ArticleBMC complementary medicine and therapies2024
Reasons and experience for patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis using traditional Chinese medicine: a CARE-TCM based mixed method study.
Article in BMC complementary medicine and therapies, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT04885374 (China Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Registry of Patients With Traditional Chinese Medicine), which is not on this map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
China Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Registry of Patients With Traditional Chinese Medicine
Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- A Systematic Review of Attributes Influencing Preferences for Treatments and Interventions in People With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).Muscle & nerve · 2025Pooled it
- Natural Products from Chinese Medicine Targeting NF-κB Signaling: Emerging Therapeutic Avenues for Neurodegenerative Diseases.Drug design, development and therapy · 2025Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
9 authors.
Funding
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND
aimTraditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is widely used by patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). However, their reasons and experience in using TCM have received insufficient attention. Therefore, we conducted a mixed method study to gain insights into this issue. MATERIALS AND
methodsThis study was conducted on the basis of the China Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Registry of Patients with Traditional Chinese Medicine (CARE-TCM). Data were collected from Dongzhimen Hospital through a mixed method approach, including a questionnaire and a semi-structured interview. Patients with ALS who were using TCM when they were initially registered with CARE-TCM and who had been followed-up for over six months were recruited. The questionnaires' outcomes were statistically outlined, and the interview transcripts were thematically analysed to identify themes and sub-themes.
resultsFifty-two and sixteen patients were included in the questionnaire and semi-structured interview groups, respectively. Patients used TCM with the hope of regulating their body holistically to improve nonmotor symptoms and quality of life (QOL). Those who recognised TCM as ineffective tended to discontinue it after a three-month trial period. Although quality was a major concern, herbal medicine (HM) was the most frequently used modality among all participants (n = 52), with the majority (n = 44, 84.6%) continuing to use it. Patients emphasised in-person consultations as a crucial part of TCM treatment. However, the disability caused by disease often made this interaction unattainable.
conclusionNonmotor symptoms and QOL hold substantial importance for patients with ALS using TCM. HM is a more suitable modality than other TCM treatment modalities, but patients are facing challenges in seeking HM treatment. It is necessary to promote the implementation of hierarchical diagnosis and treatment, thus making TCM more accessible.
trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04885374 (registered on May 13, 2021).
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