Perspectives on Integrative Medicine

Review Articles

Operational Definitions of Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome for Generating Real-World Evidence Using Korean Health Insurance Claims Sample Data in Integrative Medicine Research: A Methodological Guide: Haein Kim, Seungwon Shin; Perspect Integr Med. 2026;5(2):73-84. Published online June 19, 2026; DOI: https://doi.org/10.56986/pim.2026.06.001

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Graphical Abstract Abstract PDF Supplementary Material: Real-world evidence studies using health insurance claims data are utilized in clinical research. This review provides operational definitions of the study population, intervention/exposure, comparison, and outcomes (PICO) in integrative medicine research (conventional and Korean medicine approaches), with case-based examples. Illustrative claims-based studies using Korean national health insurance data were selected, and how PICO elements had been operationally defined in the research were reviewed. Key variables were categorized into general information, diagnosis information, and medical service information, and mapped to Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service-National Patient Sample and National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort tables to describe their roles in constructing each PICO component. Population was primarily defined using diagnosis information, with variations depending on the breadth of diagnosis code inclusion, while medical service utilization information enabled more refined patient selection. Intervention was mainly operationalized using treatment and prescription codes, service types, and treatment intensity. Comparison groups were constructed by confirming no exposure and improving clinical comparability using confounding-control strategies. Outcomes were defined using combinations of diagnosis records, healthcare utilization events, and mortality data. This review provides a practical framework for operationally defining PICO elements in claims-based real-world evidence studies and may improve rigor and reproducibility in future research.

Current Status and Challenges of the Evidence for Cupping Therapy in Clinical Practice Guidelines in Korea: Seungwon Shin; Perspect Integr Med. 2024;3(2):74-85. Published online June 21, 2024; DOI: https://doi.org/10.56986/pim.2024.06.003

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Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) published in Korea were reviewed to evaluate up-to-date evidence and the recommendations for cupping therapy (CT) to inform clinicians and researchers for future studies. There were 14 CPGs (allergic rhinitis, ankle sprain, cervical pain, chronic low back pain, cold hands and feet, facial nerve palsy, Hwabyung, knee osteoarthritis, lumbar herniated intervertebral disk, migraine, osteoporosis, postoperative syndrome, shoulder pain, and traffic accident injury) with 29 recommendations for CT determined from “low” to “moderate” rated evidence. The levels of evidence were mostly downgraded due to the risk of bias and imprecision. The majority of recommendations for CT were graded as B or C. This comprehensive analysis underscores the imperative need for robust clinical research, including randomized controlled trials and observational studies using real-world data to enhance the quality of the evidence for CT. In addition, recommendations providing definite phases or scope of the target conditions/diseases and treatment regimens should be employed. This work lays a foundational step towards integrating CT into evidence-based clinical practice, emphasizing strategic directions for future research to bridge the gap between evidence and practice.

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Bee Venom Acupuncture in Traditional Korean Medicine: A Review of Clinical Practice Guidelines
Minjung Park, Seungwon Shin
Toxins.2025; 17(4): 158. CrossRef

Editorial

Korean Medicine Innovative Technologies Development Project: Integrative Advances and Comprehensive Overview of the National R&D Initiative: Yoon Jae Lee, Seungwon Shin, Junhyeok Yi, Minjung Park; Perspect Integr Med. 2024;3(2):69-73. Published online June 21, 2024; DOI: https://doi.org/10.56986/pim.2024.06.002

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Current Status of Korean Medicine Treatment for Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders: a nationwide survey of Korean medicine doctors
Pyung-Wha Kim, Boram Lee, Yujin Choi
Journal of Pharmacopuncture.2026; 29(1): 75. CrossRef
Herbal decoction and lumbar spine surgery in patients with lumbar disc herniation: a real-world study using linked electronic health records and claims data
Yoon Jae Lee, Su Won Lee, Eugene Huh, Song-Yi Kim, Minjung Park, In-Hyuk Ha
Frontiers in Pharmacology.2026;[Epub] CrossRef
Bee Venom Acupuncture in Traditional Korean Medicine: A Review of Clinical Practice Guidelines
Minjung Park, Seungwon Shin
Toxins.2025; 17(4): 158. CrossRef
Cost-Utility Analysis of Traditional Korean Medicine Alone Versus Combined Korean and Western Medicine for Depression in Patients with Menopausal Disorders: A Retrospective Cohort Study Using National Health Insurance Claims Data
Man Young Park, Ji Yeon Lee
Journal of Korean Medicine.2025; 46(3): 57. CrossRef
Integrative personalized medicine care for adjustment disorder of a post-COVID-19 patient: A CARE-compliant case report
Won-Kyoung Moon, Ja-Yeon Jeong, Sang-Woo Park, Su-Yeon Yun, Euiju Lee, Seungwon Shin
Medicine.2024; 103(31): e39121. CrossRef
Robust Evidence in Integrative Medicine: Innovations, Challenges, and Future Directions
Ye-Seul Lee, Myeong Soo Lee, David Moher, In-Hyuk Ha, Jian-Ping Liu, Terje Alræk, Stephen Birch, Tae-Hun Kim, Yoon Jae Lee, Juan V.A. Franco, Jeremy Y. Ng, Holger Cramer
Perspectives on Integrative Medicine.2024; 3(3): 162. CrossRef
Bee Venom Acupuncture for Shoulder Pain: A Literature Review of Clinical Studies
Hyein Jeong, Soobin Jang, Jang-Kyung Park, Kyeong Han Kim, Jong Hyun Park, Gihyun Lee, Soo-Hyun Sung
Toxins.2024; 16(11): 501. CrossRef

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