Objective Somatic symptoms are often linked with depression and anxiety, making diagnosis difficult and limiting treatment effectiveness. Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western medicine has been studied as a complementary approach; however, its efficacy and safety have not been systematically evaluated. This review and meta-analysis examined the effectiveness and safety of integrated Traditional Chinese and Western medicine in patients diagnosed with depression with or without comorbid anxiety and somatic symptoms. Methods This systematic review and meta-analysis followed PRISMA 2020 guidelines. English-language studies published from 2014 to 2026 were searched in PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus. Randomized controlled trials comparing integrated therapy with control interventions were included. The primary outcome was depression severity assessed by HAMD scores. Secondary outcomes included anxiety symptoms, somatic symptoms, and adverse events. A random-effects model was used, and heterogeneity was assessed using the I 2 statistic. Results Eleven studies met review criteria. Integrated therapy significantly reduced depression severity compared with the standard Western medicine control condition (MD = −3.95, 95% CI: −4.71 to −3.19; I 2 = 59%). Anxiety symptoms were also significantly reduced (MD = −3.95, 95% CI: −4.65 to −3.26; I 2 = 50%). Somatic symptoms, including sleep disturbances and pain-related outcomes, improved but were assessed descriptively because of reporting variability. Adverse events were lower or similar in combined treatment groups, indicating a favorable safety profile. Funnel plot analysis suggested minimal publication bias. Conclusion Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western medicine was associated with greater improvements in depression and anxiety symptoms than the included control interventions, which comprised Western medicine alone, placebo/sham interventions, or usual care, while showing generally good tolerability. However, given the methodological limitations, heterogeneity of comparator conditions, and low certainty of the available evidence, these findings should be interpreted cautiously.
Background Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) is an indispensable imaging modality within precision medical practice. Nevertheless, the enclosed scanner space often triggers claustrophobic distress in scanned patients. This cross-sectional research aimed to quantify the prevalence of claustrophobia among individuals receiving FDG-PET scans and clarify relevant predictive factors linked to this adverse emotional response. Methods A single-center cross-sectional investigation enrolled a total of 542 participants who completed FDG-PET imaging from March 2025 to November 2025. Study data were gathered via a self-designed questionnaire named Survey of Claustrophobic Severity and Nursing Demands for Patients Undergoing FDG-PET Scans . Results Moderate to severe claustrophobic symptoms occurred in 37.27% of all subjects (202 out of 542). Multivariate Logistic regression revealed 5 statistically significant independent predictors of moderate-to-severe claustrophobia (all P < 0.05): aged 75 years or older (OR = 2.27, 95%CI: 1.15-4.51), female gender (OR = 1.92, 95%CI: 1.25-2.96), education attainment at junior high school level or below (OR = 2.53, 95%CI: 1.61-3.98), first FDG-PET scan experience (OR = 2.86, 95%CI: 1.89-4.32), and insufficient pre-scan relevant knowledge (OR = 3.46, 95%CI: 2.16-5.54). A risk scoring system built upon these 5 predictors allocated 1 point to each risk indicator, the model demonstrated satisfactory discriminative capacity. Conclusion A considerable proportion of FDG-PET scan patients suffer from moderate or severe claustrophobia, which is simultaneously influenced by personal demographic attributes and procedure-associated variables. The newly developed risk scoring tool enables efficient identification of patients at high risk of severe claustrophobic reactions.
Objective To evaluate the effects of Jue tone music therapy on depressive symptoms, sleep quality, activities of daily living, and selected serum biomarkers in patients with post-stroke depression (PSD). Methods In this randomized controlled trial, patients with PSD were randomly assigned to a control group or an intervention group. The control group received usual care, including sertraline hydrochloride and comprehensive rehabilitation training. The intervention group received additional Jue tone music therapy based on Five Element Music Therapy for 6 weeks. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the 24-item Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD-24) and the depression subscale of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS-D). Sleep quality and activities of daily living were evaluated using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Barthel Index (BI). Serum interleukin-6 (IL-6), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) levels were measured before and after the intervention. Results A total of 91 patients completed the study (control group, n = 46; intervention group, n = 45). After 6 weeks, the intervention group showed significantly lower HAMD-24, HADS-D, and PSQI scores and higher BI scores compared with the control group (all P < 0.01). Serum IL-6 levels were significantly reduced, while BDNF and 5-HT levels were significantly increased in the intervention group (all P < 0.05). No significant differences in adverse events were observed between groups. Conclusion Jue tone music therapy is a safe and effective adjunct to usual care, improving depressive symptoms, sleep quality, and functional outcomes in patients with PSD.
ObjectiveLong-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotics may improve treatment adherence by maintaining stable plasma drug concentrations and reducing relapse risk associated with inconsistent oral medication use. Although LAIs are widely used in adults with severe psychiatric disorders, their use in pediatric populations remains off-label, and evidence is limited. Aripiprazole, a partial dopamine D2 receptor agonist, has a favorable tolerability profile in adolescents, particularly regarding metabolic adverse effects and prolactin elevation.MethodsThis retrospective case series describes the clinical use of aripiprazole monohydrate LAI (AM LAI) in six adolescents aged 13-17 years with severe psychiatric conditions and poor adherence to oral treatment.ResultsTreatment with AM LAI was associated with improved adherence and clinical stabilization in most cases. Reductions in symptom severity and improvements in functional outcomes were observed during follow-up. No serious adverse effects were reported.ConclusionAM LAI appears to be a safe and effective off-label treatment option in high-risk adolescents with poor adherence to oral antipsychotics. This case series contributes clinically relevant real-world data to the limited literature on LAI use in pediatric psychiatry.
ObjectiveTo compare sleep quality, daytime sleepiness, and circadian rhythm characteristics across clinically defined chronic kidney disease (CKD) groups and to examine their relative contribution to global subjective sleep quality.MethodThis two-center, cross-sectional study enrolled 344 adults with CKD (response rate: 96.6%) from nephrology settings in Turkey. Participants were classified into three groups: mild-to-moderate CKD (KDIGO stages 2-3; n = 133), advanced CKD without dialysis (stages 4-5; n = 37), and dialysis-dependent CKD (stage 5D; n = 174). Sleep quality, daytime sleepiness, and circadian rhythm parameters were assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), and Munich Chronotype Questionnaire (MCTQ). Hierarchical regression identified predictors of PSQI global scores.ResultsESS total scores were significantly higher in the dialysis-dependent group compared with both other groups (ε2 = 0.182, the only large effect size), whereas PSQI global scores were paradoxically lower in this group (adjusted P = 0.021). Biological chronotype (MSFsc) did not differ across groups. In hierarchical regression, ESS (β = 0.525) and dialysis-dependent status (β = -0.318) were the only significant predictors of PSQI global scores, with sleep-wake variables adding 24.3% explained variance beyond demographic and clinical factors.ConclusionsCKD-related sleep-wake burden is more prominently reflected in daytime sleepiness and social-circadian disorganization than in global subjective sleep quality. Assessment of daytime sleepiness may improve recognition of sleep-wake dysregulation in nephrology settings.
