RECENT RESEARCH
the prevention and treatment of viral respiratory infections , and to assess the relationship between elderberry supplements and negative health impacts associated with overproduction of proinflammatory cytokines .
Homeopathy
Takacs M , Frass M , Walder G , Fibert P , Rottensteiner M , Glück W , Lechleitner P , Oberbaum M , LeisserIlse CK , Panhofer P , lWeiermayer P .
Introduction : Infraspinatus is one of the main muscles that is involved in the subacromial impingement syndrome . Dry needling and routine physical therapy can improve this syndrome . However , the dry needling technique is not well defined .
Methods We conducted a systematic review and searched six databases , four research registers , and two preprint sites for studies . Two reviewers independently assessed studies for inclusion , extracted data from studies , assessed risk of bias using Cochrane tools , and evaluated certainty of estimates using GRADE . Outcomes included new illnesses and the severity and duration of illness .
Results : We screened 1187 records and included five randomized trials on elderberry for the treatment or prevention of viral respiratory illness . We did not find any studies linking elderberry to clinical inflammatory outcomes . However , we found three studies measuring production of cytokines ex vivo after ingestion of elderberry . Elderberry may not reduce the risk of developing the common cold ; it may reduce the duration and severity of colds , but the evidence is uncertain . Elderberry may reduce the duration of influenza but the evidence is uncertain . Compared to oseltamivir , an elderberrycontaining product may be associated with a lower risk of influenza complications and adverse events . We did not find evidence on elderberry and clinical outcomes related to inflammation . However , we found evidence that elderberry has some effect on inflammatory markers , although this effect may decline with ongoing supplementation . One small study compared elderberry to diclofenac ( a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug ) and provided some evidence that elderberry is as effective or less effective than diclofenac in cytokine reduction over time .
Conclusions : Elderberry may be a safe option for treating viral respiratory illness , and there is no evidence that it overstimulates the immune system . However , the evidence on both benefits and harms is uncertain and information from recent and ongoing studies is necessary to make firm conclusions .
Adjunctive homeopathic treatment of hospitalized COVID-19 patients ( COVIHOM ): A retrospective case series . Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice , 44 , 101415 , 2021 .
Background and purpose : COVID-19 is a novel viral disease causing worldwide pandemia . The aim of this study was to describe the effect of adjunctive individualized homeopathic treatment delivered to hospitalized patients with confirmed symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection .
Patient presentation : Thirteen patients with COVID-19 were admitted . Mean age was 73.4 ± 15.0 ( SD ) years . Twelve ( 92.3 %) were speedily discharged without relevant sequelae after 14.4 ± 8.9 days . A single patient admitted in an advanced stage of septic disease died in hospital . A time-dependent improvement of relevant clinical symptoms was observed in the 12 surviving patients . Six ( 46.2 %) were critically ill and treated in the intensive care unit ( ICU ). Mean stay at the ICU of the 5 surviving patients was 18.8 ± 6.8 days . In six patients ( 46.2 %) gastrointestinal disorders accompanied COVID-19 .
Conclusion : The observations suggest that adjunctive homeopathic treatment may be helpful to treat patients with confirmed COVID-19 even in high – risk patients especially since there is no conventional treatment of COVID-19 available at present .
Massage , myotherapy and other bodywork , kinesiology
Imani M , Abbasi L , Taghizedeh S , Amin M .
Comparison of the effect of two different types of dry-needling techniques on subacromial impingement syndrome . Myofascial Pain and Treatment , 25 : 35-40 , 2021 . https :// doi . org / 10.1016 / j . jbmt . 2020.10.018
Design : Randomized controlled clinical trial , single-blind study .
Method : Sixty-six patients diagnosed with shoulder impingement syndrome were recruited and randomly divided into three groups .
Interventions : In 1st group ; patients received deep dry needling technique in addition to routine physical therapy , in Hong ' s group ; patients received Hong ' s dry needling technique in addition to routine physiotherapy and in third group ; patient just received routine physical therapy .
Main outcome measure ( s ): Before , immediately after and 4 weeks after the intervention , pain , disability and the pressure pain threshold were measured .
Results : The findings of this study indicated that in DDN group , pain and disability reduction was significantly more than two other groups . Although , the pressure pain tolerance increased in all three groups after treatment , but the increase between groups was not significantly different . All study groups showed reduction in pain , while there was no significant difference between the three groups .
Conclusion : Pain and disability reduction in the DDN group compared to the other two groups may reveal the treatment with deep dry needling technique along with routine physiotherapy is more effective than receiving dry needling with Hong ' s technique or routine physiotherapy alone . However , there was no significant difference between the three groups in pressure pain tolerance threshold and pain reduction .
Myofascial pain and treatment
Yoosefinejad AK , Samani M , Jabarifard F , Setooni M , Mirsalari R , Kaviani F , Seyed M ,
108 | vol27 | no2 | JATMS