BACKGROUND: A growing body of research is exploring the role of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory dietary supplements in the treatment of osteoarthritis, highlighting an increasing emphasis on non-pharmacological interventions. Although more patients are turning to supplements to manage osteoarthritis, their actual effectiveness remains uncertain. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the available evidence concerning the efficacy of various dietary supplements in osteoarthritis treatment. SEARCH STRATEGY: We searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library and Web of Science for studies on the use of various dietary supplements in the treatment of osteoarthritis from the creation of each database until Jan 20, 2025. INCLUSION CRITERIA: (1) Research object: osteoarthritis. (2) Intervention measures: patients in the treatment group received dietary supplements, while the control group received placebos. (3) Research type: randomized controlled trials (RCTs). DATA EXTRACTION AND ANALYSIS: Two researchers independently examined the literature and retrieved data based on predefined criteria. The information gathered included the first author, year of publication, sample size, participant demographics, length of the follow-up period, intervention and control measures, and inclusion indications. RCTs comparing dietary supplements to placebo with the pain and function subscales of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) among patients with osteoarthritis were included. The optimal dietary supplement was identified based on the total ranking by summing the surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) of these two scores. Furthermore, the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) was used to confirm the quality of the evidence. RESULTS: Overall, 23 studies covering 21 dietary supplements and involving 2455 participants met the inclusion criteria. In the WOMAC pain score, the SUCRA of passion fruit peel extract was 91% (mean difference [MD]: -9.2; 95% confidence interval [CI]: [-16.0, -2.3]), followed by methylsulfonylmethane (89%), undenatured type II collagen (87%), collagen (84%), and Lanconone (82%). The SUCRA (99%) of passion fruit peel extract (MD: -41.0; 95% CI: [-66.0, -16.0]) ranked first in terms of the WOMAC function score, followed by Lanconone (95%), collagen (86%), ParActin (84%), and Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota (83%). The top three total rankings are passion fruit peel extract (95.0%), Lanconone (88.5%), and collagen (85.0%). However, the GRADE revealed low evidence quality. CONCLUSION Passion fruit peel extract was the best supplement for improving WOMAC pain and function scores in patients with osteoarthritis, followed by Lanconone and collagen. However, further large-scale, well designed RCTs are required to substantiate these promising findings. Please cite this article as: Chen CS, Wen L, Yang F, Deng YC, Ji JH, Chen RJ, Chen Z, Chen G, Gu JY. Effects of dietary supplements on patients with osteoarthritis: A systematic review and network meta-analysis. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(4): 357-369.
Humans ; Dietary Supplements ; Osteoarthritis/drug therapy* ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic

OBJECTIVE: To explore characteristics, management strategies and preventive measures of fusion device displacement after oblique lateral interbody fusion (OLIF) in treating lumbar lesions. METHODS: The clinical data of 12 patients with fusion device displacement after OLIF for lumbar lesions in 4 medical centers from October 2014 to December 2018 were retrospectively analyzed, including 4 males and 8 females, aged from 53 to 81 years old;2 patients with lumbar disc degeneration, 4 patients with lumbar spinal stenosis, 3 patients with lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis and 3 patients with lumbar degenerative kyphosis;preoperative dual-energy X-ray bone mineral density (BMD) was detected in 1 patient with T-value > -1 SD, 5 patients with T-value >-1~-2.5 SD, and 6 patients with T-value <-2.5 SD;9 patients with single-segment fusion, 1 patient with 2-segment fusion, and 2 patients with 3-segment fusion;standalone OLIF was performed in 9 patients and OLIF combined with posterior pedicle screws in 3 patients. Visual analogue scale (VAS) and Oswestry disability index (ODI) were used to evaluate low back pain and lumbar function recovery at the time of fusion graft displacement and at the latest follow-up, respectively. In addition, according to imaging results during follow-up, the fusion device subsidence or redisplacement, loosening or fracture of internal fixation, and interbody fusion were observed, and the changes in the height of interbody space on the segment with fusion device displacement were measured and compared. RESULTS: There were no necrosis or infection in skin incision of 10 patients after reoperation, and 12 patients were followed up for 12 to 48 months. VAS for low back pain decreased from 3 to 8 points at the time of fusion device displacement to 0 to 2 points at the latest follow-up. ODI recovered from 31% to 51% at the time of fusion transfer to 5% to 13% at the latest follow-up. There was no loosening or fracture of the pedicle screw system during follow-up. All 11 patients with bone grafting with fusion apparatus had fusion apparatus subsidence and no further displacement of fusion apparatus. The vertebral space height recovered from 9.0 to 12.7 mm at the time of fusion graft displacement to 8.0 to 11.8 mm at the latest follow-up. Interbody fusion was obtained in all patients except 1 with no imaging results at the latest follow-up. CONCLUSION OLIF could be used for fusion of lumbar lesions, and there is a risk of fusion organ displacement after operation, especially in cases of bone loss or osteoporosis before surgery, end-plate injury during surgery, and Stand-alone mode, and most of them occur within 3 months after operation. Surgery is required for the transposition of the fusion apparatus in the Stand-alone OLIF mode during the primary operation. Although good clinical results could be obtained by timely detection and accurate treatment, it is still necessary to emphasize the precise selection of cases before operation, the appropriate application of OLIF, and precise operation during operation to prevent displacement of fusion device.
Humans ; Spinal Fusion/instrumentation* ; Female ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Lumbar Vertebrae/surgery* ; Retrospective Studies ; Pedicle Screws

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the gemcitabine combined with oxaliplatin (GEMOX) regimen in the postoperative adjuvant treatment for the patients with cisplatin-intolerant uroepithelial cancer.Methods:The clinical data of 98 patients with uroepithelial carcinoma intolerant to cisplatin chemotherapy who underwent radical surgery from August 2017 to October 2022 at Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University School of Medicine were retrospectively analysed. The patients were divided into the adjuvant chemotherapy group and the observation group according to whether or not they underwent adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery. The adjuvant chemotherapy group received postoperative chemotherapy with the GEMOX regimen (gemcitabine 1 000 mg/m 2 intravenously on days 1 and 8, oxaliplatin 130 mg/m 2 intravenously on day 2, every 3 weeks as a cycle), and the observation group did not undergo postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy. In the adjuvant chemotherapy group, there were 33 males and 10 females, the patients’ age was (67.8±7.3) years old, 33 cases with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≤60 ml/(min·1.73m 2), and 10 cases with a Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) functional status score of >1. The postoperative pathology showed 39 cases were in stage T 3, 4 cases in stage T 4, and lymph node positivity (N+ ) was found in 10 cases. There were 55 cases in the observation group, with 42 males and 13 females and the age of (70.7±7.7) years old. Forty-two of them had an eGFR ≤60 ml/(min·1.73m 2), and 13 of them had a ECOG score of >1. The postoperative pathology showed 48 cases were in stage T 3, 7 cases in stage T 4, and 13 cases of N+. The changes in renal function, ECOG scores, and adverse reactions were observed in adjuvant chemotherapy group. Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate the survival rate, and the log-rank test was used to compare the survival rate between groups. Multifactorial Cox regression was used to analyse the correlation between age, lymph nodes, whether or not to combine with adjuvant chemotherapy and the survival of patients. Results:All patients in this study were followed up for 3 to 75 months, with a median follow-up time of 22 (14, 34) months. The recurrence rates were 83.6%(46/55) and 65.1%(28/43) in the observation and adjuvant chemotherapy groups, respectively, and the disease mortality rates were 52.7%(29/55) and 27.9%(12/43), respectively. The results of the Kaplan-Meier survival analyses showed that the 1-, 2- and 3-year disease-free survival rates in the adjuvant chemotherapy group were 62.8%, 48.6% and 41.1%, respectively, and the 1-, 2- and 3-year overall survival rates were 86.0%, 79.0% and 76.4%, respectively. The 1-, 2- and 3-year disease-free survival rates of the observation group were 58.2%, 22.6% and 9.6%, respectively, and the 1-, 2- and 3-year overall survival rates were 78.2%, 49.4% and 42.8%, respectively. The adjuvant chemotherapy group had an advantage over the observation group regarding disease-free and overall survival rates (all P<0.05). The results of multifactorial Cox regression analysis suggested that the functional status score and the presence or absence of positive lymph nodes, diabetes mellitus, and co-adjuvant chemotherapy were independent risk factors affecting the survival of the patients ( P<0.05). Forty-three cases had 1 to 6 courses of adjuvant chemotherapy, with a median course of 4 (2, 4). In terms of safety, the most common adverse reaction in the gastrointestinal tract was loss of appetite (53.4%, 23/43), the most common grade 1 to 2 adverse reaction in myelosuppression was a decrease in haemoglobin (51.2%, 22/43), and the most common grade 3 to 4 adverse reaction was thrombocytopenia (9.3%, 4/43). The eGFR of 33 patients with renal insufficiency in the adjuvant chemotherapy group was higher after each administration cycle than before ( P<0.05), and renal function did not deteriorate with the increase in administration cycles. Ten patients with a ECOG score of 2 remained with a score of 2 after chemotherapy. Conclusions:In patients with cisplatin-intolerant uroepithelial cancer, gemcitabine in combination with an oxaliplatin regimen improves the overall survival of patients. At the same time, it is well tolerated without increasing nephrotoxicity, making it an optional postoperative adjuvant treatment for patients with cisplatin-intolerant uroepithelial cancer.

Objective To analyze the active components and mechanism of action of Houttuyniae Herba-Leonuri Herba in treating systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE).Methods The main chemical components of Houttuyniae Herba-Leonuri Herba and their targets through Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform(TCMSP)were obtained,and the active components of the Chinese medicine according to ADME were screened;the potential therapeutic targets of SLE through Genecards database were obtained.The protein-protein interactions(PPI)network was constructed by using the STRING 12.0 database,and the potential protein functional modules in the network was mined.The molecular docking technique was used to further validate the action mechanism of components and targets which played a therapeutic role.Results A total of 198 Houttuyniae Herba-Leonuri Herba-SLE intersection targets were obtained.Core active ingredients such as isothermalone,iso-preleoheterin,kaempferol,and quercetin and core targets such as IL6,AKT1,SRC,STAT3 and EGFR were screened out.A total of 1 001 entries were screened by Gene Ontology(GO)functional enrichment analysis,which were mainly related to the reaction of proteins and their kinases,and inflammation,etc..A total of 166 pathways were enriched in Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG),including cancer pathway,PI3K-Akt signaling pathway,neuroactive ligand-receptor pathway,and so on.Molecular docking results showed that the core active components of Houttuyniae Herba-Leonuri Herba had great binding activities with their core targets,which preliminarily verified the above network pharmacology results.Conclusion Houttuyniae Herba-Leonuri Herba may exerts a therapeutic effect on SLE through core ingredients such as isothermalone acting on core targets such as IL6,AKT1,SRC,STAT3 and EGFR,and regulating cancer pathway,PI3K-Akt signaling pathway and neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction.

Objective To analyze the characteristics and malignancy of red-patch like lesion(RPL)during cystoscopy,and to explore the significance of RPL biopsy.Methods Clinical data of patients who had RPL detected in our hospital during Jan.2019 and Jun.2023 were retrospectively analyzed,including gender,age,cause of examination,presence of scars,complications and biopsy pathology.The patients were divided into the benign and malignant groups,and their clinical and RPL characteristics were analyzed.Results A total of 521 cases of RPL were enrolled including 416(79.8％)benign cases,and 105(20.2％)malignant cases.The averae age of the malignant group was higher than the benign group's[(66.8±12.2)years vs.(62.8±12.9)years,P=0.005].The malignant detection rate of RPL in postoperative follow-up patients,those with hematuria and those with lower urinary tract symptoms was 23.7％(92/389),19.6％(9/46),4.7％(4/86),respectively.According to direct observation and experience,the detection rate of pathological malignancy in the three groups of patients with high suspicion of RPL malignancy,mild suspicion of RPL malignancy and high probability of benign was 56.9％(37/65),37.0％(30/81)and 10.1％(38/375),respectively.Conclusion Once RPL is detected during cystoscopy,active biopsy should be performed.For elderly male patients undergoing postoperative follow-up,RPL biopsy is particularly important,especially when the lesion is located on or near the scar surface.

A 67-year-old female patient with postoperative recurrence of stage Ⅳright renal cell carcinoma and multiple intracranial metastases was treated with sorafenib and sintilimab.Within 2 weeks,the patient had a fever and red spotted rash in facial,back,buttocks and limb.After 2 days,the fever completely relieved,but subcutaneous exudation appeared on the skin of both elbow joints,buttocks,and outer thighs,followed by gradual epidermal lysis and detachment with skin ulceration.After 4 days,the patient's epidermolysis area was greater than 30％of the body surface area.The patient was diagnosed with toxic epidermal necrolysis(TEN).The adverse reaction correlation was assessed by ALDEN SCORE sheet.The adverse reaction of TEN was"likely"caused by sorafenib and sintilimab.After withdrawal and treatment,the TEN was cured.This paper explores the correlation between the TEN and the combination use of sorafenib and sintilimab and the management.This paper will provide reference for the early diagnosis and correct treatment of TEN.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract and is characterized by alternating periods of inflammation and remission. Although UC incidence is lower in Taiwan than in Western countries, its impact remains considerable, demanding updated guidelines for addressing local healthcare challenges and patient needs. The revised guidelines employ international standards and recent research, emphasizing practical implementation within the Taiwanese healthcare system. Since the inception of the guidelines in 2017, the Taiwan Society of Inflammatory Bowel Disease has acknowledged the need for ongoing revisions to incorporate emerging therapeutic options and evolving disease management practices. This updated guideline aims to align UC management with local contexts, ensuring comprehensive and context-specific recommendations, thereby raising the standard of care for UC patients in Taiwan. By adapting and optimizing international protocols for local relevance, these efforts seek to enhance health outcomes for patients with UC.

Crohn’s disease (CD) is a chronic, fluctuating inflammatory condition that primarily affects the gastrointestinal tract. Although the incidence of CD in Taiwan is lower than that in Western countries, the severity of CD presentation appears to be similar between Asia and the West. This observation indicates the urgency for devising revised guidelines tailored to the unique reimbursement system, and patient requirements in Taiwan. The core objectives of these updated guidelines include the updated treatment choices and the integration of the treat-to-target strategy into CD management, promoting the achievement of deep remission to mitigate complications and enhance the overall quality of life. Given the diversity in disease prevalence, severity, insurance policies, and access to medical treatments in Taiwan, a customized approach is imperative for formulating these guidelines. Such tailored strategies ensure that international standards are not only adapted but also optimized to local contexts. Since the inception of its initial guidelines in 2017, the Taiwan Society of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (TSIBD) has acknowledged the importance of continuous revisions for incorporating new therapeutic options and evolving disease management practices. The latest update leverages international standards and recent research findings focused on practical implementation within the Taiwanese healthcare system.

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the gemcitabine combined with oxaliplatin (GEMOX) regimen in the postoperative adjuvant treatment for the patients with cisplatin-intolerant uroepithelial cancer.Methods:The clinical data of 98 patients with uroepithelial carcinoma intolerant to cisplatin chemotherapy who underwent radical surgery from August 2017 to October 2022 at Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University School of Medicine were retrospectively analysed. The patients were divided into the adjuvant chemotherapy group and the observation group according to whether or not they underwent adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery. The adjuvant chemotherapy group received postoperative chemotherapy with the GEMOX regimen (gemcitabine 1 000 mg/m 2 intravenously on days 1 and 8, oxaliplatin 130 mg/m 2 intravenously on day 2, every 3 weeks as a cycle), and the observation group did not undergo postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy. In the adjuvant chemotherapy group, there were 33 males and 10 females, the patients’ age was (67.8±7.3) years old, 33 cases with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≤60 ml/(min·1.73m 2), and 10 cases with a Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) functional status score of >1. The postoperative pathology showed 39 cases were in stage T 3, 4 cases in stage T 4, and lymph node positivity (N+ ) was found in 10 cases. There were 55 cases in the observation group, with 42 males and 13 females and the age of (70.7±7.7) years old. Forty-two of them had an eGFR ≤60 ml/(min·1.73m 2), and 13 of them had a ECOG score of >1. The postoperative pathology showed 48 cases were in stage T 3, 7 cases in stage T 4, and 13 cases of N+. The changes in renal function, ECOG scores, and adverse reactions were observed in adjuvant chemotherapy group. Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate the survival rate, and the log-rank test was used to compare the survival rate between groups. Multifactorial Cox regression was used to analyse the correlation between age, lymph nodes, whether or not to combine with adjuvant chemotherapy and the survival of patients. Results:All patients in this study were followed up for 3 to 75 months, with a median follow-up time of 22 (14, 34) months. The recurrence rates were 83.6%(46/55) and 65.1%(28/43) in the observation and adjuvant chemotherapy groups, respectively, and the disease mortality rates were 52.7%(29/55) and 27.9%(12/43), respectively. The results of the Kaplan-Meier survival analyses showed that the 1-, 2- and 3-year disease-free survival rates in the adjuvant chemotherapy group were 62.8%, 48.6% and 41.1%, respectively, and the 1-, 2- and 3-year overall survival rates were 86.0%, 79.0% and 76.4%, respectively. The 1-, 2- and 3-year disease-free survival rates of the observation group were 58.2%, 22.6% and 9.6%, respectively, and the 1-, 2- and 3-year overall survival rates were 78.2%, 49.4% and 42.8%, respectively. The adjuvant chemotherapy group had an advantage over the observation group regarding disease-free and overall survival rates (all P<0.05). The results of multifactorial Cox regression analysis suggested that the functional status score and the presence or absence of positive lymph nodes, diabetes mellitus, and co-adjuvant chemotherapy were independent risk factors affecting the survival of the patients ( P<0.05). Forty-three cases had 1 to 6 courses of adjuvant chemotherapy, with a median course of 4 (2, 4). In terms of safety, the most common adverse reaction in the gastrointestinal tract was loss of appetite (53.4%, 23/43), the most common grade 1 to 2 adverse reaction in myelosuppression was a decrease in haemoglobin (51.2%, 22/43), and the most common grade 3 to 4 adverse reaction was thrombocytopenia (9.3%, 4/43). The eGFR of 33 patients with renal insufficiency in the adjuvant chemotherapy group was higher after each administration cycle than before ( P<0.05), and renal function did not deteriorate with the increase in administration cycles. Ten patients with a ECOG score of 2 remained with a score of 2 after chemotherapy. Conclusions:In patients with cisplatin-intolerant uroepithelial cancer, gemcitabine in combination with an oxaliplatin regimen improves the overall survival of patients. At the same time, it is well tolerated without increasing nephrotoxicity, making it an optional postoperative adjuvant treatment for patients with cisplatin-intolerant uroepithelial cancer.

The study aims to observe the effects and explore the mechanisms of Buyang Huanwu Decoction and Astragali Radix-Angelicae Sinensis Radix combination in the treatment of the inflammatory response of mice with atherosclerosis(AS) via the Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4)/myeloid differentiation primary response protein 88(MyD88)/nuclear factor-κB(NF-κB) signaling pathway. Male ApoE~(-/-) mice were randomly assigned into a model group, a Buyang Huanwu Decoction group, an Astragali Radix-Angelicae Sinensis Radix combination group, and an atorvastatin group, and male C57BL/6J mice of the same weeks old were used as the control group. Other groups except the control group were given high-fat diets for 12 weeks to establish the AS model, and drugs were administrated by gavage. Aortic intimal hyperplasia thickness, blood lipid level, plasma inflammatory cytokine levels, M1/M2 macrophage markers, and expression levels of proteins in TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB pathway in the vessel wall were measured to evaluate the effects of drugs on AS lesions and inflammatory responses. The results showed that the AS model was successfully established with the ApoE~(-/-) mice fed with high-fat diets. Compared with the control group, the model group showed elevated plasma total cholesterol(TC), triglyceride(TG), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-c) levels(P<0.05), thickened intima(P<0.01), and increased plasma tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) and interleukin-6(IL-6) levels(P<0.01). Moreover, the model group showed increased expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1(VCAM-1) and inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS)(P<0.01), inhibited expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase(eNOS) and cluster of differentiation 206(CD206)(P<0.01), and up-regulated mRNA and protein levels of TLR4, MyD88, NF-κB inhibitor alpha(IκBα), and NF-κB in the vessel wall(P<0.05). Compared with the model group, Buyang Huanwu Decoction and Astragali Radix-Angelicae Sinensis Radix combination lowered the plasma TC and LDL-c levels(P<0.01), alleviated the intimal hyperplasia(P<0.01), and reduced the plasma TNF-α and IL-6 levels(P<0.05). Moreover, the two interventions promoted the expression of eNOS and CD206(P<0.05), inhibited the expression of VCAM-1 and iNOS(P<0.01), and down-regulated the mRNA and protein levels of TLR4, MyD88, IκBα, and NF-κB(P<0.05) in the vessel wall. This study indicated that Buyang Huanwu Decoction and Astragali Radix-Angelicae Sinensis Radix combination could delay the progression of AS, inhibit the polarization of vascular wall macrophages toward M1 type, and attenuate vascular inflammatory response by inhibiting the activation of TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway in the vascular wall. Astragali Radix and Angelicae Sinensis Radix were the main pharmacological substances in Buyang Huanwu Decoction for alleviating the AS vascular inflammatory response.
Mice ; Male ; Animals ; NF-kappa B/metabolism* ; Toll-Like Receptor 4/metabolism* ; NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha/metabolism* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/metabolism* ; Interleukin-6/metabolism* ; Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88/metabolism* ; Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1/metabolism* ; Cholesterol, LDL ; Hyperplasia ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Atherosclerosis/genetics* ; Apolipoproteins E/therapeutic use* ; RNA, Messenger