Background: There are still controversies between the curative effect of acupuncture combined with cupping therapy and western medicine for post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN). Our meta-analysis fully incorporates the research of acupuncture combined with cupping therapy versus Western medicine for PHN, aiming to explore the difference in the efficacy of the 2 therapies, so as to provide guidance for clinical treatment.Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, CNKI, Wanfang, CQVIP, CBM, from establishment of the database to September, 2020. Include studies that are clearly defined as PHN or herpes zoster, and exclude duplicate publications; studies with no full text, incomplete information, or inability to extract data; the definition of exposure is quite different from most literature; animal experiments.Results: The total effective rate (relative ratio [RR] = 1.21, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.12-1.31) and the rate of remarkable effect (RR = 1.46, 95% CI: 1.30-1.63) of acupuncture and moxibustion combined with cupping in the treatment of PHN were significantly higher than that of conventional western medicine. The visual analogue scale score of acupuncture and moxibustion combined with cupping for PHN was significantly lower than that of conventional western medicine treatment (WMD = -1.77, 95% CI [-2.79, -0.75]). In addition, acupuncture and moxibustion combined with cupping therapy significantly reduced the occurrence of PHN compared with conventional western medicine treatment after treatment of acute herpes zoster (RR = 0.30, 95% CI: 0.20-0.45). In order to explore the differences in the efficacy and preventive effects of different types of acupuncture and cupping therapy, we have further conducted a subgroup analysis.
Conclusion:The effect of acupuncture and moxibustion combined with cupping in the treatment of PHN is significantly higher than that of conventional western medicine, and it can significantly prevent the occurrence of PHN. Chinese medicine should be used more widely in the treatment of PHN.Abbreviations: PHN = post-herpetic neuralgia, RR = relative ratio, VAS = visual analogue scale/score.
Melanoma, which evolves from melanocytes, is the most malignant skin cancer and is highly fatal, although it only accounts for 4% of all skin cancers. Numerous studies have demonstrated that melanoma has a large tumor mutational burden, which means that melanoma has great potential to achieve immune evasion. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are an important component of both the immune system and tumor microenvironment. Several studies have demonstrated their double-edged sword effects on melanoma. The present review focuses on the role of TAMs in melanoma development, including regulation of proliferation, invasion, metastasis, angiogenesis and chemical resistance of melanoma. Furthermore, the existing mechanisms of action of the TAM-targeting treatments for melanoma are reviewed. More broadly, the weak points of existing research and the direction of future research are finally identified and described. Contents 1. Introduction 2. Overview of macrophages in the TME 3. Double-edged sword effect of TAMs in melanoma 4. TAM-targeting therapies in melanoma 5. Conclusion and future perspectives
Background:
The impact of Tuina on neonatal jaundice is not yet comprehensively understood, and its clinical application is rather limited. This study systematically assessed the relevant literature and conducted a meta-analysis to study the influence of Tuina on neonatal jaundice and provide convincing clinical evidence for promoting its clinical application.
Methods:
We searched Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane Library, CNKI, Wanfang, CQVIP, and CBM from the establishment of the database up to July 2021. Studies that are randomized controlled trials were included. However, duplicate publications; manuscripts with no full text, incomplete information, or inability to extract data; animal experiments; and reviews and systematic reviews were excluded. STATA 15.1 was used to analyze the data.
Results:
The pooled results showed that compared with the treatment of neonatal jaundice solely with blue light, Tuina combined with blue light significantly improved the total effective rate and frequency of defecation on days 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 and significantly decreased the traditional Chinese medicine syndrome score; the third serum total bilirubin on days 3, 4, and 7; and duration of jaundice. Moreover, the incidence of adverse events in neonatal jaundice treated with Tuina combined with blue light was significantly lower than that with blue light alone.
Conclusion:
Tuina combined with blue light for treating neonatal jaundice can increase the effect of clinical treatment and reduce the adverse events caused by blue light therapy. Thus, the clinical application of traditional Chinese medicine Tuina in neonatal jaundice should be further promoted.
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