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Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and... Sep 2023Vibration therapy (VT), a treatment of musculoskeletal disorders, has been developed for clinical applications in the past decade. However, its effect on relieving... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Vibration therapy (VT), a treatment of musculoskeletal disorders, has been developed for clinical applications in the past decade. However, its effect on relieving chronic low back pain (CLBP) and improving lumbar function is still illusive, lacking sufficient evidence-based medical data.
OBJECTIVE
This systematic review aimed to evaluate the efficacy of vibration therapy on pain and function in people with CLBP.
METHODS
PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Embase, CNKI, Wanfang Date, VIP, and CBM were applied to search for clinical randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on vibration therapy for people with CLBP. The electronic databases were searched from the establishment of the database until July 1, 2023. Two researchers assessed the quality of the included studies and extracted data. The outcome indicators included the pain intensity index, Oswestry dysfunction index (ODI) score, and Roland-Morris dysfunction questionnaire (RMDQ) score. GRADE was used to evaluate the certainty of evidence of each outcome indicator. The meta-analysis was conducted using RevMan 5.3 software.
RESULTS
Fourteen papers met the inclusion criteria with 860 subjects (VT group n = 432 and control group n = 428). VT for patients with CLBP reduced the pain intensity index [SMD = - 0.71, 95% CI (- 1.02, - 0.39), I = 76%, P < 0.0001], the ODI score value [MD = - 4.24, 95% CI (- 8.10, - 0.38), I = 88%, P = 0.03], and the RMDQ score value [MD = - 2.21, 95% CI (- 3.41, - 1.01), I = 0%, P = 0.0003]. Subgroup analysis displayed that the pain intensity index was lower in the whole-body vibration (WBV) group than in the control group [SMD = - 0.49, 95% CI (- 0.79, - 0.19), I = 58%, P = 0.001] and the local vibration (LV) group [SMD = - 1.07, 95% CI (- 1.60, - 0.53), I = 76%, P < 0.0001]. The ODI scores in the WBV group were lower than those in the control group [MD = - 3.30, 95% CI (- 5.76, - 0.83), I = 36%, P = 0.009]. There was no statistically significant difference in ODI scores between the LV group and the control group [MD = - 5.78, 95% CI (- 16.23, 4.66), I = 97%, P = 0.28].
CONCLUSION
The data from this study suggest that VT can reduce pain and improve lumbar function in patients with CLBP. However, we still need to carefully interpret the results of this study, as the certainty of evidence was low, and the clinical relevance of the results is questionable. Further RCTs are needed in the future to ascertain this.
Topics: Humans; Low Back Pain; Vibration; Physical Therapy Modalities; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Pain Measurement; Chronic Pain
PubMed: 37752526
DOI: 10.1186/s13018-023-04217-2 -
Animals : An Open Access Journal From... Jun 2022Soft tissue mobilization is frequently used in the treatment of sport and companion animals. There is, however, uncertainty regarding the efficacy and effectiveness of... (Review)
Review
Soft tissue mobilization is frequently used in the treatment of sport and companion animals. There is, however, uncertainty regarding the efficacy and effectiveness of these methods. Therefore, the aim of this systematic literature review was to assess the evidence for clinical effects of massage and stretching in cats, dogs, and horses. A bibliographic search, restricted to studies in cats, dogs, and horses, was performed on Web of Science Core Collection, CABI, and PubMed. Relevant articles were assessed for scientific quality, and information was extracted on study characteristics, species, type of treatment, indication, and treatment effects. Of 1189 unique publications screened, 11 were eligible for inclusion. The risk of bias was assessed as high in eight of the studies and moderate in three of the studies, two of the latter indicating a decreased heart rate after massage. There was considerable heterogeneity in reported treatment effects. Therefore, the scientific evidence is not strong enough to define the clinical efficacy and effectiveness of massage and stretching in sport and companion animals.
PubMed: 35681903
DOI: 10.3390/ani12111440 -
Iranian Journal of Nursing and... 2022Perineal trauma is a common problem seen after vaginal delivery, which has negative effects on different aspects of women's lives. Poor skin elasticity has been... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Perineal trauma is a common problem seen after vaginal delivery, which has negative effects on different aspects of women's lives. Poor skin elasticity has been introduced as a predictor of perineal trauma, and the appearance of striae gravidarum is associated with poor skin elasticity. This review aimed to determine the association between perineal trauma and striae gravidarum through a systematic review and meta-analysis.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We searched with MeSH terms ("Perineum" AND "Lacerations" OR "Rupture" AND "Striae Distensae") and their equivalents in databases PubMed, Scopus, Science direct, Web of Science, ProQuest, Scientific Information Database (SID), Magiran, and Google Scholar search engine without time and language restrictions from the beginning of May until the beginning of September 2020. After reviewing the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and quality evaluation, ten articles were included in the systematic review, and we analyzed data of 6 articles using Stata ver 11.2.
RESULTS
The results indicated that the rate and severity of perineal trauma were directly related to the severity of striae gravidarum (OR = 8.28, 95%CI = 2.49-27.54, I = 86.64%).
CONCLUSIONS
Based on the research results, the probability of perineal trauma was higher in individuals with moderate to severe striae than those with mild or without striae; therefore, we suggest evaluating striae score in the third trimester of pregnancy as a simple and noninvasive method to predict the risk of perineal trauma during childbirth. For reducing perineal injuries in women at risk, some supportive measures such as episiotomy and perineal massage are recommended.
PubMed: 36524142
DOI: 10.4103/ijnmr.IJNMR_379_20 -
Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) Feb 2024Patellar tendinopathy is a degenerative clinical disorder that causes load-related pain in the lower pole of the patella or patellar tendon. It predominantly affects... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Patellar tendinopathy is a degenerative clinical disorder that causes load-related pain in the lower pole of the patella or patellar tendon. It predominantly affects young male athletes engaged in sports involving repetitive tendon loading, particularly explosive jumping. The combination of manual techniques with therapeutic exercise is hypothesized to provide greater benefits than exercise alone.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study is to analyze the scientific evidence regarding the effects of soft-tissue techniques combined with therapeutic exercise versus therapeutic exercise alone on pain intensity and function in individuals with patellar tendinopathy.
METHODS
A systematic review with meta-analysis was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines. PubMed, Lilacs, IBECS, CENTRAL, WOS, SciELO, Academic Search, CINAHL, SportDiscus, PEDro, and Google Scholar databases were consulted. Randomized controlled trials and quasi-randomized trials focusing on the effects of soft-tissue techniques combined with therapeutic exercise (experimental group) versus therapeutic exercise alone (control group) on pain and function in individuals aged 16 years and older with patellar tendinopathy were selected. The Cochrane tool for risk-of-bias assessment and the PEDro scale for methodological quality were used.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
A total of six studies ( = 309; age range = 16-40 years), considered to have a low risk of bias and moderate-to-high methodological quality, were included. The results showed improvements in function in the experimental group (mean of 60% on the Visa-P scale) and pain in the experimental group (mean decrease of 2 points in the VAS scale). There were improvements in 50% of the studies when comparing variables between the experimental and control groups.
CONCLUSIONS
The combination of manual techniques, such as dry needling, percutaneous electrolysis, transverse friction massage, and stretching, along with a squat on a 25° inclined plane, appears to be effective in the treatment of patellar tendinopathy. Static stretching of the quadriceps before and after the squat five times per week, along with dry needling or percutaneous electrolysis sessions twice a week for 8 weeks, is recommended. However, future studies analyzing groups with passive techniques versus therapeutic exercise are needed to standardize the treatment and establish the optimal dose.
PubMed: 38391804
DOI: 10.3390/healthcare12040427 -
BioMed Research International 2022Knee osteoarthritis is a common clinical disease with frequent occurrence. More and more studies have shown that external therapies such as acupuncture and massage are... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Knee osteoarthritis is a common clinical disease with frequent occurrence. More and more studies have shown that external therapies such as acupuncture and massage are beneficial to the treatment of knee osteoarthritis.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTS) was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture and massage combined with treatment of KOA and to provide some reference for clinical treatment of KOA.
METHODS
Network meta-analysis was used to evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture combined with massage in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis. PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Embase, Chinese Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), VIP, and Wanfang were searched by computer for randomized controlled trials on acupuncture combined with massage in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis. All researchers independently screened the literature, extracted data, and evaluated quality, and studies that met the quality criteria were analyzed using Stata16.0 software.
RESULTS
A total of 3076 articles were retrieved, and finally, 49 studies involving 10 acupuncture combined with massage methods were included. The total sample size was 4458, including 2182 in the experimental group and 2276 in the control group. The results of network meta-analysis showed the following: in terms of effective rate, the optimal first three interventions were floating needle+massage, needle knife+massage, and silver needle+massage; in terms of reducing VAS score, the optimal first three interventions were common acupuncture+massage, needle knife+massage, and warm needle+massage; in terms of improving total Lysholm index score, the optimal first three interventions were silver needle+massage, electroacupuncture+massage, and needle knife+massage; in terms of reducing total WOMAC score, the optimal first three interventions were silver needle+massage, electrothermal needle+massage, and common acupuncture+massage; in terms of reducing WOMAC stiffness score, the optimal first three interventions were warm needle+massage, silver needle+massage, and common acupuncture+massage; and in terms of reducing WOMAC joint function score, the optimal first three interventions were silver needle+massage, warm needle+massage, and common acupuncture+massage.
CONCLUSION
The results showed that acupuncture combined with massage could improve the clinical therapeutic effect of patients with knee osteoarthritis. Limited by the quality of the included studies, the conclusions obtained still need to be further validated.
Topics: Acupuncture Therapy; Humans; Massage; Network Meta-Analysis; Osteoarthritis, Knee; Silver
PubMed: 35996547
DOI: 10.1155/2022/4048550 -
JAMA Pediatrics Jun 2024Human milk feeding is a key public health goal to optimize infant and maternal/parental health, but global lactation outcomes do not meet recommended duration and... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
IMPORTANCE
Human milk feeding is a key public health goal to optimize infant and maternal/parental health, but global lactation outcomes do not meet recommended duration and exclusivity. There are connections between lactation and mental health.
OBJECTIVE
To appraise all available evidence on whether the provision of relaxation interventions to lactating individuals improves lactation and well-being.
DATA SOURCES
Embase, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Allied and Complementary Medicine Database, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library were searched on September 30, 2023, and topic experts were consulted.
STUDY SELECTION
Two independent reviewers screened for eligibility. Inclusion criteria were full-text, peer-reviewed publications with a randomized clinical trial design. Techniques that were entirely physical (eg, massage) were excluded. A total of 7% of initially identified studies met selection criteria.
DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS
Two independent reviewers extracted data and assessed risk of bias with the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool. Fixed-effects meta-analysis and Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations guidelines were used to synthesize and present evidence.
MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES
Prespecified primary outcomes were human milk quantity, length and exclusivity of human milk feeding, milk macronutrients/cortisol, and infant growth and behavior.
RESULTS
A total of 16 studies were included with 1871 participants (pooled mean [SD] age for 1656 participants, 29.6 [6.1] years). Interventions were music, guided relaxation, mindfulness, and breathing exercises/muscle relaxation. Provision of relaxation was not associated with a change in human milk protein (mean difference [MD], 0 g/100 mL; 95% CI, 0; 205 participants). Provision of relaxation was associated with an increase in human milk quantity (standardized mean difference [SMD], 0.73; 95% CI, 0.57-0.89; 464 participants), increased infant weight gain in breastfeeding infants (MD, z score change = 0.51; 95% CI, 0.30-0.72; 226 participants), and a slight reduction in stress and anxiety (SMD stress score, -0.49; 95% CI, -0.70 to -0.27; 355 participants; SMD anxiety score, -0.45; 95% CI, -0.67 to -0.22; 410 participants).
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
Results of this systematic review and meta-analysis suggest that provision of relaxation was associated with an increase in human milk quantity and infant weight gain and a slight reduction in stress and anxiety. Relaxation interventions can be offered to lactating parents who would like to increase well-being and improve milk supply or, where directly breastfeeding, increase infant weight gain.
Topics: Humans; Relaxation Therapy; Milk, Human; Breast Feeding; Lactation; Infant, Newborn; Female; Infant
PubMed: 38709505
DOI: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2024.0814 -
The Cochrane Database of Systematic... Jan 2023Acute non-arteritic central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) occurs as a sudden interruption of the blood supply to the retina and typically results in severe loss of... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Acute non-arteritic central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) occurs as a sudden interruption of the blood supply to the retina and typically results in severe loss of vision in the affected eye. Although many therapeutic interventions have been proposed, there is no generally agreed upon treatment regimen.
OBJECTIVES
To assess the effects of treatments for acute non-arteritic CRAO.
SEARCH METHODS
We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (which contains the Cochrane Eyes and Vision Trials Register) (2022, Issue 2); Ovid MEDLINE; Embase.com; PubMed; Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature Database (LILACS); ClinicalTrials.gov; and the World Health Organization (WHO) International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP). We did not use any date or language restrictions in the electronic search for trials. We last searched the electronic databases on 15 February 2022.
SELECTION CRITERIA
We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing any interventions with another treatment in participants with acute non-arteritic CRAO in one or both eyes. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: We used standard Cochrane methodology and graded the certainty of the body of evidence for primary (mean change in best-corrected visual acuity [BCVA]) and secondary (quality of life and adverse events) outcomes using the GRADE classification.
MAIN RESULTS
We included six RCTs with 223 total participants with acute non-arteritic CRAO; the studies ranged in size from 10 to 84 participants. The included studies varied geographically: one in Australia, one in Austria and Germany, two in China, one in Germany, and one in Italy. We were unable to conduct any meta-analyses due to study heterogeneity. None of the included studies compared the same pair of interventions: 1) tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) versus intravenous saline; 2) t-PA versus isovolemic hemodilution, eyeball massage, intraocular pressure reduction, and anticoagulation; 3) nitroglycerin, methazolamide, mecobalamin tablets, vitamin B and B injections, puerarin and compound anisodine (also known as 654-2) along with oxygen inhalation, eyeball massage, tube expansion, and anticoagulation compared with and without intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA); 4) transcorneal electrical stimulation (TES) with 0 mA versus with 66% of the participant's individual electrical phosphene threshold (EPT) at 20 Hz (66%) versus with 150% of the participant's individual EPT (150%) at 20 Hz; 5) ophthalmic artery branch retrograde thrombolysis versus superselective ophthalmic artery thrombolysis; and 6) pentoxifylline versus placebo. There was no evidence of an important difference in visual acuity between participants treated with t-PA versus intravenous saline (mean difference [MD] at 1 month -0.15 logMAR, 95% confidence interval [CI] -0.48 to 0.18; 1 study, 16 participants; low certainty evidence); t-PA versus isovolemic hemodilution, eyeball massage, intraocular pressure reduction, and anticoagulation (MD at 1 month -0.00 logMAR, 95% CI -0.24 to 0.23; 1 study, 82 participants; low certainty evidence); and TES with 0 mA versus TES with 66% of EPT at 20 Hz versus TES with 150% of EPT at 20 Hz. Participants treated with t-PA experienced higher rates of serious adverse effects. The other three comparisons did not report statistically significant differences. Other studies reported no data on secondary outcomes (quality of life or adverse events). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: The current research suggests that proposed interventions for acute non-arteritic CRAO may not be better than observation or treatments of any kind such as eyeball massage, oxygen inhalation, tube expansion, and anticoagulation, but the evidence is uncertain. Large, well-designed RCTs are necessary to determine the most effective treatment for acute non-arteritic CRAO.
Topics: Humans; Tissue Plasminogen Activator; Retinal Artery Occlusion; Anticoagulants; China
PubMed: 36715340
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD001989.pub3 -
BMC Neuroscience Oct 2023Increasingly, non-pharmacological interventions are being identified and applied to post-stroke dysphagia. Nevertheless, there is insufficient evidence to assess which... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Increasingly, non-pharmacological interventions are being identified and applied to post-stroke dysphagia. Nevertheless, there is insufficient evidence to assess which type of interventions are more effective. In this study, the randomized controlled trials of non-pharmacological interventions on post-stroke dysphagia were retrieved from the relevant databases. Including 96 studies and 12 non-drug treatments. Then, and the network meta-analysis is carried out by statistical software. The results show: In the aspects of videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS), Standardized Swallowing Assessment (SSA), swallowing-quality of life (SWAL-QOL), Water swallow test (WST); Acupuncture + electrotherapy + rehabilitation training, acupuncture + rehabilitation training + massage, electrotherapy + rehabilitation training, acupuncture + electrotherapy + rehabilitation training, electrotherapy, acupuncture + rehabilitation training + acupoints sticking application have significant effects in post-stroke dysphagia. Compared with other interventions, they have more advantages in improving the above indicators. A substantial number of high-quality randomized clinical trials are still necessary in the prospective to validate the therapeutic effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions in post-stroke dysphagia and the results of this Bayesian network meta-analysis.
Topics: Humans; Deglutition Disorders; Quality of Life; Prospective Studies; Bayes Theorem; Network Meta-Analysis; Treatment Outcome; Stroke; Acupuncture Therapy; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
PubMed: 37845642
DOI: 10.1186/s12868-023-00825-0 -
Role of Alternate Therapies to Improve the Quality of Life in Menopausal Women: A Systematic Review.Journal of Mid-life Health 2023Middle aged women in majority undergoing menopausal symptoms are unaware of the physiological changes happening in their body, necessary lifestyle changes and alternate... (Review)
Review
Middle aged women in majority undergoing menopausal symptoms are unaware of the physiological changes happening in their body, necessary lifestyle changes and alternate therapies to overcome the symptoms. All major electronic sources of relevant information were systematically searched and collected data were pooled under specific subheadings. From the reviewed papers, the awareness on symptoms and related complications of menopause in the middle aged women were consolidated. Studies helped to identify alternative therapies replacing or in parallel with the Hormone Replacement Therapy to overcome the menopausal symptoms. Reduced oestrogen and progesterone level causes physiological, psychological, and genitourinary symptoms. Prolonged consequences cause libido, osteoporosis, and cardio vascular diseases. Hypo-estrogenic status is well managed with alternative therapies including dietary intervention, acupuncture, aromatherapy, exercise, and yoga. Dietary interventions involving foods like Fennel, Soy, Black Cohash, St. John Wort, Red Clover and Date Pollen were found to be managing vasomotor symptoms and sexual dysfunction. Non-Hormonal and Non-Pharmacological impact behind acupuncture treatment was well accepted. Various studies proved inhaling and massaging with Lavender, Neroli oil, Fennel, Rose, and Geranium essential oils balance cortisol hormone and reduce stress and anxiety. Impact of yoga therapy on neurohormonal pathways reduce both psychological and physiological symptoms. Reviews summarizes various symptoms and complications during menopausal transition and alternate ways of better management with dietary intervention, yoga, exercise, aromatherapy, and acupuncture to improve the quality of menopausal women's life.
PubMed: 38312763
DOI: 10.4103/jmh.jmh_222_22 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2023With the continuous development of clinical medicine, an increasing number of non-pharmacological interventions have been applied for the treatment of knee... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Effects of externally-applied, non-pharmacological Interventions on short- and long-term symptoms and inflammatory cytokine levels in patients with knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.
BACKGROUND
With the continuous development of clinical medicine, an increasing number of non-pharmacological interventions have been applied for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis (KOA), with the results of several recent randomized controlled trials (RCTs) showing that a variety of externally-applied, non-pharmacological interventions (EANPI) can improve symptoms and inflammation in patients with KOA. However, the relative benefits and disadvantages of non-drug therapies remain uncertain, and an optimal treatment strategy has not yet been determined.
OBJECTIVE
This study applied network meta-analysis (NMA) to compare and rank the effectiveness of EANPI on the short- and long-term clinical symptoms and inflammatory cytokine levels in patients with KOA.
METHODS
Two independent researchers searched online databases and performed manual retrieval of related citations to identify RCTs that met the selection criteria for the network meta-analysis. These researchers retrieved studies indexed from database inception to August 2023 and performed data extraction and assessment of the risk of bias.
RESULTS
The analysis included 80 RCTs involving 8440 participants and nine externally-applied, non-pharmacological therapies, namely extracorporeal shock wave, radiofrequency, acupotomy, laser therapy, Tuina therapy, kinesio taping, electroacupuncture, platelet-rich plasma injection, and ozone therapy. The treatment courses ranged from 1 to 12 weeks, with follow-up periods ranging from 4 to 24 weeks. The results of the NMA indicated that each non-drug therapy was superior to sham intervention in improving all outcome indicators. Except for the visual analog scale (VAS) and Western Ontario MacMaster (WOMAC) pain outcomes, all non-drug therapies had better efficacy than pharmacological treatments. For short-term VAS and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), extracorporeal shock wave performed better than other therapies (90.2% and 85.2% respectively). Radiofrequency therapy may be the most promising method to reduce long-term VAS, short- and long-term WOMAC pain, and interleukin (IL)-1β level (84.8%, 97.8%, 90.1%, 94.8% respectively). Tuina therapy may be a significant choice for short- and long-term outcomes of WOMAC function and range of motion (ROM).
CONCLUSIONS
The results of the comprehensive comparison of the outcome indicators in 9 different EANPI indicated that radiofrequency and Tuina therapy were more effective and consistently ranked high in improving clinical symptoms in the short and long term. Radiofrequency is effective at relieving pain, and Tuina therapy can be given priority for treatment when hypofunction is the main symptom. EANPI to improve pain symptoms may be related to the regulation of inflammatory cytokine levels, which may be a potential mechanism of action.
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION
https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?, identifier CRD42023464177.
Topics: Humans; Osteoarthritis, Knee; Cytokines; Network Meta-Analysis; Pain; Acupuncture Therapy
PubMed: 38155966
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1309751