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Emerging Developments in Integrative and Complementary Medicine: Advancements in Research...
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Emerging Developments in Integrative and Complementary Medicine: Advancements in Research and Clinical Applications

A special issue of Healthcare (ISSN 2227-9032).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2024 | Viewed by 13219

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Luís Carlos Matos

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. CBSin—Center of BioSciences in Integrative Health, 4405-604 Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal
2. Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
3. CTEC—Centro Transdisciplinar de Estudos da Consciência, Universidade Fernando Pessoa, 4249-004 Porto, Portugal
Interests: biomedical engineering; parameterization of TCM diagnosis and therapeutics; acupuncture; Qigong; meditation; biofield phenomena; focused intention

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent decades, there has been a growing demand for complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) modalities in Western culture. To integrate CAM, such as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), into Western healthcare systems and research, a pragmatic, science-based approach is necessary. This process involves a standardization effort that encompasses diagnosis to therapeutics and combines ancient knowledge with modern science and technology. A rational communicable theory, scientific proof of efficacy and safety, and quality control are essential requirements. Validated technological methods must be employed, or even developed, to measure TCM-related effects objectively.

A well-established TCM diagnosis, like in Western medicine, reflects the functional vegetative state of the patient and guides therapy allocation to symptoms. TCM treatment involves, for example, the systematic stimulation of acupoints on the skin. The success of acupuncture has led to extensive studies on the conduits system or channels, which is the foundation of traditional acupuncture theory. Techniques such as acupuncture and "Qigong" may activate the self-organizing system of an organism, leading to fundamental improvements in structure and function beyond symptomatic relief. This research area has broad implications in medicine and has the potential to stimulate the scientific community's understanding of human regulation and physiological changes associated with these practices.

We are looking forward to receiving contributions related to fundamental research and clinical applications of TCM modalities, which include but are not limited to acupuncture, moxibustion, Chinese herbs and dietetics, Qigong, Tai Chi, Tuina, automatic diagnosis systems, other CAM modalities，as well as studies exploring biofield phenomena and intention.

Dr. Luís Carlos Matos
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Healthcare is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • acupuncture and moxibustion
  • Chinese herbs and dietetics
  • Qigong and Tai Chi
  • tuina and cupping
  • auriculotherapy, hand acupuncture, and reflexology
  • automatic diagnosis systems
  • laser and electrical stimulation of acupoints
  • meditation and focused intention
  • biofield phenomena
  • other CAM modalities

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Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 1977 KiB  
Article
Laser Acupuncture versus Liraglutide in Treatment of Obesity: A Multi-Institutional Retrospective Cohort Study
by Wen-Lin Yu, Yu-Ning Liao, Tsung-Hsien Yang, Ching-Wei Yang, Ting-I Kao, Pai-Wei Lee, Chiu-Yi Hsu, Jhen-Ling Huang, Yu-Tung Huang and Hsing-Yu Chen
Healthcare 2024, 12(13), 1279; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12131279 - 26 Jun 2024
Viewed by 1179
Abstract
Background: Obesity is a global concern, driving the search for alternative treatments beyond lifestyle changes and medications. Laser acupuncture (LA) shows promise in obesity management, yet few studies compare it with FDA-approved medications. This study aimed to assess and compare LA’s impact with [...] Read more.
Background: Obesity is a global concern, driving the search for alternative treatments beyond lifestyle changes and medications. Laser acupuncture (LA) shows promise in obesity management, yet few studies compare it with FDA-approved medications. This study aimed to assess and compare LA’s impact with liraglutide on weight reduction in obese individuals. Methods: Data from the Chang Gung Research Database (CGRD) (2013–2018) were analyzed. Primary outcomes included changes in body weight and BMI within 180 days, with secondary outcomes measuring the proportion achieving 5%, 10%, and 15% weight loss. Adverse events were also assessed. Results: Of 745 subjects (173 LA users, 572 liraglutide users), LA users lost more weight by day 180 (5.82 ± 4.39 vs. 2.38 ± 5.75 kg; p < 0.001) and had a greater BMI reduction (−2.27 ± 1.73 vs. −0.93 ± 2.25 kg/m2; p < 0.001). More LA users achieved 5% and 10% weight loss compared to liraglutide users (64.2% vs. 22.7%, 26.6% vs. 4.2%; all p < 0.001). After balancing baseline differences, LA’s benefits remained significant. No adverse events were reported with LA. Conclusions: LA may offer superior weight reduction compared to liraglutide. Future studies should explore LA alone or in combination with liraglutide for obesity management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Developments in Integrative and Complementary Medicine: Advancements in Research and Clinical Applications)
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13 pages, 439 KiB  
Article
Establishment of a Dataset for the Traditional Korean Medicine Examination in Healthy Adults
by Soyoung Kim, Ancho Lim, Young-Eun Kim, Youngseop Lee, Hyeong Joon Jun, Mi Hong Yim, Daehyeok Kim, Purumea Jun, Jeong Hwan Park and Sanghun Lee
Healthcare 2024, 12(9), 918; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12090918 - 29 Apr 2024
Viewed by 808
Abstract
We established a protocol for the traditional Korean medicine examination (KME) and methodically gathered data following this protocol. Potential indicators for KME were extracted through a literature review; the first KME protocol was developed based on three rounds of expert opinions. The first [...] Read more.
We established a protocol for the traditional Korean medicine examination (KME) and methodically gathered data following this protocol. Potential indicators for KME were extracted through a literature review; the first KME protocol was developed based on three rounds of expert opinions. The first KME protocol’s feasibility was confirmed, and data were collected over four years from traditional Korean medicine (KM) hospitals, focusing on healthy adults, using the final KME protocol. A literature review identified 175 potential core indicators, condensed into 73 indicators after three rounds of expert consultation. The first KME protocol, which was categorized under questionnaires and medical examinations, was developed after the third round of expert opinions. A pilot study using the first KME protocol was conducted to ensure its validity, leading to modifications resulting in the development of the final KME protocol. Over four years, data were collected from six KM hospitals, focusing on healthy adults; we obtained a dataset comprising 11,036 healthy adults. This is the first protocol incorporating core indicators of KME in a quantitative form and systematically collecting data. Our protocol holds potential merit in evaluating predisposition to diseases or predicting diseases. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Developments in Integrative and Complementary Medicine: Advancements in Research and Clinical Applications)
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11 pages, 938 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Early Acupuncture on Bell’s Palsy Recurrence: Real-World Evidence from Korea
by Yujin Choi, Suji Lee, Changsop Yang and Eunkyoung Ahn
Healthcare 2023, 11(24), 3143; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11243143 - 11 Dec 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3433
Abstract
Evidence-based treatment for Bell’s palsy includes the administration of steroids within 3 days of symptom onset. Additionally, a few studies have suggested the importance of combining early acupuncture treatment in the acute phase of Bell’s palsy with steroids. This study aimed to observe [...] Read more.
Evidence-based treatment for Bell’s palsy includes the administration of steroids within 3 days of symptom onset. Additionally, a few studies have suggested the importance of combining early acupuncture treatment in the acute phase of Bell’s palsy with steroids. This study aimed to observe the impact of early acupuncture for Bell’s palsy using real-world health insurance data in Korea. This retrospective study extracted data from 45,986 adult patients with Bell’s palsy who received steroids between 2015 and 2017 with a follow-up period of at least 3 years until 2020 from the Korea National Health Insurance database. They were divided into the early acupuncture group (n = 28,267) and the comparison group (n = 17,719) based on the presence of an acupuncture treatment code within 7 days of diagnosis. The impact of early acupuncture on the likelihood of Bell’s palsy recurrence was evaluated using multivariate logistic regression. The patients in the early acupuncture group had a lower likelihood of recurrence (odds ratio: 0.81, 95% confidence interval: 0.69–0.95). This study observed a beneficial impact of early acupuncture on Bell’s palsy using real-world health insurance data in Korea. Further research is required to confirm these findings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Developments in Integrative and Complementary Medicine: Advancements in Research and Clinical Applications)
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12 pages, 498 KiB  
Article
Effect of Acupuncture on Recovery of Consciousness in Patients with Acute Traumatic Brain Injury: A Multi-Institutional Cohort Study
by Chun-Chieh Lin, Hsing-Yu Chen, Chu-Yao Tseng and Chien-Chung Yang
Healthcare 2023, 11(16), 2267; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11162267 - 11 Aug 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1480
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) causes cognitive dysfunction and long-term impairments. This study aims to examine the effectiveness of acupuncture on the recovery of consciousness in TBI patients. This is a retrospective, multi-institutional cohort study. We enrolled patients with newly diagnosed TBI from 1 [...] Read more.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) causes cognitive dysfunction and long-term impairments. This study aims to examine the effectiveness of acupuncture on the recovery of consciousness in TBI patients. This is a retrospective, multi-institutional cohort study. We enrolled patients with newly diagnosed TBI from 1 January 2007 to 3 August 2021, aged 20 years and older, from the Chang Gung Research Database (CGRD). The outcome was defined based on the difference between the first and last Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS). A total of 2163 TBI patients were analyzed, and 237 (11%) received acupuncture in the treatment period. Generally, the initial GCS was lower in the acupuncture users (11 vs. 14). For the results of our study, a higher proportion of acupuncture patients achieved significant improvement (GCS differences ≥ 3) compared to non-acupuncture users (46.0% vs. 22.4%, p-value < 0.001). The acupuncture users had a 2.11 times higher chance of achieving a significant improvement when considering all assessable covariates (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2, 11, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.31–3.40; p-value = 0.002). Using 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM), the acupuncture users still had better outcomes than the non-acupuncture users (45.3% vs. 32.9%, p-value = 0.020). In conclusion, this study suggests that acupuncture treatment may be beneficial for TBI patients. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Developments in Integrative and Complementary Medicine: Advancements in Research and Clinical Applications)
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12 pages, 744 KiB  
Article
Insights into Current Education of Acupuncture as a Non-Conventional Therapy in Portugal
by Xiao Ye, Lara Lopes, Ricardo Teixeira, Ying Wang and Jorge Pereira Machado
Healthcare 2023, 11(10), 1389; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11101389 - 11 May 2023
Viewed by 1808
Abstract
Acupuncture, as an ancient practice for healthcare in China, is now widely used in the world and regarded as a non-conventional therapy (NCT) in many Western countries. In Portugal, acupuncture has been structured and well regulated for the market of teaching and clinical [...] Read more.
Acupuncture, as an ancient practice for healthcare in China, is now widely used in the world and regarded as a non-conventional therapy (NCT) in many Western countries. In Portugal, acupuncture has been structured and well regulated for the market of teaching and clinical practice, but little effort has been put in to explore it in depth. This article aims to disclose the current education of acupuncture as a NCT in Portugal through investigation of acupuncture laws, field surveys, teaching work, and interviews with people from the NCT field. We found that according to the academic norms and rules of education in Portugal, there is a gradual difficulty in the progression and maintenance of the degree training dynamics. The reasons are the lack of more tolerant transitional measures and many practical difficulties confronted by the institutions that embark on these complementary programs. Therefore, it will be necessary to promote additional programs and measures to avoid a total emptiness of the teaching of acupuncture and at the same time losses of clinicians, competencies, and quality of information that are difficult to recover. It could be very meaningful and thought provoking to the future development and improvement of acupuncture in Portugal and in other countries that welcome acupuncture and intend to have better legislation and application. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Developments in Integrative and Complementary Medicine: Advancements in Research and Clinical Applications)
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Review

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26 pages, 735 KiB  
Review
Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Practices: A Narrative Review Elucidating the Impact on Healthcare Systems, Mechanisms and Paediatric Applications
by Patricia Anaid Romero-García, Sergio Ramirez-Perez, Jorge Javier Miguel-González, Sandra Guzmán-Silahua, Javier Adan Castañeda-Moreno, Sophia Komninou and Simón Quetzalcoatl Rodríguez-Lara
Healthcare 2024, 12(15), 1547; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12151547 - 5 Aug 2024
Viewed by 1296
Abstract
While research on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for the general population is expanding, there remains a scarcity of studies investigating the efficacy and utilisation of CAM practices, specifically in the paediatric population. In accordance with the World Health Organization (WHO), the prevalence [...] Read more.
While research on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for the general population is expanding, there remains a scarcity of studies investigating the efficacy and utilisation of CAM practices, specifically in the paediatric population. In accordance with the World Health Organization (WHO), the prevalence of the parental utilisation of CAM in their dependents is estimated to reach up to 80%. This literature review identified broad, heterogeneous, and inconclusive evidence regarding CAM’s applications and effectiveness, primarily attributed to variance in sociodemographic factors and differences in national healthcare systems. Additionally, the review identified a lack of consensus and polarised positions among mainstream professionals regarding the mechanisms of action, applications, and effectiveness of CAM. This narrative review presents varied results concerning the efficacy of most CAM therapies and their applications; however, some evidence suggests potential benefits for acupuncture, yoga, tai chi, and massage in improving physical and mental health. Moreover, the available evidence indicates that meditation may enhance mental health, while reiki may only influence patients’ perceptions of comfort. In light of the intricate and multifaceted nature of herbal medicine, it is imperative to assess its efficacy on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the specific compounds and procedures involved. This comprehensive review serves as a valuable resource for health professionals, offering guidance for personalised healthcare approaches that consider the values and beliefs of patients, thereby facilitating integrated, evidence-based practices aimed at enhancing the quality of healthcare services and patient satisfaction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Developments in Integrative and Complementary Medicine: Advancements in Research and Clinical Applications)
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Other

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19 pages, 10239 KiB  
Systematic Review
Acupuncture and Acupoints for Managing Pediatric Cerebral Palsy: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
by Ya-Yun Cheng, Ying-Yu Huang, Tsung-Hsien Yang, Yi-Jung Chang, Ren-Huei Fu and Hsing-Yu Chen
Healthcare 2024, 12(17), 1780; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12171780 - 5 Sep 2024
Viewed by 366
Abstract
Background: Acupuncture is frequently used to manage pediatric cerebral palsy (CP), yet updated evidence is needed to guide future research and clinical practice. Methods: Seven databases were searched from 1994 to 26 June 2023. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving body, scalp, or ear [...] Read more.
Background: Acupuncture is frequently used to manage pediatric cerebral palsy (CP), yet updated evidence is needed to guide future research and clinical practice. Methods: Seven databases were searched from 1994 to 26 June 2023. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving body, scalp, or ear acupuncture for managing CP, excluding acupoint injection, catgut embedding, electro-acupuncture, or laser acupuncture, were included. Results: Twenty RCTs with 1797 participants were analyzed. Acupuncture groups had better improvements in gross motor function measure (GMFM) scores by 5% (mean difference: 5.93, 95% CI: 3.67–8.19, p < 0.001, I2 = 57%); a 16% higher probability to yield prominent improvement in effectiveness rate (ER) (risk ratio: 1.16, 95% CI: 1.08–1.25, p < 0.001, I2 = 0%); and better outcomes in the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) (standardized mean difference [SMD]: 0.3, 95%, CI: 0.11–0.49, p < 0.001, I2 = 0%), the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) (SMD: 2.48; 95% CI: 2.00–2.97, p < 0.001, I2 = 72%) and ADL (SMD: 1.66; 95% CI: 1.23–2.08, p < 0.001, I2 = 91%). Studies with eight core acupoints identified from all ninety-five acupoints had better ER. Conclusions: Acupuncture, especially using core acupoints, may be effective for managing symptoms in children with CP. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Developments in Integrative and Complementary Medicine: Advancements in Research and Clinical Applications)
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24 pages, 735 KiB  
Systematic Review
Acupuncture Therapy for Military Veterans Suffering from Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Related Symptoms: A Scoping Review of Clinical Studies
by Hui-Yong Kwak, Jungtae Leem, Hye-bin Seung, Chan-Young Kwon, Hye-Seon Jeong and Sang-Ho Kim
Healthcare 2023, 11(22), 2957; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11222957 - 14 Nov 2023
Viewed by 1568
Abstract
Military personnel in combat face a high risk of developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In this study, a protocol-based scoping review was conducted to identify the current status of research on the efficacy of acupuncture for treating combat-related PTSD in military personnel. A [...] Read more.
Military personnel in combat face a high risk of developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In this study, a protocol-based scoping review was conducted to identify the current status of research on the efficacy of acupuncture for treating combat-related PTSD in military personnel. A literature search was conducted across 14 databases in November 2022, and data from the included studies were collected and descriptively analyzed. A total of eight studies were included. Participants were assessed for core PTSD symptoms using the PTSD Checklist for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5 and the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale, as well as related symptoms, such as sleep issues. Although the efficacy of acupuncture has been substantiated in numerous studies, certain metrics did not exhibit improvement. Auricular acupuncture was the most commonly used treatment (50%) followed by manual acupuncture (25%) and a combination of both (25%). Shenmen and Kidney points were frequently targeted at auricular acupoints. The treatment period varied between 5 days and 2 months. While adverse events were reported in two of the fifty-five patients in the intervention group and in four of the sixty-four patients in the control group in the randomized controlled trial studies, no fatal adverse events were reported. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Developments in Integrative and Complementary Medicine: Advancements in Research and Clinical Applications)
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