INTRODUCTION The purpose of this meta-analysis was to compare the efficacy of transarterial chemoembolisation (TACE) and iodised oil infusion chemotherapy without embolisation (TAI) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS We searched for randomised controlled trials, retrospective cohort studies, and two-arm prospective studies that compared the clinical outcomes in p...

BACKGROUND Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been known to be associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Tai Chi exercise on CVD risk in elderly women with RA. METHOD In total, 56 female patients with RA were assigned to either a Tai Chi exercise group (29 patients) receiving a 3-month exercise intervention once a week o...

BACKGROUND The authors' objective was to evaluate the efficacy of a 6-month Tai Chi intervention for decreasing the number of falls and the risk for falling in older persons. METHODS This randomized controlled trial involved a sample of 256 physically inactive, community-dwelling adults aged 70 to 92 (mean age, 77.48 years; standard deviation, 4.95 years) who were recruited through a patient ...

BACKGROUND Patients suffering from Multiple Sclerosis (MS) experience a wide array of symptoms, including balance problems, mobility impairment, fatigue and depression. Physical exercise has recently been acknowledged as a treatment option complementary to medication. However, information regarding putative effects of structured exercise programs on neurological symptoms is sparse. Tai Chi, a C...

Pregnancy is accompanied by changes in thyroid function, but limited data are available on these changes in the very first weeks of pregnancy. Yet, T(4) plays a major role in implantation and early fetal development. We sought to determine thyroid function during this period and during the first trimester, in pregnancies achieved by assisted reproductive technology. Furthermore, the thyroid hor...

OBJECTIVE To determine the feasibility of a randomized controlled trial of the effect of a tai chi program on quality of life and exercise capacity in patients with COPD. METHODS We randomized 10 patients with moderate to severe COPD to 12 weeks of tai chi plus usual care (n = 5) or usual care alone (n = 5). The tai chi training consisted of a 1-hour class, twice weekly, that emphasized gentl...

OBJECTIVE Observe the effect of Tai Chi in combination with auricular plaster therapy on treating obesity patient with secondary hyperlipidemia. METHOD Select 45 patients who suffer from simple obesity and secondary hyperlipidemia and then adopt random digital table to divide them into a Tai Chi group, an auricular plaster therapy group and a combination group. Each group consists of 15 patie...

Aims and objectives This study aimed to evaluate Tai Chi group training among patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) aged 70 years and older. Background Physical activity is recommended for CHF treatment. Tai Chi is found to be beneficial to different patient groups, although few studies focus on older patients with CHF. Design A mixed methods study. Participants were randomly assigned t...

BACKGROUND Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic, progressively debilitating condition that is prevalent in the US and worldwide. Patients suffer from progressive dyspnea and exercise intolerance. Physical exercise is beneficial, but conventional pulmonary rehabilitation programs are underutilized. There remains a need for novel interventions that improve symptoms, quality-o...

There is clinical evidence that prior surgery and inflammation can increase the risk of the chronic complications of radiotherapy delivered to the pelvic/abdominal region. We have established a murine model to study this interaction using as end points mortality and late gut-associated peritoneal adhesion formation. A single dose of 16 Gy of total abdominal irradiation (TAI) was used. This gave...