below and above this threshold were 0.782 (95% CI: 0.667-0.915, P = 0.0023) and 1.147 (95% CI: 1.034-1.273, P = 0.0094), respectively. Stratified analyses confirmed the robustness of this correlation.

CONCLUSIONS: Our study identifies a U-shaped association between serum calcium levels and in-hospital mortality in CHF patients, with a notable inflection point at 8.35 mg/dL. Further investigation through prospective, randomized, and controlled studies is warranted to validate the findings presented in this study.

PMID:38467491 | DOI:10.1002/ehf2.14730

Acta Ortop Mex. 2023 Nov-Dec;37(6):338-343.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: spinal fusion is used to treat, among other pathologies, the degenerative intervertebral disc disease. Autologous iliac crest bone grafting is the golden standard treatment for increasing the rate of fusion; however, it isn’t free of complications.

OBJECTIVES: to investigate whether patients who have posterior iliac crest graft harvesting and are blinded to the donor site, can identify from which side the graft was harvested, and whether the intensity of this pain is related to the amount of graft obtained.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: prospective, experimental, randomized and comparative, single-blind study. Adult patients who underwent primary instrumented open posterolateral lumbar fusion with autologous iliac crest bone graft between July 2019 and April 2020 were included. Patients were divided into two randomized groups. The amount of graft to be harvested was according to surgical needs. The patients were asked about pain according to the visual analogue scale in the first, third and sixth months after surgery, always requesting that the most painful side be identified.

RESULTS: a total of 44 patients (n = 23 right crest, n = 21 left crest) were analyzed. Most patients were unable to identify the side from which the bone graft was harvested, with a statistically significant difference (p-value 0.0001).

CONCLUSION: iliac crest bone graft harvesting is an effective and safe procedure that improves the rates of fusion without increasing the patient’s morbidity.

PMID:38467454

J Am Acad Psychiatry Law. 2024 Mar 11;52(1):33-40. doi: 10.29158/JAAPL.230116-23.

ABSTRACT

Despite the importance of independent medical examinations (IMEs), there is virtually no literature on the risks to the IME assessor nor the learning needs of psychiatrists in this area. To address this deficit, a retrospective chart review of nearly 38,000 cases from the Canadian Medical Protective Association (CMPA) identified 108 files involving complaints or legal actions against psychiatrists performing IMEs. Most complaints identified by the CMPA were to regulatory bodies, including biased opinion, inadequate assessment, inappropriately relying on a requester’s information without independent evaluation, nonadherence to regulatory body policies, cursory documentation lacking relevant details, and communication breakdowns. A survey by the Canadian Academy of Psychiatry and the Law (CAPL) and the Canadian Psychiatric Association (CPA) had 306 Canadian psychiatrist respondents. About 37 percent of psychiatrists completing IMEs reported medico-legal consequences, including complaints to regulatory authorities. Only 40 percent of those doing IMEs and 20 percent of all psychiatrists had formal training in doing IMEs. The studies confirm that despite a low but important risk of medico-legal consequences, many psychiatrists performing IMEs do not have formalized training. Using the new CAPL Canadian Guidelines for Forensic Psychiatry Assessment and Report Writing is a step to reduce the risk of such evaluations.

PMID:38467444 | DOI:10.29158/JAAPL.230116-23

Glob Health Sci Pract. 2024 Mar 11. doi: 10.9745/GHSP-D-23-00229. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: We describe a 3-tier approach involving a gap analysis, root cause analysis, and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) collaborative to understand the gap and identify and address the main barriers to oral PrEP uptake and continuity in Uganda.

METHODS: We used a mixed methods design with retrospective, cross-sectional, and prospective components. The gap analysis involved descriptive analysis of PrEP uptake and continuity. The RCA identified the main barriers to initiation and continuity on PrEP among 1,334 clients who declined to start PrEP and 1,266 who missed their appointment but were at risk. The PrEP collaborative tested changes mapped onto specific barriers to optimize the PrEP clinical service delivery. A trend analysis of routinely collected data of the PrEP cascade determined significant shifts and trends in PrEP uptake and continuity.

RESULTS: Only 60% of the high-risk population eligible for PrEP were enrolled, while fewer than 30% of the cumulative number of PrEP users were refilled each quarter. Uncertainty and fear of side effects, perceptions about the harmfulness of the medication, perceived inability to adhere to PrEP, and stigma were the main reasons why clients rejected PrEP. Lack of access to the facility, side effects, pill burden, stigma, perceived low-risk exposure to HIV, and preference of staying at work as opposed to picking up refills affected continuity on PrEP. The collaborative registered statistically significant shifts in PrEP enrollment from 64% to 89% and continuity from 51% to 78% between July 21 and November 22 following the collaborative intervention.

CONCLUSIONS: We recommend using a 3-tier approach for other similar implementation contexts to strengthen PrEP programming, given the marked statistical shift in PrEP uptake and continuity. This begins with understanding the gap and barriers to use among clients, followed by mapping interventions to specific barriers through a quality improvement collaborative.

PMID:38467398 | DOI:10.9745/GHSP-D-23-00229

Neuroimage. 2024 Mar 9:120570. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2024.120570. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The brain is a complex, dynamic organ that shows differences in the same subject at various periods. Understanding how brain activity changes across age as a function of the brain networks has been greatly abetted by fMRI. Canonical analysis consists of determining how alterations in connectivity patterns (CPs) of certain regions are affected. An alternative approach is taken here by not considering connectivity but rather features computed from recordings at the regions of interest (ROIs). Using machine learning (ML) we assess how neural signals are altered by and prospectively predictive of age and sex via a methodology that is novel in drawing upon pairwise classification across six decades of subjects’ chronological ages. ML is used to answer the equally important questions of what properties of the computed features are most predictive as well as which brain networks are most affected by aging. It was found that there is decreased differentiation among the neural signals of older subjects that are separated in age by the same number of years as younger subjects. Furthermore, the burstiness of the signals change at different rates between males and females. The findings provide insight into brain aging via an ROI-based analysis, the consideration of several feature groups, and a novel classification-based ML pipeline. There is also a contribution to understanding the effects of data aggregated from different recording centers on the conclusions of fMRI studies.

PMID:38467344 | DOI:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2024.120570

Radiother Oncol. 2024 Mar 9:110220. doi: 10.1016/j.radonc.2024.110220. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: We prospectively evaluated morphologic and functional changes in the carotid arteries of patients treated with unilateral neck radiation therapy (RT) for head and neck cancer.

METHODS: Bilateral carotid artery duplex studies were performed at 0, 3, 6, 12, 18 months and 2, 3, 4, and 5 years following RT. Intima media thickness (IMT); global and regional circumferential, as well as radial strain, arterial elasticity, stiffness, and distensibility were calculated.

RESULTS: Thirty-eight patients were included. A significant difference in the IMT from baseline between irradiated and unirradiated carotid arteries was detected at 18 months (median, 0.073 mm vs -0.003 mm; P = 0.014), which increased at 3 and 4 years (0.128 mm vs 0.013 mm, P = 0.016, and 0.177 mm vs 0.023 mm, P = 0.0002, respectively). A significant transient change was noted in global circumferential strain between the irradiated and unirradiated arteries at 6 months (median difference, -0.89, P = 0.023), which did not persist. No significant differences were detected in the other measures of elasticity, stiffness, and distensibility.

CONCLUSIONS: Functional and morphologic changes of the carotid arteries detected by carotid ultrasound, such as changes in global circumferential strain at 6 months and carotid IMT at 18 months, may be useful for the early detection of radiation-induced carotid artery injury, can guide future research aiming to mitigate carotid artery stenosis, and should be considered for clinical surveillance survivorship recommendations after head and neck RT.

PMID:38467343 | DOI:10.1016/j.radonc.2024.110220

Photodiagnosis Photodyn Ther. 2024 Mar 9:104046. doi: 10.1016/j.pdpdt.2024.104046. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: This study explores the intricate connections between choroidal vascular index (CVI) and non-invasive ultrasonographic atherosclerosis predictors, shedding light on the potential links between ocular vascular dynamics and systemic cardiovascular health.

METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 81 participants, assessing CVI, intima-media thickness (IMT), extra-media thickness (EMT), and the PATIMA index. The presence of coronary artery disease (CAD) was also evaluated. Statistical methods included descriptive statistics, t-tests for group comparisons, Spearman correlation analysis, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.

RESULTS: Our findings revealed that patients with CAD had lower CVI values compared to those without CAD, underscoring a potential association between CVI and CAD. Significant negative correlations were observed between CVI and IMT, EMT, PATIMA, and CAD. ROC curve analysis identified optimal CVI cutoff values for hypertension and CAD detection, showcasing its potential as a diagnostic marker.

DISCUSSION: Our results align with existing literature on ocular vascular changes, supporting the notion that CVI may be a promising indicator of systemic vascular conditions. The study contributes to the broader understanding of the relationships between ocular and cardiovascular health, providing a foundation for future research and clinical applications.

CONCLUSION: The study suggests that CVI holds clinical relevance as a non-invasive marker for identifying systemic conditions, offering insights into the fields of neurology, physical therapy, and rehabilitation. Addressing its limitations, this research encourages further investigation into the multifaceted connections between CVI and atherosclerosis predictors.

PMID:38467337 | DOI:10.1016/j.pdpdt.2024.104046

Math Biosci. 2024 Mar 9:109170. doi: 10.1016/j.mbs.2024.109170. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Drug resistance is one of the most intractable issues to the targeted therapy for cancer diseases. To explore effective combination therapy schemes, we propose a mathematical model to study the effects of different treatment schemes on the dynamics of cancer cells. Then we characterize the dynamical behavior of the model by finding the equilibrium points and exploring their local stability. Lyapunov functions are constructed to investigate the global asymptotic stability of the model equilibria. Numerical simulations are carried out to verify the stability of equilibria and treatment outcomes using a set of collected model parameters and experimental data on murine colon carcinoma. Simulation results suggest that immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy contributes significantly to the control of tumor growth compared to monotherapy. Sensitivity analysis is performed to identify the importance of model parameters on the variations of model outcomes.

PMID:38467302 | DOI:10.1016/j.mbs.2024.109170