Impact of traditional Chinese medicine on the prognosis of COVID-19 in cancer patients: a questionnaire-based survey
Introduction: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, exacerbated by the emergence of new variants such as Omicron, has posed significant challenges to healthcare systems worldwide. This study aimed to explore the potential effectiveness of long-term traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) use...
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The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Journal of Infection in Developing Countries |
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| Online Access: | https://www.jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/20064 |
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| author | Man Yao Shuhui Tang Xiaowan Xu Guo Chen Min Liu Yannan Xu Shuang Xiang Xuan Zhang Xiaofeng Zhai Hetong Zhao |
| author_facet | Man Yao Shuhui Tang Xiaowan Xu Guo Chen Min Liu Yannan Xu Shuang Xiang Xuan Zhang Xiaofeng Zhai Hetong Zhao |
| author_sort | Man Yao |
| collection | DOAJ |
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Introduction: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, exacerbated by the emergence of new variants such as Omicron, has posed significant challenges to healthcare systems worldwide. This study aimed to explore the potential effectiveness of long-term traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) use on COVID-19 infection and post-infection symptoms in cancer patients.
Methodology: An anonymous online questionnaire was used to interview cancer patients who had used TCM (TCM group) and those who had never used TCM (non-TCM group) from March 31 to April 30,2023. A self-reported questionnaire was developed to investigate and analyze the patients’ demography, underlying cancer types, treatment (TCM or non-TCM), clinical symptoms, and post-acute COVID-19 related symptoms.
Results: A total of 996 cancer patients participated (607 TCM, 389 non-TCM). The non-TCM group had a higher infection rate (84.1% vs. 75.8%, p = 0.002). The TCM group reported significantly lower levels of post-COVID-19 symptoms at 3 months post-infection. Specifically, 98.0% of the TCM group reported no fatigue (91.7% in the non-TCM group, p < 0.001), and 98.7% reported no sleep difficulties (88.7% in the non-TCM group, p < 0.001). The median infection duration was 7 days in both groups, median body temperature was 38.2 °C in TCM and 38.3 °C in non-TCM group, and the fever duration was 2 days in both groups.
Conclusions: There was a potential association between long-term TCM use and improved COVID-19 outcomes among cancer patients. Further research is essential to validate these findings and decipher the underlying mechanisms.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4992d37b3bb143c7b38596708c3afb87 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1972-2680 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Infection in Developing Countries |
| spelling | doaj-art-4992d37b3bb143c7b38596708c3afb872025-08-20T03:29:18ZengThe Journal of Infection in Developing CountriesJournal of Infection in Developing Countries1972-26802025-06-01190610.3855/jidc.20064Impact of traditional Chinese medicine on the prognosis of COVID-19 in cancer patients: a questionnaire-based surveyMan Yao0Shuhui Tang1Xiaowan Xu2Guo Chen3Min Liu4Yannan Xu5Shuang Xiang6Xuan Zhang7Xiaofeng Zhai8Hetong Zhao9Department of Integrative Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai, ChinaDepartment of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai, ChinaDepartment of Integrative Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai, ChinaDepartment of Integrative Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai, ChinaDepartment of Integrative Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai, ChinaSchool of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, ChinaSchool of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, ChinaDepartment of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Navy NO.905 Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, ChinaDepartment of Integrative Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai, ChinaDepartment of Integrative Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China Introduction: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, exacerbated by the emergence of new variants such as Omicron, has posed significant challenges to healthcare systems worldwide. This study aimed to explore the potential effectiveness of long-term traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) use on COVID-19 infection and post-infection symptoms in cancer patients. Methodology: An anonymous online questionnaire was used to interview cancer patients who had used TCM (TCM group) and those who had never used TCM (non-TCM group) from March 31 to April 30,2023. A self-reported questionnaire was developed to investigate and analyze the patients’ demography, underlying cancer types, treatment (TCM or non-TCM), clinical symptoms, and post-acute COVID-19 related symptoms. Results: A total of 996 cancer patients participated (607 TCM, 389 non-TCM). The non-TCM group had a higher infection rate (84.1% vs. 75.8%, p = 0.002). The TCM group reported significantly lower levels of post-COVID-19 symptoms at 3 months post-infection. Specifically, 98.0% of the TCM group reported no fatigue (91.7% in the non-TCM group, p < 0.001), and 98.7% reported no sleep difficulties (88.7% in the non-TCM group, p < 0.001). The median infection duration was 7 days in both groups, median body temperature was 38.2 °C in TCM and 38.3 °C in non-TCM group, and the fever duration was 2 days in both groups. Conclusions: There was a potential association between long-term TCM use and improved COVID-19 outcomes among cancer patients. Further research is essential to validate these findings and decipher the underlying mechanisms. https://www.jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/20064COVID-19OmicronTCMnon-TCMcancer patients |
| spellingShingle | Man Yao Shuhui Tang Xiaowan Xu Guo Chen Min Liu Yannan Xu Shuang Xiang Xuan Zhang Xiaofeng Zhai Hetong Zhao Impact of traditional Chinese medicine on the prognosis of COVID-19 in cancer patients: a questionnaire-based survey Journal of Infection in Developing Countries COVID-19 Omicron TCM non-TCM cancer patients |
| title | Impact of traditional Chinese medicine on the prognosis of COVID-19 in cancer patients: a questionnaire-based survey |
| title_full | Impact of traditional Chinese medicine on the prognosis of COVID-19 in cancer patients: a questionnaire-based survey |
| title_fullStr | Impact of traditional Chinese medicine on the prognosis of COVID-19 in cancer patients: a questionnaire-based survey |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impact of traditional Chinese medicine on the prognosis of COVID-19 in cancer patients: a questionnaire-based survey |
| title_short | Impact of traditional Chinese medicine on the prognosis of COVID-19 in cancer patients: a questionnaire-based survey |
| title_sort | impact of traditional chinese medicine on the prognosis of covid 19 in cancer patients a questionnaire based survey |
| topic | COVID-19 Omicron TCM non-TCM cancer patients |
| url | https://www.jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/20064 |
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