Tag: alternative treatments

Randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled pilot study: Efficacy of faecal microbiota transplantation on chronic fatigue syndrome

Abstract:

Background: Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a disabling illness of unknown aetiology. Disruption of gut microbiota may play a role in several neurological disorders. In this study, the effect of faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) on fatigue severity and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients with CFS was evaluated

Methods: Randomized, placebo-controlled pilot trial. Patients and researchers were blinded to treatment assignment. 11 patients with CFS (10 female and 1 male, mean age 42.2 years and mean duration of CFS 6.3 years) were randomly assigned to receive either FMT from a universal donor (n = 5) or autologous FMT (n = 6) via colonoscopy. Patients’ HRQOL was assessed by using visual analog scale (VAS) and self-reporting questionnaires Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS), 15D and EQ-5D-3L. Patients’ HRQOL was evaluated at baseline, and 1 and 6 months after the FMT.

Results: The baseline VAS scores in the FMT and placebo groups were 62.4 and 76.0 (p = 0.29). 1-month scores were 60.0 and 73.7 and 6-months scores 72.8 and 69.5, respectively. Total MFIS scores in the FMT and placebo groups were 59.6 and 61.0 at the baseline (p = 0.80), 53.5 and 62.0 at 1 month and 58.6 and 56.2 at 6 months. Compared to the baseline scores, differences at 1 and 6 months were statistically insignificant both in VAS and in MFIS. The 15D and EQ-5D-3L profiles did not change after the FMT or placebo. FMT-related adverse events were not reported.

Conclusion: FMT was safe but did not relieve symptoms or improve the HRQOL of patients with CFS. Small number of study subjects limits the generalizability of these results

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT04158427, https://register.clinicaltrials.gov, date of registration 08/08/2019

Source: Salonen TE, Jokinen E, Satokari R, Lahtinen P. Randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled pilot study: Efficacy of faecal microbiota transplantation on chronic fatigue syndrome. ResearchSquare [Preprint] April 25, 2023. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-2805527/v1 https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-2805527/v1 (Full text)

Bamboo-based medicinal moxibustion for chronic fatigue syndrome: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract:

in English, Chinese

Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of bamboo-based medicinal moxibustion for chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), and to preliminarily explore its action mechanism.

Methods: Sixty-four patients with CFS were randomly divided into a moxibustion group (32 cases, 1 case dropped off, 1 case excluded) and an acupuncture group (32 cases, 2 cases dropped off). The patients in the moxibustion group were treated with bamboo-based medicinal moxibustion, while the patients in the acupuncture group were treated with routine acupuncture. Both groups were treated once a day, 6 days as a course of treatment with 1 day interval, for a total of 2 courses of treatment. Before treatment, 1 and 2 courses into treatment and in the follow-up of 14 days after treatment, the fatigue scale-14 (FS-14) and somatic and psychological health report (SPHERE) scores were observed in the two groups. Before and after treatment, the contents of CD+3, CD+4, CD+8 of peripheral blood T lymphocyte subsets were measured and CD+4/CD+8 ratio was calculated; the clinical efficacy of the two groups was compared.

Results: Compared before treatment, the FS-14 and SPHERE scores in the two groups were decreased 1 and 2 courses into treatment and in the follow-up (P<0.01), and the FS-14 and SPHERE scores in the moxibustion group were lower than those in the acupuncture group (P<0.01, P<0.05). Compared before treatment, the contents of CD+3, CD+4 and CD+4/CD+8 ratio in the moxibustion group were increased after treatment (P<0.01). There was no significant difference of CD+3, CD+4, CD+8 and CD+4/CD+8 ratio between before and after treatment in the acupuncture group (P>0.05). After treatment, the contents of CD+3 and CD+4 in the moxibustion group were higher than those in the acupuncture group (P<0.05). The total effective rate was 93.3% (28/30) in the moxibustion group, which was higher than 73.3% (22/30) in the acupuncture group (P<0.05).

Conclusion: Bamboo-based medicinal moxibustion could improve the physical and mental fatigue symptoms and psychological status in patients with CFS. Its effect may be related to regulating the contents of CD+3, CD+4 of peripheral blood T lymphocyte subsets and CD+4/CD+8 ratio.

Source: Xue KY, Quan F, Tang JX, Xiao CH, Lu CX, Cui J. [Bamboo-based medicinal moxibustion for chronic fatigue syndrome: a randomized controlled trial]. Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2023 May 12;43(5):493-8. Chinese. PMID: 37161800. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37161800/

Whole-body cryotherapy as a treatment for chronic medical conditions?

Abstract:

Introduction: Whole-body cryotherapy (WBC) is a controlled exposure of the whole body to cold to gain health benefits. In recent years, data on potential applications of WBC in multiple clinical settings have emerged.

Sources of data: PubMed, EBSCO and Clinical Key search using keywords including terms ‘whole body’, ‘cryotherapy’ and ‘cryostimulation’.

Areas of agreement: WBC could be applied as adjuvant therapy in multiple conditions involving chronic inflammation because of its potent anti-inflammatory effects. Those might include systemic inflammation as in rheumatoid arthritis. In addition, WBC could serve as adjuvant therapy for chronic inflammation in some patients with obesity.

Areas of controversy: WBC probably might be applied as an adjuvant treatment in patients with chronic brain disorders including mild cognitive impairment and general anxiety disorder and in patients with depressive episodes and neuroinflammation reduction as in multiple sclerosis. WBC effects in metabolic disorder treatment are yet to be determined. WBC presumably exerts pleiotropic effects and therefore might serve as adjuvant therapy in multi-systemic disorders, including myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS).

Growing points: The quality of studies on the effects of WBC in the clinical setting is in general low; hence, randomized controlled trials with adequate sample size and longer follow-up periods are needed.

Areas are timely for developing research: Further studies should examine the mechanism underlying the clinical efficacy of WBC. Multiple conditions might involve chronic inflammation, which in turn could be a potential target of WBC. Further research on the application of WBC in neurodegenerative disorders, neuropsychiatric disorders and ME/CFS should be conducted.

Source: Tabisz H, Modlinska A, Kujawski S, Słomko J, Zalewski P. Whole-body cryotherapy as a treatment for chronic medical conditions? Br Med Bull. 2023 May 12:ldad007. doi: 10.1093/bmb/ldad007. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37170956. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37170956/

Effect of laser acupuncture on immunomodulation and dyspnea in post-COVID-19 patients

Introduction: The post-COVID-19 syndrome is characterized by post-viral chronic fatigue syndrome as well as multi-organ complications. Its usual clinical symptoms are exhaustion, dyspnea, and chest pain. This study examines the effect of laser acupuncture (LA), which implies laser application on acupuncture points, on boosting immunity and reducing the inflammatory symptoms in post-COVID syndrome patients.

Material and methods: A total of 80 patients of both sexes with post-COVID symptoms were enrolled and randomly divided into the LA group (n = 40), which received LA three times/week for 12 weeks, and a placebo group (n = 40) which received sham LA. The following measures were taken for both groups before and after the study: Total lymphocyte count (TLC), Interleukin 6 (IL-6), dyspnea using the modified Medical Research Counseling Dyspnea Scale (mMRC), and fatigue using the Chalder Fatigue Scale (CFQ-11).

Results: LA group showed a significant elevation in TLC (p < 0.001) as well as a significant reduction in IL-6 levels, dyspnea, and fatigue scale (p < 0.001). On the other hand, the placebo group demonstrated a significant increase in TLC (p < 0.05).

Conclusions: The use of lasers at particular acupuncture points related to lung and immunity showed promising results in dealing with the typical main symptoms post-COVID, including chronic fatigue and dyspnea.

Source: Algitany SI, Fouad SA, Nassif AA, Guirguis SA. Effect of laser acupuncture on immunomodulation and dyspnea in post-COVID-19 patients. Advances in Rehabilitation / Postępy Rehabilitacji. 2023. doi:10.5114/areh.2023.125836. http://www.advrehab.org/Effect-of-laser-acupuncture-on-immunomodulation-and-dyspnea-in-post-COVID-19-patients,125,50340,0,1.html (Full text available as PDF file)

Combination of whole-body cryotherapy with static stretching exercises reduces fatigue and improves functioning of the autonomic nervous system in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Abstract:

Background: The aim of this study was to explore the tolerability and effect of static stretching (SS) and whole body cryotherapy (WBC) upon fatigue, daytime sleepiness, cognitive functioning and objective and subjective autonomic nervous system functioning in those with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) compared to a control population.

Methods: Thirty-two CFS and eighteen healthy controls (HC) participated in 2 weeks of a SS + WBC programme. This programme was composed of five sessions per week, 10 sessions in total.

Results: A significant decrease in fatigue was noted in the CFS group in response to SS + WBC. Some domains of cognitive functioning (speed of processing visual information and set-shifting) also improved in response to SS + WBC in both CFS and HC groups. Our study has confirmed that WBC is well tolerated by those with CFS and leads to symptomatic improvements associated with changes in cardiovascular and autonomic function.

Conclusions: Given the preliminary data showing the beneficial effect of cryotherapy, its relative ease of application, good tolerability, and proven safety, therapy with cold exposure appears to be an approach worth attention. Further studies of cryotherapy as a potential treatment in CFS is important in the light of the lack of effective therapeutic options for these common and often disabling symptoms.

Source: Kujawski S, Słomko J, Godlewska BR, Cudnoch-Jędrzejewska A, Murovska M, Newton JL, Sokołowski Ł, Zalewski P. Combination of whole body cryotherapy with static stretching exercises reduces fatigue and improves functioning of the autonomic nervous system in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. J Transl Med. 2022 Jun 17;20(1):273. doi: 10.1186/s12967-022-03460-1. PMID: 35715857; PMCID: PMC9204866.  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9204866/ (Full text)