BACKGROUND Breastfeeding is recommended worldwide but not fully practiced. The first week after childbirth is regarded as a critical period for increasing breast milk production. The aim of the study was to investigate whether Chinese herbal medicine Zengru Gao would result in more women breastfeeding in the first week after childbirth. METHODS A multicenter randomized controlled trial was co...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE We investigated whether early initiation of tirofiban, a glycoprotein IIb/IIIa antagonist, is safe, can reduce the risk of reocclusion, and improve outcomes in acute ischemic stroke patients after alteplase. METHODS Forty-one patients received alteplase followed by intravenous tirofiban infusion for at least 24 hours. The incidence of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage...

BACKGROUND Precompetition nervous syndrome comprises an excessive nervous and anxiety response to the high-pressure environment preceding a sporting competition. The use of acupuncture as a treatment option for anxiety, and wrist-ankle acupuncture (WAA) specifically in this instance, has been identified as a growing trend within the Western world. In our previous study, we have confirmed the ef...

BACKGROUND To determine the median effective concentration of sufentanil as an analgesic during wake-up tests after sevoflurane anesthesia during surgery for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). METHODS This is a randomised controlled trial. Sixty patients aged 13-18 years scheduled for AIS surgery were randomized into six groups of 10 patients each to receive target effect-site concentrati...

BACKGROUND This study aimed to study the feasibility, efficacy and safety of using laryngeal mask (LM) ventilation compared with endotracheal intubation (ETI) during neonatal resuscitation. METHODS Neonates with a heart rate below 60 beats per minute despite 30 s of face mask ventilation were assigned quasi-randomly (odd/even birth date) to LM (n = 36) or ETI (n = 32) ventilation. Differences...

The fruit juice of Actinidia chinensis Planch. has antioxidant and anti-inflammation properties on patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), but the molecular mechanism was unclear. The patients took the juice and the serum level of antioxidant miR-424, Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1), erythroid-derived 2-like 2 (Nrf2), and biochemical indices were measured. The juice increased...

BACKGROUND The risk of cardiovascular events remains high in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) after successful percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Panax quinquefolius saponin, a major component of Xinyue capsule, has been used to treat patients with CHD. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Xinyue capsules in patients with CHD after PCI. METHODS/DESI...

BACKGROUND Hidden blood loss is a major concern for patients undergoing hip surgery for intertrochanteric fracture. The objective of this study was to investigate whether tranexamic acid (TXA) could reduce postoperative hidden blood loss in patients undergoing hip surgery for intertrochanteric fracture. METHODS A total of 77 patients with intertrochanteric fracture were enrolled in this rando...

BACKGROUND The chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) is one of the commonest chronic inflammatory diseases in adult men, for which acupuncture has been used to relieve related symptoms. The present study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effect of the long-needle acupuncture on CP/CPPS. METHODS A randomized traditional acupuncture-controlled single blind study was conduct...

BACKGROUND Surgical microvascular decompression (MVD) is the curative treatment for hemifacial spasm (HFS). Monitoring MVD by recording the lateral spread response (LSR) intraoperatively can predict a successful clinical outcome. However, the rate of the LSR varies between trials, and the reason for this variation is unclear. The aim of our trial is to evaluate the rate of the LSR after intubat...