Ali Mohamed Ali Ismail, Alshaymaa Shaaban Abd El-Azeim. J Acupunct Meridian Stud 2021;14:193-9. https://doi.org/10.51507/j.jams.2021.14.5.193

Objectives: Yoga is used as a complementary therapy to control the symptomatic and complicated consequences of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) but the effect of Jyoti-Trataka yoga (gazing steadily at a 4-feet away-fixed candle flame) on the intraocular pressure (IOP), autonomic control, and fasting blood glucose (FBG) in T2DM patients with high-tension primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) was not previously investigated. This study aimed to search the effect of Jyoti-Trataka on IOP, systolic blood pressure (SBP), respiratory rate (RR), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), FBG, and pulse rate (PR) in T2DM patients with bilateral high-tension POAG. Methods: The patients with a 52- to 67-year range and body mass index below 30 kg/m ² were randomly assigned to one of two 30-patient groups, study or control groups. Besides the administered oral hypoglycemic drugs by both groups, the study group only received one month of daily 55-min Jyoti-Trataka session. Results: A significant decrease (p0.05). In-favor-of the study group, the between-group post-treatment comparison showed a significant improvement of all measures (p<0.05). Conclusions: Jyoti-Trataka is a good yogic complementary therapy that can be used to regulate autonomic functions, blood glucose, and IOP in T2DM patients with high-tension POAG.

Background: Lifestyle modification is a newly recommended complementary treatment for dry eye (DE) disorder. Objective: To investigate the effect of a 6-month high-intensity interval aerobic exercise (HIIAE) (conducted 30 min, 3 times weekly) alone or combined with a caloric-restriction approach, the Mediterranean diet (MD), on DE parameters in obese hypertensive elderly. The design, settings, participants, and intervention: This is a randomized controlled trial included sixty obese hypertensive elderly with DE based on university-based hospital recruitment. Elderly were randomly assigned to the experimental group (n = 30 elderly received HIIAE plus MD) and control group (n = 30 elderly received only HIIAE). Besides anthropometry (abdominal circumference, body weight, and body mass index) and blood pressure (measured in systole and diastole), DE parameters (tear film break-up time, DE scoring system, ocular surface disability index questionnaire, Schirmer’s test, and Oxford grading system) were evaluated. Results: Significant improvements in anthropometry, blood pressure, and DE parameters were higher in the experimental group than in the control group. Conclusion: Aging-related DE symptoms and signs can be prevented and/or treated with HIIAE alone or combined with MD in obese hypertensive elderly with DE disorder.

Introduction: Chronic-plaque psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory dermatological disease. Obesity comorbidities, including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, are highly prevalent in patients with chronic-plaque psoriasis. Recently, weight loss has been a highly recommended intervention to improve the severity of psoriatic symptoms, psoriasis-induced chronic systemic inflammation, psoriasis-associated cardiovascular risk factors, quality of life, and the efficacy of anti-psoriatic drugs. This study was designed to assess the effect of a 12-week low-calorie-diet intervention on aspartate transaminase, psoriasis severity (assessed via Psoriasis Area and Severity Index – PASI), alanine transaminase, quality of life (assessed via Dermatology Life Quality Index – DLQI), triglycerides, waist circumference (WC), and body mass index (BMI) in class I obese men with chronic-plaque and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.Material and methods: Sixty men with age ≥ 18 years with class I obesity and with chronic plaque psoriasis and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease were included in the study. All participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups: the first group as the low-calorie-diet group (30 men received immunosuppressive drugs, followed a low-calorie diet, and increased their energy expenditure through a daily 15,000-step outdoor walking program for 12 weeks) and the second as the control group (30 men received immunosuppressive drugs only). The primary outcome consisted of the results of the area and severity index. Weight, BMI, WC, laboratory results such as triglycerides, liver enzymes (alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase) as well as DLQI were considered as secondary outcomes.Results: While no significant improvements were achieved in the measured variables of the control group, the low-calorie-diet group demonstrated significant improvement in all the measured variables.Conclusions: The results of the present study confirmed that 12-week low-calorie-diet intervention controls BMI, increases the response of psoriasis to pharmacological agents and improves the quality of life. Diet interventions significantly control the elevated hepatic enzymes (aspartate and alanine transaminases) and triglycerides in male patients with chronic-plaque psoriasis and non-alcoholic fatty liver dis-ease.

Ali Mohamed Ali Ismail*. J Acupunct Meridian Stud 2023;16:11-9. https://doi.org/10.51507/j.jams.2023.16.1.11

Background: Erectile dysfunction (ED) and metabolic syndrome (MeTS) are highly prevalent in chronic plaque psoriasis (CPP). Objective: The aim of this lifestyle modification study is to explore the response of MeTS components and ED to a 12-week lifestyle modification program (low-calorie diet and moderate-intensity treadmill walking) in 60 obese men with CPP, mild and moderate ED, and MeTS. The design, settings, participants, and intervention: In this lifestyle modification randomized study, a university-based hospital recruitment of 60 obese men with CPP, mild and moderate ED, and MeTS was randomly performed. Men were randomly assigned to the lifestyle modification group (n = 30, received low-calorie diet and moderate-intensity treadmill walking programs) or waitlist group (n = 30). The following outcomes were assessed as follows: body mass index, psoriasis severity (assessed via psoriasis area and severity index), ED (assessed by the five-item internal index of erectile function), and components of MeTS (waist circumference, blood pressure, serum high-density lipoprotein, serum triglycerides, and serum fasting blood glucose). Results: Trends of significant improvements in all outcomes were documented in favor of the lifestyle modification group. All outcomes of the waitlist group did not show the same reported significant improvements of the lifestyle modification group. Conclusion: A 12-week lifestyle modification program as a tool for weight loss in obese men with CPP is a good therapeutic method to improve psoriasis severity and psoriasis-associated ED and MeTS.