The study aimed to assess the clinical effects of employing the Huangqi formula (Eefooton; EFT) for chronic kidney disease (CKD) treatment. A narrative literature review was undertaken to elucidate the specific ingredients of EFT and their potential impact on renal health. A retrospective observational study investigated EFT treatment in outpatients with stable CKD (stages 3B to 5) from March 2019 to March 2021. Patients received 20 mL of EFT thrice daily for 6 months, along with standard treatment. Control groups were matched to the EFT cohort. Regular assessments of renal, liver functions, and lipid profiles were conducted. Serum creatinine (Cr) and eGFR levels consistently improved in stage 3B CKD patients at each follow-up visit. At 6 months, improvement in Cr and eGFR was observed for stage 4 and 5 CKD. Stage 3B CKD patients exhibited notable reductions in systolic blood pressure after 3 and 6 months of EFT treatment. Remarkably, a substantial decrease in HbA1C was noted in stage 4 CKD individuals after three months of therapy. Additionally, stage 4 CKD patients saw a significant reduction in LDL levels after both 3 and 6 months of EFT treatment. A literature review on EFT ingredients indicated that the positive effects of EFT might be associated with its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-fibrotic properties. This research demonstrated that incorporating EFT alongside standard treatment enhanced renal function in individuals with CKD. EFT is proposed as a feasible complementary treatment for CKD patients, emphasizing the importance of early intervention.

Currently, the prevention, assessment, and management of procedural pain in neonates continues to challenge clinicians and researchers. Objective. To investigate the analgesic effect of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) during heel lance compared to breast milk (BM) feeding in healthy term neonates. In this randomized controlled trial, healthy term neonates who underwent heel lance were randomly assigned to an LLLT or a BM group. The LLLT group received laser therapy to the heel lance site for 20 s before heel lance. The BM group received 5 mL expressed BM via a syringe before heel lance. The primary outcomes were behavioral responses. The secondary outcomes were physiological responses and levels of salivary cortisol and α-amylase. A total of 125 neonates were included, of whom 55 in the LLLT group and 59 in the BM group completed the study. There were no significant differences in latency to first cry and cry duration between the two groups. The squeeze time was significantly shorter in the LLLT group than in the BM group (p = 0.047). There were no significant differences in pain scores, heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, and blood pressure before and after heel lance between the two groups. There were no significant differences in salivary cortisol and α-amylase levels in the LLLT group before and after heel lance; however, the differences were significant in the BM group. These findings suggest that the analgesic effect of LLLT is similar to that of BM during heel lance in healthy term neonates. LLLT has potential as an analgesic treatment.