Transcutaneous Electrical Acupoint Stimulation Combined with Warm Acupuncture for Breast Cancer Related Upper Limb Lymphedema: A Retrospective Cohort Study / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the clinical efficacy of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) combined with warm acupuncture in treating breast cancer associated with upper limb lymphedema (BCRL).@*METHODS@#This was a retrospective cohort study using a paired control design. Fifty-two BCRL patients were assigned to the control group (27 cases) and the treatment group (25 cases). The patients in the control group were treated with lymphedema comprehensive detumescence treatment (CDT) for 4 weeks, including systematic therapy composed of manual lymphatic drainage, compression bandage, skincare, and functional exercise. The patients in the treatment group were treated with TEAS combined with warm acupuncture based on the control group methods. Each treatment lasted for 30 min and was applied twice a week for 4 weeks. The arm circumference (AC) of different positions of the affected limb and the degree of swelling of the affected limb were evaluated before the first treatment and after the last treatment. The clinical efficacy was evaluated according to the degree of edema before and after treatment. All adverse events during treatment were recorded.@*RESULTS@#The patients' AC and the swelling feeling of the affected limb in the treatment group and the control group were both reduced compared with those before treatment. Compared with the control group, AC of the wrist joint transverse stria, the midpoint between the wrist joint transverse stria and the elbow joint transverse stria in the treatment group were significantly reduced (P<0.05). The decrease in AC diameter at the midpoint between the elbow joint transverse stria and the axillary transverse stria was the most significant (P<0.01). The swelling degree of the affected limbs in the treatment group was significantly lower than before treatment, and was significantly lower compared with the control group after treatment (P<0.01). The total effective rate was 72% in the treatment group, significantly higher than that in the control group (55.56%, P<0.05). No serious adverse events occured in either group.@*CONCLUSIONS@#TEAS combined with warm acupuncture can effectively reduce AC and swelling feeling of the affected limb in patients with BCRL. The effect is better than that of CDT therapy alone. (Registration No. ChiCTR2200062075).

Investigation on Molecular Mechanism of Fibroblast Regulation and the Treatment of Recurrent Oral Ulcer by Shuizhongcao Granule-Containing Serum.

The purpose is to study the intervention, proliferation, and differentiation on fibroblast by Shuizhongcao Granule during the treatment of ROU and investigate the action mechanism in inflammatory microenvironment. Proliferation of rat fibroblasts was detected using CCK8. Western blot was used to detect the effect of drug-containing serum on the expression of protein associated with NF-κB and ERK pathway in rat fibroblasts. Expression of IL-10 and IL-12 was detected by PCR. Shuizhongcao Granule group successfully inhibited proliferation of rat fibroblast. Western blot results revealed that p65 and IKKB were significantly less expressed in Chinese medicine group, while pIκBα and pIKKαß expression were significantly increased. We have also found that in this group the expression of pAKT was evidently suppressed and expression of pERK significantly decreased. PCR results showed significantly decreased expression levels of IL-10 and 1IL-12b in Chinese medicine group, while the expression of IL-12a was increased. Our results suggest that Shuizhongcao Granule can suppress the proliferation of fibroblast and inhibit the activation of NF-κB and thus suppress inflammatory reactions, possibly involving the inhibited expression of phosphorylated AKT, rather than the canonical pathway. Furthermore, it can inhibit ERK pathway and reduce IL-10 and IL-12b gene expression while enhancing IL-12a expression.