The effects of curcumin supplementation on liver function, metabolic profile and body composition in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common liver disease worldwide. Curcumin is the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-diabetic and also anti-hyperlipidemia agent and uses as herbal medicine for treating liver diseases. Objective: The present systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to investigate the effects of curcumin supplementation on metabolic markers and anthropometric parameters in patients with (NAFLD). Methods: PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science and Cochrane Library were systematically searched to identify relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the effects of curcumin supplementation on the arms of this study in patients with NAFLD up to September 2019. Mean difference (MD) was pooled using a random effects model. Potential publication bias was assessed using Egger's weighted regression tests. Results: After excluding irrelevant records, 9 RCTs included in this meta-analysis. Pooled results of included studies indicated a significant reduction in alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), serum total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein (LDL), fasting blood sugar (FBS), HOMA-IR, serum insulin and waist circumference (WC), but not in serum triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein (HDL), HbA1c, body weight and body mass index (BMI) following curcumin supplementation. Additionally, age- and baseline TC-based subgroup analysis indicated a significant reduction in TG and also duration- and dosage-based showed a significant change in BMI. Conclusion: The current study revealed that curcumin supplementation has favorable effect on metabolic markers and anthropometric parameters in patients with NAFLD. © 2019 Elsevier Lt

Adding Temporomandibular joint treatments to routine physiotherapy for patients with non-specific chronic neck pain: A randomized clinical study

Introduction: Neck Pain can be related to the disorders of other adjacent areas such as the Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ). This study aimed to investigate whether there is value in adding TMJ treatments to routine physiotherapy in patients with non-specific chronic neck pain compared with a control group. Methods: A randomized, single-blind, clinical study desined including two groups of patients. Group A (20 people) received routine physiotherapy for neck pain and group B (20 people) received TMJ manual therapy plus exercise therapy in addition to routine physiotherapy for neck pain. The Treatment program included six sessions for two days a week over a period of 21 days. Assessments were performed during the first session, in the last session and one month after treatment as a follow-up. Outcome measures included neck range of motion (ROM), neck disability index (NDI) and visual analogue scale (VAS). Before starting the study, the reliability of methods for measuring neck ROM was evaluated. Results: Participants were 21 women and 19 men. Initially, a pilot study was carried out on the 40 volunteers to assess the reliability of the measurement methods, and the results were acceptable. With both the control group and the intervention group, the indexes showed significant improvement (p < 0.001), although the intervention group showed more improvement (p < 0.001). Conclusion: This result means adding treatments of TMJ to routine neck physiotherapy can magnify the effect of the intervention, a significant change still in evidence at follow up. Moreover, given the clinically important differences, our results for VAS and NDI were acceptable. © 2019 Elsevier Lt