Combining Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Epilepsy Treatment

Source: Medicine

Summary

This study looked at how well a combination of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Western medicine works for people with refractory epilepsy (RE), which is a type of epilepsy that doesn't respond well to standard treatments. Researchers analyzed data from 20 randomized controlled trials involving 1,521 patients with RE. The goal was to see if this combined approach could reduce the frequency of seizures and improve the overall quality of life for these patients.

The findings showed that patients who received the combined treatment had fewer seizures, better clinical outcomes, and improved quality of life compared to those who only received standard care. Specifically, the combination therapy reduced the number of seizures and the duration of epilepsy symptoms. However, there was no significant difference in the improvement of brain activity on EEG tests or in the occurrence of side effects between the two groups.

These results suggest that combining traditional Chinese and Western medicine could be a promising option for treating refractory epilepsy, but more research is needed to confirm these benefits and understand any potential risks. It's important to note that while the study showed positive outcomes, it also had limitations, such as varying quality among the trials included and the need for further studies to solidify these findings.

Original source