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Heliyon Jun 2024To evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture-related therapy in the Bayesian setting by means of a network Meta-analysis. (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture-related therapy in the Bayesian setting by means of a network Meta-analysis.
METHODS
Relevant clinical randomized controlled trials(RCTs) of acupuncture-related therapy for Cervical Spondylotic Radiculopathy(CSR) were searched in the Chinese and English databases from the inception to November 13, 2023. Two researchers reviewed the literature, extracted the data, assessed the risk of bias of the included studies independently, and then used Stata14.0 and WinBUGs14 to analyze.
RESULTS
There are 28 RCTs in total, of which 2593 patients and 14 acupuncture interventions. Network Meta-analysis revealed that, regarding the VAS scores, Acupoint catgut-embedding, Fu's Subcutaneous Needling and Needle Knife are better than Conventional acupuncture, Electro-acupuncture, Sham needle, Western Medicine, and Electrotherapy; Conventional acupuncture is better than Electrotherapy and Sham needle; Qihuang needle is superior to Sham needle and Electrotherapy; besides, Acupoint catgut-embedding is better than Tuina (Message), Chinese Medicine, Warm needle as well. Regarding the NDI scores, Needle Knife, Warm needle, Fire needle, Long round needle, Acupoint catgut-embedding are better than Conventional acupuncture, Electro-acupuncture, and Cervical traction; Conventional acupuncture is superior to Electro-acupuncture, Cervical traction, Needle Knife and Warm needle; whereas we found Qihuang needle is superior to Acupoint catgut-embedding, besides, Need Knife is superior to Qihuang needle, Long round needle and Acupoint catgut-embedding. In terms of improving the Tanaka Yasuhiro 20-point scale scores(TY), Needle Knife and Qihuang needle are superior to Conventional acupuncture, Warm needle and Electro-acupuncture; moreover, Conventional acupuncture is better than Warm needle.
CONCLUSION
In general, Acupoint catgut-embedding shows the best effect at relieving neck pain, then followed by Fu's Subcutaneous Needling and Needle Knife. Needle Knife is the best intervention in improving the functionality of the cervical spine. Like improving overall clinical performance, Needle Knife is the best treatment. Furthermore, our conclusion still needs to be confirmed by higher-quality documentation. In order to choose the best treatment for patients, clinicians are expected to take into account different clinical features and practical clinical settings with caution while choosing an acupuncture-related therapy in CSR.
KEY MESSAGE
This article aims at selecting the best acupuncture-related treatment for clinicians to help patients in CSR, and the results of this study indicated that Acupoint catgut-embedding shows the best effect in relieving neck pain, Needle Knife shows the best effect in improving the functionality of cervical spine, Needle Knife shows the best effect in treating overall clinical performance.
PubMed: 38912448
DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e31793 -
BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies Jun 2024Insomnia is common in college students, but its impact on health and wellbeing is often neglected. Enhancing sleep quality through targeted interventions could improve... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
BACKGROUND
Insomnia is common in college students, but its impact on health and wellbeing is often neglected. Enhancing sleep quality through targeted interventions could improve overall health and reduce the risk of consequent co-morbidities and mental health problems. Qigong exercises have been shown to significantly improve sleep quality and relieve insomnia. Three-circle Post Standing (TCPS) can help integrate body, breath, and mind, a fundamental principle of Qigong that promotes holistic wellbeing. In this clinical trial, we aim to (1) evaluate the feasibility, safety, and therapeutic efficacy of administering TCPS to improve sleep quality and quality of life in college students with insomnia; (2) explore the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying the mind adjustments mediated by TCPS in insomnia; (3) investigate body and breath pathophysiology mediated by TCPS in insomnia; and (4) assess the long-term efficacy of TCPS in terms of sleep quality and quality of life.
METHODS
This will be a prospective, parallel, four-arm, double-blind randomized controlled trial to investigate the effects and underlying mechanisms of TCPS on college students with insomnia. One hundred college students meeting diagnostic criteria for insomnia will be randomly assigned to receive either 14 weeks of standardized TCPS training (two weeks of centralized training followed by 12 weeks of supervised training) or sham-control Post Standing training. Efficacy outcomes including sleep quality, quality of life, neurophysiological assessments, plantar pressure, biomechanical balance, and physical measures will be collected at baseline, eight weeks (mid-point of supervised training), and 14 weeks (end of supervised training). Sleep quality and quality of life will also be evaluated during the four- and eight-week follow-up.
DISCUSSION
This trial will be an important milestone in the development of new therapeutic approaches for insomnia and should be easily implementable by college students with insomnia. The neuro- and pathophysiological assessments will provide new insights into the mechanisms underlying TCPS.
CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION
This trial has been registered in the China Clinical Trials Registry (registration number: ChiCTR2400080763).
Topics: Humans; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders; Qigong; Students; Double-Blind Method; Universities; Young Adult; Quality of Life; Prospective Studies; Male; Adult; Female; Sleep Quality
PubMed: 38890651
DOI: 10.1186/s12906-024-04544-9 -
Journal of Pain Research 2024Acute lumbar sprain (ALS) is a common clinical disease characterized by persistent intolerable low back pain and limitation of movement, and quick pain relief and...
PURPOSE
Acute lumbar sprain (ALS) is a common clinical disease characterized by persistent intolerable low back pain and limitation of movement, and quick pain relief and restoration of mobility in a short time are the main needs of patients when they visit the clinic. This study aims to evaluate the immediate efficacy of contralateral acupuncture (CAT) on SI3 combined with active exercise in treating ALS.
METHODS AND ANALYSIS
This study is a randomized controlled trial which will recruit 118 eligible participants aged 18 to 55 years with ALS at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine between March 2024 and December 2026. Participants will be randomly assigned to the acupuncture group or the sham-acupuncture group in a 1:1 ratio. The acupuncture group will receive a 10-minute acupuncture treatment combined with active exercise, while the sham-acupuncture group will receive a 10-minute sham acupuncture treatment combined with active exercise. Randomization will use a computer-generated sequence with allocation concealed in opaque envelopes. The primary outcome will be the pain visual analogue scale (VAS) scores after 10 minutes of treatment. Secondary outcomes will include the pain VAS scores at other time points (2, 4, 6, and 8 minutes post-treatment), the lumbar range of motion (ROM) scores at various time points, blinded assessment, the treatment effect expectancy scale, and the rescue analgesia rate. The analysis will follow the intention-to-treat principle. The primary outcome will be analyzed using ANCOVA, and secondary outcomes with repeated measures ANOVA. The rescue analgesia rate will be assessed using either the χ test or Fisher's exact test.
DISCUSSION
This study is the first randomized controlled trial to assess the immediate efficacy of CAT in combination with active exercise for ALS. This study will provide a simple, rapid, and effective treatment for the clinical management of ALS.
PubMed: 38887384
DOI: 10.2147/JPR.S475839 -
JMIR Research Protocols Jun 2024Vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) persistently impairs cognition and the ability to perform activities of daily living, seriously compromising patients' quality of... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
BACKGROUND
Vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) persistently impairs cognition and the ability to perform activities of daily living, seriously compromising patients' quality of life. Previous studies have reported that disorders of serum iron metabolism and iron deposition in the brain can lead to inflammation, abnormal protein aggregation and degeneration, and massive neuronal apoptosis in the central nervous system, which in turn leads to a progressive decline in cognitive processes. Our previous clinical studies have found acupuncture to be a safe and effective intervention for treating VCI, but the specific mechanisms require further exploration.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of the trial is to evaluate the clinical efficacy of Tongdu Xingshen acupuncture and to investigate whether it can improve VCI by regulating brain iron deposition and body iron metabolism.
METHODS
In total, 42 patients with VCI and 21 healthy individuals will participate in this clinical trial. The 42 patients with VCI will be randomized into acupuncture and control groups, while the 21 healthy individuals will be in the healthy control group. Both the control and acupuncture groups will receive conventional medical treatment and cognitive rehabilitation training. In addition, the acupuncture group will receive electroacupuncture treatment with Tongdu Xingshen for 30 minutes each time, 6 times a week for 4 weeks. Meanwhile, the healthy control group will not receive any intervention. All 3 groups will undergo baseline assessments of brain iron deposition, serum iron metabolism, and neuropsychological tests after enrollment. The acupuncture and control groups will be evaluated again at the end of 4 weeks of treatment, as described earlier. By comparing neuropsychological test scores between groups, we will examine the efficacy of Tongdu Xingshen acupuncture in treating VCI. Additionally, we will test the correlations between neuropsychological test scores, brain iron deposition, and body iron metabolism indexes to explore the possible mechanisms of Tongdu Xingshen acupuncture in treating VCI.
RESULTS
Participants are currently being recruited. The first participant was enrolled in June 2023, which marked the official start of the experiment. As of the submission of the paper, there were 23 participants. The recruitment process is expected to continue until June 2025, at which point the processing and analysis of data will begin. As of May 15, 2024, up to 30 people have been enrolled in this clinical trial.
CONCLUSIONS
This study will provide data on the effects of Tongdu Xingshen acupuncture on cerebral iron deposition as well as somatic iron metabolism in patients with VCI. These results will help to prove whether Tongdu Xingshen acupuncture can improve VCI by regulating brain iron deposition and body iron metabolism, which will provide the clinical and theoretical basis for the wide application of acupuncture therapy in VCI rehabilitation.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
China Clinical Registration Agency ChiCTR2300072188; https://tinyurl.com/5fcydtkv.
INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)
PRR1-10.2196/56484.
Topics: Humans; Acupuncture Therapy; Iron; Brain; Cognitive Dysfunction; Male; Female; Middle Aged; Aged; Adult
PubMed: 38885500
DOI: 10.2196/56484 -
Frontiers in Endocrinology 2024Graphene-based warm uterus acupoint paste (GWUAP) is an emerging non-drug alternative therapy for the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea (PD), but the underlying...
Graphene-based warm uterus acupoint paste (GWUAP) is an emerging non-drug alternative therapy for the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea (PD), but the underlying mechanism is still unclear. SD female rats were randomly divided into control group, model group and treatment group to explore the mechanism of GWUAP in the treatment of PD. Combined with 16S rDNA and fecal metabolomics, the diversity of microbiota and metabolites in each group was comprehensively evaluated. In this study, GWUAP reduced the torsion score of PD model rats, improved the pathological morphology of uterine tissue, reduced the pathological damage score of uterine tissue, and reversed the expression levels of inflammatory factors, pain factors and sex hormones. The 16 S rDNA sequencing of fecal samples showed that the abundance of Lactobacillus in the intestinal flora of the model group decreased and the abundance of Romboutsia increased, while the abundance of Lactobacillus in the intestinal flora of the treatment group increased and the abundance of Romboutsia decreased, which improved the imbalance of flora diversity in PD rats. In addition, 32 metabolites related to therapeutic effects were identified by metabolomics of fecal samples. Moreover, there is a close correlation between fecal microbiota and metabolites. Therefore, the mechanism of GWUAP in the treatment of PD remains to be further studied.
Topics: Animals; Female; Dysmenorrhea; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Metabolomics; Acupuncture Points; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Feces; DNA, Ribosomal
PubMed: 38872962
DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1397402 -
Frontiers in Neurology 2024Drawing on the principles of wrist-ankle acupuncture (WAA), our research team has developed a portable device for WAA point compression, termed the acupressure...
BACKGROUND
Drawing on the principles of wrist-ankle acupuncture (WAA), our research team has developed a portable device for WAA point compression, termed the acupressure wrist-ankle strap (AWA). The current study aims to evaluate the efficacy of the AWA in alleviating pain associated with primary dysmenorrhea.
METHODS
A single-blind, randomized clinical trial was conducted from April 1, 2019, to December 31, 2019. 78 participants with primary dysmenorrhea were recruited from Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. All participants were treated on the first day of menstruation for 30 min. Participants in the AWA group used the AWA, the internal side of which is equipped with a tip compression component, while participants in the non-acupressure wrist-ankle acupuncture(NAWA)group used the NAWA, with the inside tip pressing parts removed. The main outcome was the difference in visual analogue scale (VAS) score between baseline and 30 minutes after randomization.
RESULTS
A total of 78 participants aged 18 to 30 years were included in the intention-to-treat analyses. The VAS scores (mean [standard deviation]) in the AWA group were significantly lower than those in the NAWA group at each time point of intervention (5 minutes: 95% CI, [-1.27 to -0.68], < 0.001; 10 minutes: 95% CI, [-2.34 to -1.51], < 0.001; 30 minutes: 95% CI, [-3.74 to -2.72], < 0.001). In the AWA group, 16 participants reported "obvious relief" of dysmenorrhea pain while 23 did not; the average onset time of analgesia they reported were (21.50 ± 3.65) min, while no subjects in NAWA group reported obvious pain relief. The pain threshold (mean [standard deviation]) at SP9 of both sides in AWA group decreased significantly after intervention that in NAWA group (Left: 95% CI, [-5.02 to -1.81], < 0.001; Right: 95% CI, [-7.67 to -4.24], < 0.001). There was no significant change in the temperature at CV4 in either group (95% CI, [-0.63 to -0.66], = 0.970).
CONCLUSION
This trial substantiates our hypothesis that the AWA provides immediate analgesic effects. The AWA represents an effective and safe non-invasive physical therapy option, which patients can self-administer to alleviate abdominal pain.
PubMed: 38872824
DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2024.1362586 -
BMJ Open Jun 2024Primary dysmenorrhoea (PD) is a common menstrual concern with significant physical and psychosocial impacts. The effectiveness and safety of transcutaneous electrical... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
INTRODUCTION
Primary dysmenorrhoea (PD) is a common menstrual concern with significant physical and psychosocial impacts. The effectiveness and safety of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) in alleviating PD symptoms remain uncertain due to insufficient evidence. This single-centre, parallel, randomised controlled study intends to evaluate the efficacy and safety of TEAS for PD management.
METHODS AND ANALYSIS
60 participants aged 18-40 years diagnosed with moderate to severe PD will be recruited from Tai'an Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and randomly assigned to either a TEAS group or a TEAS-sham group (1:1). The TEAS group will undergo 12 sessions of TEAS treatment over two menstrual cycles, with 30 min per session, three sessions weekly. Participants in the TEAS-sham group will receive TEAS stimulation using identical devices and protocols but without current output. The primary outcome is the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for pain assessment. Secondary outcomes are Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire, total effective rate, uterine artery haemodynamics, prostaglandin and β-endorphin level, mental well-being and quality of life. Adverse events and their potential reasons and the use of analgesics will also be recorded.
ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION
This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Tai'an Hospital of TCM. Written informed consent will be obtained from each participant. The results will be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.
TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER
ChiCTR2300071686.
Topics: Humans; Dysmenorrhea; Female; Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation; Acupuncture Points; Adult; Young Adult; China; Adolescent; Pain Measurement; Treatment Outcome; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Quality of Life
PubMed: 38866569
DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-078895 -
Frontiers in Neurology 2024Post-stroke dysphagia (PSD) affects the efficacy and safety of swallowing, causing serious complications. Acupuncture is a promising and cost-effective treatment for...
BACKGROUND
Post-stroke dysphagia (PSD) affects the efficacy and safety of swallowing, causing serious complications. Acupuncture is a promising and cost-effective treatment for PSD; however, as the number of randomized controlled trials increases, scientific analysis of the parameters and acupoint prescription is required. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the effects of acupuncture on parameters related to post-stroke dysphagia (PSD).
METHODS
We searched the Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database, Chinese Biomedical Literature, and Chongqing VIP Database for randomized controlled trials of acupuncture for PSD in the last 15 years and relevant parameters were analyzed using data mining techniques.
RESULTS
In total, 3,205 records were identified, of which 3,507 patients with PSD were included in 39 studies. The comprehensive analysis demonstrated that the closest parameter combinations of acupuncture on PSD were 0.25 mm × 40 mm needle size, 30 min retention time, five treatments per week, and a 4-week total course of treatment. Additionally, the gallbladder and nontraditional meridians, crossing points, and head and neck sites are the most commonly used acupoint parameters. The core acupoints identified were GB20, RN23, EX-HN14, Gongxue, MS6, SJ17, EX-HN12, EX-HN13, and the commonly used combination of EX-HN12, EX-HN13, GB20, and RN23.
CONCLUSION
This study analyzed the patterns of PSD-related needling and acupoint parameters to provide evidence-based guidelines for clinical acupuncturists in treating PSD, potentially benefitting affected patients.
PubMed: 38854959
DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2024.1394348 -
Medical Science Monitor : International... Jun 2024BACKGROUND This study embarked on an innovative exploration to elucidate the effects of integrating electroacupuncture (EA) with motor training (MT) on enhancing...
BACKGROUND This study embarked on an innovative exploration to elucidate the effects of integrating electroacupuncture (EA) with motor training (MT) on enhancing corticospinal excitability and motor learning. Central to this investigation is the interplay between homeostatic and non-homeostatic metaplasticity processes, providing insights into how these combined interventions may influence neural plasticity and motor skill acquisition. MATERIAL AND METHODS The investigation enrolled 20 healthy volunteers, subjecting them to 4 distinct interventions to parse out the individual and combined effects of EA and MT. These interventions were EA alone, MT alone, EA-priming followed by MT, and MT-priming followed by EA. The assessment of changes in primary motor cortex (M1) excitability was conducted through motor-evoked potentials (MEPs), while the grooved pegboard test (GPT) was used to evaluate alterations in motor performance. RESULTS The findings revealed that EA and MT independently contributed to enhanced M1 excitability and motor performance. However, the additional priming with EA or MT did not yield further modulation in MEPs amplitudes. Notably, EA-priming was associated with improved GPT completion times, underscoring its potential in facilitating motor learning. CONCLUSIONS The study underscores that while EA and MT individually augment motor cortex excitability and performance, their synergistic application does not further enhance or inhibit cortical excitability. This points to the involvement of non-homeostatic metaplasticity mechanisms. Nonetheless, EA emerges as a critical tool in preventing M1 overstimulation, thereby continuously fostering motor learning. The findings call for further research into the strategic application of EA, whether in isolation or with MT, within clinical settings to optimize rehabilitation outcomes.
Topics: Humans; Electroacupuncture; Male; Motor Cortex; Learning; Female; Evoked Potentials, Motor; Adult; Healthy Volunteers; Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation; Neuronal Plasticity; Young Adult; Motor Skills; Pyramidal Tracts
PubMed: 38853414
DOI: 10.12659/MSM.943748