Effect of Traditional Chinese Medicine on Outcomes in Patients With Severe / Very Severe COPD
Pulmonary DiseaseChronic ObstructiveThe aim of this study is to compare the effectiveness of two treatments for severe / very severe COPD patients: one, conventional medicine based on 2013 Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) and Chinese Treatment Guidelines; the other, TCM treatments and conventional medicine, which have been evaluated and have certain effect.
Effect of Traditional Chinese Medicine on Outcomes in Patients With Mild/Moderate Chronic Obstructive...
Pulmonary DiseaseChronic ObstructiveThe purpose of this study is evaluate the effects and safety of Traditional Chinese medicine for prevention and management of mild/moderate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Treatment of Chronic Prostatitis/ Pelvic Pain Syndrome With Low-intensity Extracorporeal Shockwave...
Chronic Prostatitis/ Pelvic Pain SyndromeThis study is a prospective, randomized, single-blinded, cross-over trial to investigate the efficacy of low-intensity extracorporeal shockwave therapy in the treatment of chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS). We will enroll 60 subjects with Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (CPSI) > 15. 30 subjects receive ESWT (LM-IASO, Litemed Co., Taiwan) for 6 courses in 3 weeks (0.05mJ/mm2, 3000 pulses) and 30 subjects receive Sham therapy for 3 weeks (the machine turning on but the energy is zero). After 3 weeks, the two groups are cross over, for additional 6 courses. The primary outcome is the the 4th week change from baseline for CPSI score. Secondary outcomes are the 8th week change from baseline for CPSI score, IIEF, QoL; AEs. The between-group relationships of baseline and 4-week data were evaluated by using the Student's t-test or Mann-Whitney U-test where appropriate. Multiple linear regression was carried out to test the variables associated with treatment outcome. P-values < 0.05 were considered statistically significant.
Reeducation of Chronic Achilles Tendinopathy by Wearing Shoes Inclined Versus Reeducation by Kinesitherapy...
TendinopathyRupture of Achilles Tendon1 moreThe purpose of the study is to compare the treatment by wearing shoes inclined at kinesitherapy because it is the first treatment offered by primary care physicians in chronic Achilles tendinopathy.
Effect of Nutrition and Lifestyles on Obesity and Chronic Disease in China
ObesityThis research is aimed at verifying the effects of diets with high protein and low glycemic index (GI) on weight management among overweight or obese Chinese adult. Additionally, the investigators intend to verify the effects of two new approaches, including food replacement and Internet-of-things (IOT) monitoring on weight control.
Home-based Aerobic Training Among Adolescents With Chronic Diseases During COVID-19 Pandemic
Chronic DiseaseChronic Diseases in Adolescence2 moreData show that the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) symptoms can be severe in 4% and 3% of the adolescents aged 11-15 years and ≥ 16 years, respectively. In addition, the prevalence of chronic diseases among adolescents has increased in the last years. About 20% of the adolescents have some chronic disease, resulting in increased morbidity and mortality. In march, 2020, the quarantine was officially implemented in Sao Paulo, while elective medical appointments for adolescents with chronic disease were temporarily suspended. To mitigate the deleterious effect of the social isolation on physical and mental health among these patients, this study aims to test the effects of an online, home-based, exercise training program.
Technology-assisted Collaborative Care Program for Depressed Patients With Chronic Disease at Primary...
DepressionBackground: depression and chronic diseases are frequently comorbid public health problems. However, clinical guidelines often fail to consider comorbidities. This study protocol describes a cluster randomized trial (CRT) aimed to compare the effectiveness of a collaborative, computer-assisted, psycho-educational intervention versus enhanced usual care (EUC) in the treatment of depressed patients with hypertension and/or diabetes in primary care clinics (PCC) in Santiago, Chile. Methods: two-arm, single-blind, CRT carried out at two municipalities in Santiago, Chile. Eight PCC will be randomly assigned (1:1 ratio within each municipality, 4 PCC in each municipality) to the INTERVENTION or EUC. A total of 360 depressed patients, aged at least 18 years, with Patient Health Questionnaire-9 Item [PHQ-9] scores ≥ 15, and enrolled in the Cardiovascular Health Program at the participating PCC. Patients with alcohol/substance abuse; current treatment for depression, bipolar disorder, or psychosis; illiteracy; severe impairment; and resident in long-term care facilities, will be excluded. Patients in both arms will be invited to use the Web page of the project, which includes basic health education information. Patients in the INTERVENTION will receive eight sessions of a computer-assisted, psycho-educational intervention delivered by trained therapists, a structured telephone calls to monitor progress, and usual medical care for chronic diseases. Therapists will receive biweekly and monthly supervision by psychologist and psychiatrist, respectively. A monthly meeting will be held between the PCC team and a member of the research team to ensure continuity of care. Patients in EUC will receive depression treatment according to clinical guidelines and usual medical care for chronic diseases. Outcome assessments will be conducted at three, six, and twelve months after enrollment. The primary outcome will be depression improvement at six months, defined as ≥ 50% reduction in baseline PHQ-9 scores. Intention-to-treat analyses will be performed.
Health-related Quality of Life in Patients at Nordic Clinic
Chronic DiseaseNordic Clinic is a private clinic for personalised treatment based on the Functional Medicine concept. In summary, functional medicine is aimed at addressing the lifestyle and behavioral factors that are believed to contribute to the symptoms the patient suffers from. In short, the treatment is based on a timeline of health-related life events, current lifestyle factors and behaviors and physiological examinations to develop a personalised lifestyle program. The main component of the treatment provided at Nordic Clinic is in-depth lifestyle coaching to achieve the desired behavioral and lifestyle changes. Working at the clinic is a clinical physiologist, nutritionist, physician specialist in general medicine and researchers work. The vast majority of people who apply for the clinic have long-standing symptoms that have been investigated by the healthcare system without any organic explanation for the symptoms having been identified. Common causes are gastrointestinal problems, persistent fatigue and insomnia. The aim of the study is to investigate symptom-borne and health-related quality of life during and after treatment and to identify predictors of improvement of health-related quality of life. The main purpose is to investigate whether the health-related quality of life is improved during treatment. This is an observational study and all adult patients who are able to complete the web form in Swedish at the clinic are asked to participate. Participants who give consent will receive a link to the questionnaire via email once a month for one year and once after two years. Participants are recruited for two years, and will be completed after the last questionnaire is completed by the last included participant, ie autumn 2022. In addition to the self-assessments, the number of visits to the clinic, sampling and results, who finances the treatment and treatment plan are recorded. The first aim is to investigate improvement in symptom burden and health related quality of life during and after treatment (does symptom burden and health related quality of improve during treatment and are improvements stable at the 2 year follow-up?) The second aim is to investigate factors that predict recovery (Do persons with a high level of motivation for behavioural change experience a better improvement in symptom burden and health related quality of life than persons with a low level of motivation for behavioural change?).
Debridement and Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery
Chronic Rhinosinusitis (Diagnosis)Functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) is the gold standard surgical intervention for management of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). Synechiae formation in the middle meatus is the most common complication of endoscopic sinus surgery after FESS. Nasal debridement is a postoperative procedure used in the prevention of synechiae formation. This procedure lacks standardized evidence-based guidelines. The currently existing studies that have been conducted to determine the efficacy of post-operative debridement have shown conflicting results. We hypothesize that there is no difference in short and long term clinical outcomes between patients who had routine post-operative nasal debridement following FESS and patients who did not have post-operative nasal debridement.
Targeting Peroxisome Proliferator-activated Receptor-gamma in Peritoneal Dialysis Patients - Will...
Chronic DiseaseKidney Diseases1 morePeritoneal dialysis patients are at increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality and are related to the presence of accelerated atherosclerosis. Our recent data showed that inflammation predicts mortality and cardiovascular death, independent of other cardiovascular risk factors in peritoneal dialysis patients. As a considerable proportion of peritoneal dialysis patients showed evidence of inflammation, it raises an important question as to whether anti-inflammatory treatment has any cardiovascular and survival benefit in these patients. The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-g) agonist is a class of drug with insulin sensitizing property. Recent experimental and clinical studies demonstrated that this class of drug has anti-inflammatory and anti-atherosclerotic properties other than insulin sensitizing effect in type 2 diabetics. We therefore hypothesize that modulation of the PPAR-g activity may be a novel therapeutic strategy for reducing inflammation and retarding the progression of atherosclerosis and possibly lowering mortality in our peritoneal dialysis patients.