Epidural steroids following percutaneous endoscopic interlaminar discectomy: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

Background:Percutaneous endoscopic interlaminar discectomy (PEID) has been widely used in the treatment of lumbar disc herniation and spinal stenosis, epidural steroids following PEID in an effort to reduce the incidence and duration of postoperative pain. Although steroids are widely thought to reduce the effect of surgical trauma, the observation index is not uniform, so the issue is still controversial. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of local epidural steroids application following PEID.Methods:We will search the following databases from their inception to August 2020, PubMed, Embase, Medline, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, Web of Science, Wan Fang Database, Cochrane Library. The search strategy includes the MeSH terms. Meta-analysis will be performed using Rev Man V.5.3.5 statistical software.Results:This study will provide a high-quality synthesis to evaluate the efficacy and safety of local epidural steroids following PEID.Conclusion:This systematic review will provide evidence to judge whether local epidural steroids application following PEID is an effective and safe intervention for patients. It will provide reliable evidence for its extensive application.Registration number:INPLASY2020100085     

Comparison of the clinical efficacy of percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy and traditional laminectomy in the treatment of recurrent lumbar disc herniation

A few years ago, percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy (PTED) began to prevail in clinical treatment of recurrent lumbar disc herniation (RLDH), whereas traditional laminectomy (TL) was treated earlier in RLDH than PTED. This study aimed to compare the clinical efficacy of PTED and TL in the treatment of RLDH.Between November 2012 and October 2017, retrospective analysis of 48 patients with RLDH who were treated at the Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei and Department of Orthopaedics, Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University. Perioperative evaluation indicators included operation time, the intraoperative blood loss, length of incision and hospitalization time. Clinical outcomes were measured preoperatively, and at 1 days, 3 months, and 12 months postoperatively. The patients’ lower limb pain was evaluated using Oswestry disability index (ODI) and visual analog scale (VAS) scores. The ODI is the most widely-used assessment method internationally for lumbar or leg pain at present. Every category comprises 6 options, with the highest score for each question being 5 points. higher scores represent more serious dysfunction. The VAS is the most commonly-used quantitative method for assessing the degree of pain in clinical practice. The measurement method is to draw a 10 cm horizontal line on a piece of paper, 1 end of which is 0, indicating no pain, which the other end is 10, which means severe pain, and the middle part indicates different degree of pain.Compared with the TL group, the operation time, postoperative bed-rest time, and hospitalization time of the PTED group were significantly shorter, and the intraoperative blood loss was also reduced. These differences were statistically significant (P < .01). There were no significant differences in VAS or ODI scores between the two groups before or after surgery (P > .05).PTED and TL have similar clinical efficacy in the treatment of RLDH, but PTED can shorten the operation time, postoperative bed-rest time and hospitalization time, and reduce intraoperative blood loss, so the PTED is a safe and effective surgical method for the treatment of RLDH than TL, but more randomized controlled trials are still required to further verify these conclusions.     

Evaluation on curative effects of percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy via a transforaminal approach versus an interlaminar approach for patients with lumbar disc herniation: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

Background:The present meta-analysis aims to conduct a systematic comparative study of the curative effects of Percutaneous Endoscopic Transforaminal Discectomy (PETD) and Percutaneous Endoscopic Interlaminar Discectomy (PEID) when used to treat Lumbar Disc Herniation (LDH).Methods:The following online databases will be searched to find articles related to treating of LDH using PETD and PEID, namely PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane databases, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, WanFang Database, and Web of Science. The search will include all articles published from inception until August 2021. Articles will be included according to the inclusion criteria. Two authors will independently screen and assess the quality of each study. RevMan (version 5.3) will be adopted to complete data analysis and evaluate the statistical significance of each operating technique in various outcomes.Results:The present meta-analysis will evaluate the curative effects of using PETD and PEID to treat LDH patients.Conclusion:Compare the clinical efficiency of PETD and PEID as therapy for LDH with postoperative hypoesthesia, complications in surgical site wounds, nerve root injury, transfer to open surgery, recurrence, partial decompression, and other complications. The comparative analysis will help determine the difference between the 2 surgical methods of PETD and PEID for treating LDH.OSF registration number:August 2, 2021.osf.io/hr964. (https://osf.io/hr964/)     

Acupuncture combined with moxibustion for insomnia after stroke: A protocol for systematic review and meta analysis

Background:Stroke is the main cause of death and disability in the world and insomnia is a common complication of stroke patients. Insomnia will not only seriously affect the prognosis and quality of life of patients with stroke, but even cause the recurrence of stroke. Many studies have proved that acupuncture and moxibustion can effectively improve insomnia symptoms. This study will systematically evaluate the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture combined with moxibustion in treating insomnia after stroke.Methods:The following 8 databases will be searched from the inception to October 31, 2020, including China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database (CNKI), Chinese Scientific Journal Database (VIP database), China Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), Wanfang Data Chinese Database, PubMed, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Allied and Alternative Medicine Database (AMED), Excerpt Medica Database (Embase). We will also search for ongoing trials from the World Health Organization International Clinical Trial Registration Platform search portal, Chinese Clinical Trial Register, Clinical trials.gov. In addition, the reference lists of studies meeting the inclusion criteria will also be searched for achieving the comprehensive retrieval to the maximum. All randomized controlled trials of acupuncture and moxibustion in treating insomnia after stroke will be included. Two reviewers will conduct literature screening, data extraction, and quality evaluation respectively. The main outcome is the Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI), and the secondary outcomes include clinical efficacy, quality of life, and safety. RevMan V.5.4.1 will be used for meta-analysis. We will express the results as risk ratio (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for dichotomous data and mean difference (MD) or standard mean difference (SMD) 95% CIs for continuous data.Results:This study will provide a comprehensive review of the available evidence of acupuncture combined with moxibustion in treating insomnia after stroke.Conclusion:The conclusion of our study will provide the updated evidence to judge the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture combined with moxibustion for the treatment of insomnia after stroke.Trial registration number:PROSPERO CRD42020216720.     

Effectiveness and safety of moxibustion for De Quervain disease: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

Background:De Quervain disease (DQD) is a common clinical disease. As a strainingdisease, DQD is more common in women who frequently engage in manual operations. The main clinical symptoms are local pain and dysfunction. Many clinical studies have reported that moxibustion has a good effect on the treatment of DQD, but there is no relevant systematic review. So the purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of moxibustion in treating DQD.Methods:The following 8 electronic databases will be searched, including PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Web of Science, Chinese Scientific Journal Database (VIP), Wanfang Database, and Chinese Biomedical Literatures Database (CBM) from their inception to 1 October 2020 without any restrictions. Researchers retrieve the literature and extracted the data, evaluation of research methods, quality of literature. The outcomes will include a visual analogue scale, Finkelsteins, resisted thumb extension, total effective rate, incidence of any adverse events. We use the Cochrane Risk of a bias assessment tool to evaluate methodological qualities. Data synthesis will be completed by RevMan 5.3.0.Results:We will show the results of this study in a peer-reviewed journal.Conclusions:This meta-analysis will provide reliable evidence for moxibustion treatment of DQD.INPLASY registration number:INPLASY2020100111.     

Surgery for herniated lumbar discs

Objective: To assess the risks and benefits of surgery for herniated lumbar discs (discectomy) and to evaluate the methodologic quality of the literature. Design: Literature synthesis. Study selection and data analysis: A structured MEDLINE search identified studies of standard, microsurgical, or percutaneous discectomy. Eligible studies had adult subjects, sample sizes of ≥30, clinical outcome data for ≥75% of patients, and follow-up of ≥1 year. Summary rates of successful outcomes, reoperations, and complications were obtained by a random-effects logistic regression model. Methodologic quality was assessed using established study design criteria. Results: Eighty-one studies met inclusion criteria. Most had substantial design flaws and/or omitted important clinical data. Randomized trials of standard discectomy showed better short-term sciatica relief following surgery; 65% to 85% of patients reported no sciatica one year after surgery, compared with only 36% of conservatively treated patients. No data from randomized trials were available for microdiscectomy or percutaneous discectomy, although most outcomes appeared comparable to those of standard discectomy. Approximately 10% of discectomy patients underwent further back surgery, and rates increased over time. The rate of serious complications, including death and permanent neurologic damage, was less than 1%. Conclusions: Most studies were poorly designed and reported. Standard discectomy appears to offer better short-term outcomes than does conservative treatment, but long-term outcomes are similar. Discectomies are relatively safe procedures, though reoperations are common and increase over time. Decisions for elective surgery must balance faster pain relief against the risks and costs of surgery. Received from the Medical Service and the Health Services Research and Development Field Program, Seattle Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and the Departments of Medicine and Health Services, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington. Presented in part at the 15th annual meeting of the Society of General Internal Medicine, Washington, DC, April 30, 1992. Supported in part by the Northwest Health Services Research and Development Field Program, Seattle Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Seattle, Washington, and the Back Pain Outcome Assessment Team (Agency for Health Care Policy and Research grant #HS06344). Dr. Hoffman was a Veterans Affairs Ambulatory Care Fellow.     

Moxibustion therapy for treating patients with postpartum urinary retention: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

Background:Postpartum urinary retention (PUR) is one of the most common complications after parturition which affect women''s recovery after childbirth. Many clinical trials have shown that moxibustion, a traditional Chinese medicine therapy, is effective in treating PUR. But its effectiveness has not been evaluated scientifically and systematically. Therefore, this review aims to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of moxibustion therapy in treating patients with PUR.Methods:We will search the following electronic databases, regardless of publication status and languages, from their respective inception dates to February 2021: the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trails, Pubmed, EMBASE, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, Chinese Scientific Journal Database, and Wan-Fang Database. Clinical randomized controlled trials (RCTs) related to moxibustion therapy for treating PUR will be included. Study selection, data collection, and quality assessment will be independently conducted by 2 researchers. For data synthesis, we will select either the fixed-effects or random-effects model according to heterogeneity assessment. Cure rates and postvoid residual volume (PVRV) will be the primary outcomes. The total effective rate and first urination time will be the second outcomes. Review Manager Software (RevMan) V.5.3 will be used if it is appropriate for meta-analysis. Otherwise, a systematic narrative synthesis will be conducted. The results will be presented as risk ratio (RR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) for dichotomous data and weight mean difference (WMD) or standard mean difference (SMD) 95% CI for continuous data.Trial registration number:INPLASY 202140037.     

Regulatory effect of traditional Chinese medicine on gut microbiota in patients with atherosclerosis: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

Background:Atherosclerosis is the pathological basis of many cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, and its pathogenesis is complex. Recent studies revealed a significant role of gut microbiota in the onset and development of atherosclerosis. Traditional Chinese medicine has rich clinical experience and unique advantages in the treatment of atherosclerosis. A large number of studies have proved that traditional Chinese medicine has the functions of reducing blood lipid, regulating gut microbiota, and resisting inflammation. The aim of this systematic review is to observe the randomized controlled trial of traditional Chinese medicine in treating gut microbiota, so as to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of traditional Chinese medicine in treating atherosclerosis patients.Methods:The English database (PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, the Cochrane Library) and Chinese database (China National Knowledge Infrastructure, the Chongqing VIP Chinese Science, and Technology Periodic Database, Wanfang Database, and China Biomedical Literature Database) will be searched up to October 2020. We will also manually search the Chinese clinical trial register, conference papers, and unpublished studies or references. Randomized control trials of traditional Chinese medicine treatment of atherosclerosis were collected comprehensively, and 2 researchers will independently screen literature, data extraction, and evaluation the quality of literature methodology. The primary outcomes are lipid metabolism and gut microbiota and their metabolites. The secondary outcomes are the change of inflammatory markers. Meta-analysis was performed by RevMan 5.3.5 software. The Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation will be used to evaluate the outcome quality of evidence.Results:This study will comprehensively review the existing evidence of traditional Chinese medicine in treating atherosclerosis from the perspective of gut microbiota.Conclusion:This study will provide information on the effectiveness and safety of traditional Chinese medicine in treating atherosclerosis from the perspective of gut microbiota.Unique INPLASY number:INPLASY2020110056.     

Effectiveness and safety of Yufeng Ningxin for the treatment of essential hypertension: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

Background:Essential hypertension is the primary cause of death and disability and it has become a major public health problem globally. Yufeng Ningxin (YFNX) is a commonly used Chinese patent medicine in treating essential hypertension. The objective of this protocol is to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of YFNX for the treatment of essential hypertension.Methods:Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in relation to the effectiveness and safety of YFNX in the treatment of essential hypertension will be systematically searched and collected from the following databases: PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, and Chinese Scientific Journal Database from the database inception to January 1, 2021. The data screening and extraction will be carried out by 2 different reviewers. The quality of randomized controlled trials will be assessed based on the version 2 of the risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials (RoB 2) in the Cochrane Handbook. The reduction of systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) will be served as the primary outcome. The secondary outcomes will include average SBP and average DBP during the day and the night measured by 24 hours ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, the clinical effectiveness rate, scores of traditional Chinese medicine syndrome, clinical symptoms, the quality of life and adverse events. Statistical analysis will be conducted with Review Manager 5.3 and STATA 14.0 software.Conclusion:This systematic review will provide strong evidence to assess the effectiveness and safety of YFNX in the treatment of essential hypertension.Trial registration number:INPLASY202110059.     

Efficacy and safety of pricking-blood therapy for acute gouty arthritis: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

Background:Acute gouty arthritis is a joint inflammatory reaction that affects the daily quality of patients. Previous reviews of pricking-blood therapy for acute gouty arthritis have been growing, but a systematic review is not available. This study aimed to systematically investigate the efficacy and safety of pricking-blood therapy in treating acute gout arthritis.Methods:We will search for relevant literature through Chinese and English databases, with the retrieval deadline being December 2020. Databases include PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, the Chongqing VIP Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database, Wanfang Database, and China Biomedical Literature Database. We will also manually search Chinese Acupuncture & Moxibustion, Acupuncture Research, Chinese Clinical Trial Register, and unpublished studies or references. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the literature will be screened, and the data are extracted independently by the 2 researchers. The primary outcomes were the total effective rate and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score. RevMan 5.3.5. software will be used for statistical analysis. According to the Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE), each evidence of outcome quality will be appraised.Results:This study will provide a comprehensive review of current evidence for a pricking-blood therapy treatment for acute gouty arthritis.Conclusion:The efficacy and safety of picking-blood therapy in treating acute gout arthritis will be evaluated.Unique INPLASY number:INPLASY2020100094.     

Umbilical acupuncture for insomnia: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

Background:Insomnia is characterized by high incidence, easy recurrence, and difficulty in curing. Serious insomnia not only seriously affects the body organ function but also causes great damage psychological.Umbilical acupuncture (UA) has fewer side effects and is increasingly used to treat insomnia. This study aimed to systematically review the effectiveness and safety of UA in the treatment of insomnia.Methods:Literature on UA for insomnia in PubMed, Excerpt Medica Database, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database, China Biomedical Literature Database, Chinese Scientific Journal Database, and Wan Fang Database were searched from the creation of these databases to October 3, 2021. In addition, the reference lists of studies meeting the inclusion criteria will also be searched to achieve a comprehensive retrieval of the maximum. All randomized controlled trials of UA for treating insomnia were included. Two reviewers will conduct literature screening, data extraction, and quality evaluation respectively. The main outcome was the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and the secondary outcomes included clinical efficacy, and safety. RevMan 5.4.1 software was used for mate analysis.Results:This study aimed to evaluate the current status of UA treatment for insomnia, with the aim of illustrating the effectiveness and safety of UA.Conclusion:This study will provides a high-quality evidence to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of UA in treating insomnia.Registration:PROSPERO CRD42021283036.     

Efficacy and safety of abdominal acupuncture for insomnia: A protocol of systematic review and meta-analysis

Background:Insomnia is characterized by high incidence, easy recurrence, and difficulty in curing. Serious insomnia not only seriously affects the body organ function, but psychological patients also cause great damage. Abdominal acupuncture (AA) has fewer side effects and is increasingly used to treat insomnia. This study aimed to systematically review the effectiveness and safety of abdominal acupuncture in the treatment of insomnia.Methods:Literature on abdominal acupuncture for insomnia in the PubMed, Excerpt Medica Database(Embase), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database, China Biomedical Literature Database, Chinese Scientific Journal Database, and Wan Fang databases were searched from the creation of these databases to October 3, 2021. In addition, the reference lists of studies meeting the inclusion criteria will also be searched to achieve a comprehensive retrieval of the maximum. All randomized controlled trials of AA for treating insomnia were included. Two reviewers will conduct literature screening, data extraction, and quality evaluation respectively. The main outcome was the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and the secondary outcomes included clinical efficacy and safety. RevMan 5.4.1 software was used for mate analysis.Results:This study aimed to evaluate the current status of AA treatment for insomnia, with the aim of illustrating the effectiveness and safety of abdominal acupuncture.Conclusion:This study will provide high-quality evidence to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of AA in treating insomnia.Registration: INPLASY2021100088     

The efficacy and safety of Tuina for diabetic gastroparesis: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

Background:Diabetic gastroparesis (DGP) is one of the most common complication of diabetes. At present, despite the increasing number of clinical researches of treatment with Tuina have been reported, there are no systematic reviews of Tuina therapy for DGP. Therefore, it is of great significance to evaluate its safety and efficacy as a complementary and alternative therapy.Methods and analysis:Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of Tuina therapy in the treatment of DGP will be retrieved from PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wan Fang Database (Wan Fang), Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), VIP Database for Chinese Technical Periodicals (VIP), Medline, and Clinical Trial Register (CTR). We will consider articles published in English or Chinese between database initiation and October 2021. Research selection, data extraction, risk of bias assessment, and meta-analyses will be independently completed by 2 researchers. Our researchers will use Revman 5.3 software, provided by the Cochrane Collaborative Network for conducting systematic reviews and meta-analysis.Results:This systematic review provides a high-quality synthesis to assess the effectiveness and safety of Tuina therapy for treating DGP.Conclusion:The conclusions of our study will provide evidence to determine whether Tuina therapy is an effective and safe intervention for patients with DGP.Systematic review registration: INPLASY2021110019     

Acupoint catgut embedding for the treatment of sciatica: A protocol for a systematic review

Background:Sciatica is a common and frequent peripheral neuropathic pain disease, which causes a great burden on peoples life. Recently, acupoint catgut embedding (ACE) has been widely applied for treating sciatica in China, however, there is no enough evidence to prove the efficiency and safety of ACE for sciatica. Our study aims to evaluate the efficiency and safety of ACE for sciatica.Methods and analysis:Searches of the Cochrane Library, PubMed, Springer Medline, EMBASE, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wan-Fang Data (WANFANG), Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), and Chinese Scientific Journal Database (VIP databases) will be performed from inception to November 2020. The main outcomes are the pain intensity and the whole efficiency assessment. The secondary outcomes will include Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), life quality, physical examination, and adverse events. Two reviewers will separately conduct the study selection, data extraction and study quality assessments. RevMan 5.3 software will be used for meta-analysisResults:This study will provide an evidence-based review of acupoint catgut embedding therapy for sciatica according to the pain intensity, the whole efficiency assessment, life quality, DOI index and adverse events.Conclusions:This systematic review will present the current evidence for acupoint catgut embedding therapy for sciatica.Ethics and dissemination:Ethical approval is unnecessary as this protocol is only for systematic review and does not involve privacy data. The findings of this study will be disseminated electronically through a peer-review publication or presented at a relevant conference.Trial registration number:INPLASY2020110087.     

Comparative efficacy and safety of Chinese herbal medicine for knee osteoarthritis: A protocol for systematic review and network meta-analysis

Background:Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a major public health concern causing chronic disability as well as a substantial burden on health care and the economy. However, effective treatments for knee OA were still not available. Numerous clinical studies have suggested that Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) seems to be clinically effective in treating knee OA. Thus, this study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of CHM in the treatment of knee OA through a systematic review and network meta-analysis.Methods:A comprehensive search will be performed in PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, VIP Database, Wanfang Database, Chinese Biomedical Database, and 3 clinical trials registration websites, from the database inception to May 2021. Randomized controlled trials meeting the eligible criteria based on the PICOS framework will be included. All studies fulfilling the eligible criteria will be assessed for risk of bias using the Cochrane Collaboration''s tool. The primary outcome will be the visual analog scale (VAS), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index, and total effective rate. The secondary outcome is the incidence of adverse events. Data analysis will be performed using Stata, Addis, and WinBUGS.Discussion:This study will provide a reliable evidence to assess effectiveness and safety of CHM for knee OA, which may provide guidance for clinical practice.Systematic review registration:This study protocol has been registered on INPLASY202160060.     

Efficacy and safety of abdominal acupuncture for knee osteoarthritis: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

Background:Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a disease based on degenerative pathological changes. Most commonly seen in the elderly and is one of Kenn''s leading causes, its symptoms include swollen knees, pain in walking up and downstairs. If left untreated, it can lead to joint deformity and disability. Many clinical studies have reported that abdominal acupuncture has a good effect on KOA treatment, but there is no relevant systematic review. So the purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of abdominal acupuncture in treating KOA.Methods:The following 8 electronic databases will be searched, including PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Web of Science, Chinese Scientific Journal Database (VIP), Wanfang Database, and Chinese Biomedical Literatures Database (CBM) from their inception to November 1, 2020 without any restrictions. Researchers retrieve the literature and extracted the data, evaluation of research methods, quality of literature. The outcomes will include a Visual Analogue Scale. The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index, total effective rate, incidence of any adverse events. We use the Cochrane Risk of a bias assessment tool to evaluate methodological qualities. Data synthesis will be completed by RevMan 5.3.0.Results:We will show the results of this study in a peer-reviewed journal.Conclusions:This meta-analysis will provide reliable evidence for abdominal acupuncture treatment of KOA.INPLASY registration number:INPLASY2020110020.     

Warm acupuncture therapy for Primary sciatica: A protocol of systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction:This meta-analysis aims to assess the effectiveness and safety of warm acupuncture therapy for treating Primary sciatica.Methods:The following 9 databases will be search from their inception to December 6, 2020: MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), the Chinese Medical Current Content (CMCC), the Wan-Fang Database and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI). Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of warm acupuncture for treating Primary sciatica, Chinese or Japanese without restriction of publication status will be included. Two researchers will independently undertake study selection, extraction of data and assessment of study quality. Meta-analysis will be conducted after screening of studies. Data will be analyzed using risk ratio for dichotomous data, and standardized mean difference or weighted mean difference for continuous data.Dissemination:This meta-analysis will be disseminated electronically through a peer-reviewed publication or conference presentations.Conclusion:This study will provide evidence to judge whether warm acupunctureTrial registration number:INPLASY2020120109.     

The effect of traditional Chinese medicine treatment for post-viral olfactory dysfunction: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

Background:Post-viral olfactory dysfunction (PVOD) have been reported in infections caused by several respiratory viruses, especially in COVID-19 which influence severely the quality of life of affected subjects. Few study has been published on the treatment of PVOD. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is an effective method for PVOD which effects and safety have been confirmed. Therefore, this study is aim to evaluate the effects of TCM on PVOD.Methods:A searching strategy will be carried out mainly in the following databases in English and Chinese, PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, China Network Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese Scientific Journal Database (VIP), Chinese Biomedical and Medical Database (CBM), and Wanfang Database. Only randomized controlled trials related to TCM for PVOD will be included to enhance effectiveness. The primary outcome is the effective rate of PVOD. The secondary outcomes are included olfactory domain value examination, visual analogue scale (VAS), questionnaires of olfactory disorders (QOD), T&T olfactometer test, Sniffin ticks test, and any other clinical assessments. Two authors will independently perform study selection, data extraction, and quality assessment to ensure the quality of the systematic evaluation. Every disagreement will be deal with by the third author. Data synthesis and subgroup analysis will be performed in the Review Manager V 5.3.3.Results:This study is aim to evaluate the efficacy and safety of TCM in PVOD.Conclusion: This meta-analysis may provide more reliable evidence-based medical evidence for clinical practice to assist patient in relieving PVOD.Ethics and dissemination:There is no need to acquire ethical approval for individuals come from literatures instead of recruiting directly. The findings of this review will be reported in peer-reviewed publications and/or presented at relevant conferences.Prospero registration number:CRD42021238977.