Although many publications have documented the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in children and adolescents, the recent review showed that there are only few well-controlled studies that support the efficacy of CAM in the treatment and clinical improvement of children with asthma. However, some evidence has been found that specific CAM techniques are differentially associated with psychosocial outcomes, indicating the importance of examining CAM modalities individually, as well as within culturally specific contexts. Based on the previous study of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) treatment in children’s asthma, this study examined the efficacy of TCM in areas with differing air pollution. This study is based on a longitudinal qualitative data and observations of families of children with asthma collected between 2009 and 2012 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. The study results indicate that while TCM treatment of children can be beneficial to treatment of asthma, environmental pollution renders positive effects of alternative treatment largely ineffective. https://www.linkedin.com/in/helenkopnina/
The present study examined efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatment in Dutch children with asthma in areas with differing air pollution. The study results indicate that TCM treatment of children living in more polluted urban area is less successful then that of children living in cleaner air area. http://dx.doi.org/10.5402/2012/547534 https://www.linkedin.com/in/helenkopnina/
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ObjectiveThis systematic review aims to reevaluate the role of minerals on muscle mass, muscle strength, physical performance, and the prevalence of sarcopenia in community-dwelling and institutionalized older adults.DesignSystematic review.Setting and ParticipantsIn March 2022, a systematic search was performed in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Sciences using predefined search terms. Original studies on dietary mineral intake or mineral serum blood concentrations on muscle mass, muscle strength, and physical performance or the prevalence of sarcopenia in older adults (average age ≥65 years) were included.MethodsEligibility screening and data extraction was performed by 2 independent reviewers. Quality assessment was performed with the Effective Public Health Practice Project (EPHPP) Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies. Risk of bias was evaluated using the Risk Of Bias In Non-randomized Studies-of Exposure (ROBINS-E) tool.ResultsFrom the 15,622 identified articles, a total of 45 studies were included in the review, mainly being cross-sectional and observational studies. Moderate quality of evidence showed that selenium (n = 8) and magnesium (n = 7) were significantly associated with muscle mass, strength, and physical performance as well as the prevalence of sarcopenia. For calcium and zinc, no association could be found. For potassium, iron, sodium, and phosphorus, the association with sarcopenic outcomes remains unclear as not enough studies could be included or were nonconclusive (low quality of evidence).Conclusions and ImplicationsThis systematic review shows a potential role for selenium and magnesium on the prevention and treatment of sarcopenia in older adults. More randomized controlled trials are warranted to determine the impact of minerals on sarcopenia in older adults.
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