Acupuncture Methods Research Articles

Comparative Study: The Effectiveness of Acupuncture, Acupressure, and Aromatherapy in Overcoming Nausea Vomiting in First Trimester Pregnant Women

Some pregnant women cannot cope with ongoing nausea and vomiting. Untreated nausea and vomiting will increase the frequency of nausea, weight loss, emotional tension, psychological stress, metabolic disorders, malnutrition and dehydration which causes hemoconcentration which inhibits blood circulation to the tissues. The therapy for nausea and vomiting being practiced is pharmacological therapy, but not all pregnant women can consume drugs. There are various complementary therapies being recommended to treat nausea and vomiting based on several studies, including acupuncture and acupressure at point P6, and giving lemon aromatherapy. This study aims to compare the effectiveness of acupuncture and acupressure at point P6 and lemon aromatherapy in overcoming nausea and vomiting in pregnant women in the first trimester. The research method was quasi-experimental (pretest-posttest). The number of samples was 90 first trimester pregnant women who experienced nausea and vomiting, which were divided into three groups. The questionnaire used was pregnancy-unique quantification of emesis/nausea (PUQE). The results of the study in the acupuncture group showed the median pretest was 4 according to 2 in the posttest, in the lemon aromatherapy group the median in the pretest was 13 to 10 in the posttest, while the acupressure group had a median value of 7.5 pretest to 7 in the posttest. There are differences in the effectiveness of nausea and vomiting in first trimester pregnant women using the acupuncture, acupressure and lemon aromatherapy methods. The conclusion of this study is that acupuncture is more effective in treating nausea and vomiting in first trimester pregnant women than acupressure and lemon aromatherapy.

Non-pharmacological pain palliation methods in chronic pancreatitis.

Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is a condition characterized by persistent and often severe pain resulting from the inflammatory disease of the pancreas. While pharmacological treatments play a significant role in palliative pain management, some patients require non-pharmacological methods. This review article focuses on non-pharmacological approaches used to alleviate pain in CP. The article examines non-pharmacological palliation options, including surgery, endoscopic approaches, neurostimulation techniques, acupuncture, and other alternative medicine methods. The effectiveness of each method is evaluated, taking into consideration patient compliance and side effects. Additionally, this article emphasizes the importance of personalized pain management in CP and underscores the need for a multidisciplinary approach. It aims to summarize the existing knowledge on the use of non-pharmacological palliation methods to improve the quality of life for patients with CP.

Effectiveness of the treatment of depression associated with cancer and neuroimaging changes in depression-related brain regions in patients treated with the mediator-deuterium acupuncture method.

Cancer patients should be concerned about depression, which can negatively impact their mental health. To develop efficient therapies, it is essential to comprehend the connection between cancer and depression. This study used neuroimaging to investigate the use of mediator-deuterium acupuncture (MDA) for people with cancer-induced depression and its effects on brain regions associated with depression. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging and neurocognitive testing were conducted on the participants, and statistical package for the social sciences was utilized to analyze the behavioral data. Clinical and theoretical data were analyzed to evaluate acupuncture's effectiveness against gynecological cancer. In the research, there were 40 participants, 20 in each group. Except for psychomotor speed, there was no discernible difference in pre-chemotherapy cognitive test results between patients and healthy controls (HCs). However, there were substantial differences in post-treatment cognition test results, showing that the patient group had progressed. According to longitudinal graph analysis, the patient group's local and global brain efficiency significantly declined, and lower local efficiency was associated with lower raw Trail Making Test-A results. Furthermore, poorer verbal memory scores were associated with lower overall performance in the sick group but not in the HC group. According to the research, MDA has potential as a supplemental therapy since it may improve brain function and address depression-related neurological abnormalities in cancer patients. More research is required to fully comprehend the variations between cancer and depression-related brain areas during patient therapy, maybe incorporating MDA.

Anatomical and Clinical Characteristics of Scalp Acupuncture Systems: a Scoping Review and Synthesis.

Scalp acupuncture is a therapeutic procedure that involves inserting needles into the scalp to treat various medical conditions, including pain and neurological and psychological disorders. The inter-system variability of scalp acupuncture limits secondary analysis and evidence synthesis, delaying its inclusion into evidence-based healthcare policies and establishment as a treatment intervention recognized by Western medicine. This scoping review aimed to identify the range of scalp acupuncture systems, systematically collect and summarize information on their general, anatomical, and clinical characteristics, and build a framework for understanding scalp acupuncture systems. This review included all English-language publications on scalp acupuncture applied to treat any health condition in humans. Extensive searches were conducted across bibliographic databases, journals, trial registries, and supplementary sources. The detailed general, anatomical, and clinical application characteristics of 19 scalp acupuncture systems were extracted. Data were collected and analyzed using charting and image manipulation software. Framework synthesis was performed using the Standard International Acupuncture Nomenclature Scalp Acupuncture as an a priori framework. The review revealed that the heterogeneity related to scalp acupuncture methods can be attributed to the high variability among the theoretical bases of different systems, intersystem mismatch in anatomical locations of treatment points and areas on the scalp, and inconsistencies in the methods used for locating them. These discrepancies in anatomical and clinical features have limited the synthesis and development of a framework for scalp acupuncture. Discussion and agreement on the anatomical locations of scalp stimulation areas, identification of methods for precise positioning of acupuncture areas on the scalp, and further exploration of theoretical bases will aid in the standardization of scalp acupuncture and improve the quality of research in this area.

The role of thread embedding acupuncture in the management of nasolabial fold: A Case Report

Background: Aging occurs in all organs, including the skin. As the largest organ of the body, wrinkles on the skin show signs of aging that are visible and affect appearance. Thread embedding acupuncture (akupunktur tanam benang/ATB) is one of acupuncture methods used in various cases, including aesthetics. This case report describes the role of ATB in the management of nasolabial folds (NLF).
 Case Illustration: A 45-year-old woman came complaints of deep and long smile lines. On physical examination, the NLF length (measured with digital vernier caliper) right/left: 34.15/30.3 mm; Wrinkle severity rating scale (WSRS) right/left: 3/3. ATB was given once and the results were observed until week 12. The best results were obtained at week 12 of follow-up (NLF: 22.00/21.46 mm; WSRS: 2/2)
 Conclusion: NLF improvement in ATB is getting better over time. Further clinical trials are needed to determine the effectiveness of ATB in improving NLF.
 Keywords: Thread embedding acupuncture; Wrinkle; Aesthetic acupuncture

Network meta-analysis of 7 acupuncture therapies for knee osteoarthritis.

With the progression of society aging demographic, the prevalence of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) continues to rise steadily, exerting a significant impact on individuals' quality of life. Acupuncture therapy has garnered extensive utilization in the management of osteoarthritis; however, a comprehensive systematic review integrating acupuncture with traditional Chinese medicine remains absent. This study compared the clinical efficacy of 7 acupuncture methods (electroacupuncture, conventional acupuncture, warm needle, floating needle, fire needle, needle knife, and silver needle) for the treatment of KOA through a network meta-analysis. This study examined the databases-PubMed, EMbase, The Cochrane Library, the China Biology Medicine, Chinese Journal Full-text Database, Wanfang Database, and VIP Database-for randomized controlled trials of the 7 methods for KOA treatment. The search time spanned from the database establishment to March 5, 2022. The primary outcome indicator was the total effective rate, and the secondary outcome indicator was the visual analog scale. After the layer-by-layer screening, the quality of the literature was assessed using the Cochrane systematic reviewer manual 5.1.0 bias risk assessment tool for randomized controlled trials. After data extraction, the R4.0.1 software was used for network meta-analysis. Based on the network meta-analysis, the ranking of interventions based on the surface under the cumulative ranking curve for the total effective rate is as follows: silver needle (0.99) > floating needle (0.97) > needle knife (0.66) > fire needle (0.56) > warm needle (0.44) > conventional acupuncture (0.35) > electroacupuncture (0.13). Regarding the improvement in visual analog scale scores, the surface under the cumulative ranking curve ranking is as follows: silver needle (0.97) > conventional acupuncture (0.67) > needle knife (0.64) > floating needle (0.51) > warm needle (0.44) > fire needle (0.14) > electroacupuncture (0.09). Based on the network meta-analysis, silver needle therapy emerged as the most efficacious and analgesic intervention for KOA. Nevertheless, given the notable variations in the quality and quantity of studies encompassing diverse treatment modalities, the findings of this research necessitate further substantiation through forthcoming high-quality multicenter, large-sample, randomized double-blind trials.

Acupuncture or moxibustion adjuvant chemotherapy for advanced non-small cell lung cancer: Systematic review and network meta-analysis.

To compare the advantages and disadvantages of different acupuncture and moxibustion methods by network meta-analysis, in order to find out the best acupuncture and moxibustion adjuvant chemotherapy scheme of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Randomized controlled trials of acupuncture and moxibustion adjuvant chemotherapy in the treatment of NSCLC were searched in PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of science, EMbase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, VIP database and SinoMed. The retrieval time was up to December 03, 2022. ROB2 was used to evaluate publication bias, and Stata16 was used for network meta-analysis. A total of 14 studies involving 921 patients were included. The results of network Meta-analysis showed that the effect of acupuncture combined with chemotherapy was better than that of chemotherapy (RR = 1.28, 95%CI (1.04,1.58), P < .0001). The effect of acupuncture combined with chemotherapy was better than that of chemotherapy in improving KPS score (MD = 9.01, 95%CI (3.35,14.67), P < .0001). The safety of acupuncture combined with chemotherapy (RR = 0.35, 95%CI (0.15,0.83), P < .0001) was better than that of chemotherapy. Acupuncture combined with chemotherapy has the best comprehensive effect.

Re-evaluation of systematic reviews of acupuncture and moxibustion for children with cerebral palsy

To assess the methodological quality, report quality and evidence quality of the Meta-analysis and systematic reviews of acupuncture and moxibustion for children with cerebral palsy, aiming to provide decision-making basis for clinical treatment. The systematic reviews and Meta-analysis of acupuncture and moxibustion for children with cerebral palsy were searched in CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, SinoMed, Cochrane Library, PubMed and EMbase. The retrieval time was from the database establishment to June 30th, 2022. AMSTAR 2 (a measurement tool to assess systematic reviews) was used to evaluate the methodological quality， and PRISMA (preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and Meta-analyses) was used to evaluate the report quality, and GRADE was used to evaluate the quality of evidence. A total of 14 systematic reviews were included, including 37 primary outcome indexes. According to AMSTAR 2 evaluation results, there were 4 low quality studies, 10 very low quality studies, and low scores on items 2, 4, 7, 10 and 16. PRISMA scores ranged from 15 to 25, and the main reporting problems reflected in structured abstracts, program and registration, retrieval, and funding sources, etc. According to the GRADE classification results, there were 3 high quality evidences, 7 medium quality evidences, 10 low quality evidences and 17 very low quality evidences. The main downgrading factors were limitations, imprecision and publication bias. Acupuncture and moxibustion has a certain effect for cerebral palsy in children, but the quality of methodology, reporting and evidence in the included literature is poor, and the comparison of curative effect between different acupuncture and moxibustion methods is unclear.

Plum-blossom needle therapy for Tourette syndrome: A case report

IntroductionTourette syndrome (TS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by the childhood onset of motor and phonic tics, frequently accompanied by behavioral and psychiatric comorbidities. Existing treatments for tics raise safety concerns. In China, acupuncture has been a widely utilized approach for TS, and one specific traditional acupuncture method, plum-blossom needle therapy (PBNT), has exhibited favorable tolerance among pediatric patients. In this report, we present a case of TS treated using PBNT. Case presentationAn 11-year-old boy diagnosed with Tourette syndrome for over five years presented with frequent loud throat clearing, eye blinking, severe abdominal tensing, shoulder shrugging, and upper limb twitching. Plum-blossom needle therapy (PBNT) was administered for 8 weeks, involving two sessions per week. The boy's tic symptoms gradually ameliorated, ultimately becoming minimal following the 8-week treatment period. Specifically, the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (YGTSS) score decreased from 71 to 20, and the TS Clinical Global Impression Scale of Improvement (CGI-I) score reached 1, signifying 'very much improved' post-treatment. However, the Children and Adolescents' Quality of Life Scale (CAQOL) score exhibited minimal variation, moving from 146 to 150. ConclusionThis case suggests that plum-blossom needle therapy (PBNT) is well-tolerated by children and may be effective in alleviating tics associated with Tourette syndrome (TS). However, further research, particularly large-sample randomized controlled trials, is imperative to establish the efficacy and effectiveness of PBNT.

Effect of acupuncture on HIF-1α/NLRP3 inflammatory signaling pathway in the rats with cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury

To observe the effects of Xingnao Kaiqiao (regaining consciousness and opening orifices) acupuncture therapy on the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) and Nod-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) in cerebral ischemia-reperfusion rats, and to explore the mechanism of acupuncture against cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury. Seventy-two male SD rats were randomly divided into a sham-operation group, a model group, an acupuncture group and a non-point acupuncture group, with 18 rats in each one. Using modified Longa thread embolization method, the rat model of acute focal cerebral ischemia was prepared; and after 2 h ischemia, the reperfusion was performed to prepared the model of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion. Immediately after reperfusion, Xingnao Kaiqiao acupuncture method was applied to bilateral "Neiguan" (PC 6) and "Shuigou" (GV 26) in the acupuncture group, while in the non-point acupuncture group, acupuncture was delivered at non-points and all of the needles were retained for 30 min in these two groups. The samples were collected 24 h after reperfusion in the rats of each group. Zea-Longa neurological deficit score was used to evaluate the degree of cerebral neurological impairment, TTC staining was adopted to observe the volume percentage of cerebral infarction, HE staining was provided to observe the morphological changes of brain, and Western blot was applied for detecting the expression of HIF-1α and NLRP3 proteins in the cerebral cortex on the right side. Compared with the sham-operation group, neurological deficit score and volume percentage of cerebral infarction were increased in the model group (P<0.01), and HIF-1α and NLRP3 protein expression was elevated (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, neurological deficit score and volume percentage of cerebral infarction were decreased (P<0.01), and HIF-1α and NLRP3 protein expression was lower (P<0.01) in the acupuncture group. There was no significant difference in above indexes in the non-point acupuncture group compared with the model group (P>0.05). Compared with the sham-operation group, the brain tissue of the rats in the model group and the non-point acupuncture group was loose and edema, and the nuclei were shriveled. The brain tissue morphology in the acupuncture group was similar to that of the sham-operation group. Acupuncture can alleviate cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury, and its mechanism may be related to the regulation of HIF-1α/NLRP3 signaling pathway to attenuate inflammatory response.

Professor FU Wen-bin's experience in treating "five delays and five weaknesses" in children with yang-oriented approach.

Professor FU Wen-bin, based on the concept of the "yang-oriented approach", identifies "yang deficiency with excess yin" as the underlying pathological mechanism of "five delays and five weaknesses" in children. He recommends a treatment model that included acupuncture, moxibustion, and rehabilitation, integrating various therapeutic methods of acupuncture, refined moxibustion, and auricular point sticking. Specific acupoints along the conception vessel, governor vessel, and bladder meridian, as well as related acupoints with tonifying effects on spleen and kidney, are selected to achieve the therapeutic goal of "promoting yang and nourishing yang simultaneously".

The Effect of Acupuncture Therapy on Stomach Pain with Stomach Qi Stagnation Syndrome

Introduction: Gastric disease, or gastric pain, is discomfort in the pit of the stomach, including nausea, vomiting, feeling full in the stomach, bloating, and belching. The main causes of gastric pain are irregular eating patterns, not being able to manage stress, consumption of alcohol and cigarettes, ulcers in the stomach, and side effects of anti-inflammatory drugs. Gastric pain treatment can be done in conventional and traditional ways. Traditional medicine by means of acupuncture is a treatment technique that involves inserting special needles into certain points. Objective: This study aims to analyze the effect of acupuncture therapy on Zhong Wan (CV 12), Zu San Li (ST 36), Qimen (LR 14), Taichong (LR 3), Weishu (BL 21), and Neiguan (PC 6) points of patients with gastric pain at the Mustika Surabaya Foundation. Method: This research method is qualitative with a case study approach. This research was conducted between October and December 2022 with 10 therapies. The data was collected through interviews and direct measurements of the respondents. Result and Discussion: The results of the study showed that there was a change in respondent’s statements that they became more comfortable and reduced pain after carrying out acupuncture therapy. Conclusion: Treatment using the acupuncture method can effectively treat gastric pain

A Review on Acupuncture Treatment for Post-Stroke Aphasia

Post stroke aphasia is a communication disorder that occurs after stroke which affects their daily life. With the aging of the population, an increasing number of stroke sequelae patients have brought a heavy burden to their families and society. For the treatment of post stroke aphasia, western medicine mostly uses a combination of western medicine treatment with speech rehabilitation training which are not particularly satisfying. Meanwhile acupuncture plays an important role in treating this disease due to its own unique effectiveness. The objective of this study is to review the effectiveness of the different types of acupuncture methods on treating post stroke aphasia. All the data are collected from online databases based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The data collection is tabulated using the Microsoft Excel and results are discussed. There are 40 selected journals that are eligible for inclusion criteria. Based on the results, the highest clinical efficacy in tongue acupuncture is needling the tongue tip without retending the needle method whereas in scalp acupuncture, the highest clinical efficacy is language I, II, III area method, while in body acupuncture, the highest clinical efficacy is Bai Hui, Feng Chi, Jin Jin, Yu Ye, Lian Quan, He Gu, Ren Zhong, Nei Guan, Ji Quan and San Yin Jiao method. Overall, the combined acupuncture method has the highest frequency and effectiveness rate among the four different types of acupuncture methods in treating post stroke aphasia. In conclusion by reviewing all the recent experimental articles, acupuncture showed higher effectiveness in treating post stroke aphasia compared to conventional therapy.

Acupuncture methods for insomnia disorder in the elderly: protocol for a systematic review and network meta-analysis

BackgroundInsomnia disorder remains one of the most common sleep disorders in the elderly, with high prevalence and substantial consequences for patients’ general health. Despite that increasing clinical trials have indicated that acupuncture seems to be effective for insomnia disorder in the elderly, comparative efficacy and safety of different acupuncture methods for elderly individuals with insomnia disorder has been unclear. Therefore, this protocol outlined a plan to evaluate and rank the efficacy and safety of various acupuncture approaches for insomnia disorder in the elderly.MethodsA systematic search of 8 bibliographic databases will be conducted from their inception to 18 June 2023, including Cochrane Library, MEDLINE (via PubMed), Embase, Web of Science, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Database, VIP Database, and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM). Randomized controlled trials investigating acupuncture methods for insomnia disorder in the elderly, published in English or Chinese will be included. The primary outcome is sleep quality measured by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Two reviewers will independently perform study selection, data extraction and risk assessment of bias. The quality of included literatures will be appraised using Cochrane risk-of-bias tool (ROB 2.0). ADDIS (Aggregate Data Drug Information System) V.1.16.8 will be used to conduct Bayesian network meta-analysis. The quality of evidence will be evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation System (GRADE).DiscussionIn this study, the results will provide credible evidence to assess the efficacy and safety of acupuncture therapies for elderly patients with insomnia disorder, assisting patients, physicians and clinical research investigators to select the most appropriate acupuncture method.Systematic review registrationThe protocol has been registered at OSF (https://osf.io/3kjpq/) with a registration number https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/3KJPQ.

Acupuncture and moxibustion in treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at stable stage: a network Meta-analysis

The efficacy on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) at stable stage treated with different methods of acupuncture and moxibustion was evaluated using network Meta-analysis method. The articles of the randomized controlled trial (RCT) on stable COPD treated with acupuncture and moxibustion were searched electronically in CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, SinoMed, PubMed, EMbase, Web of Science and Cochrane library. The search was conducted from the inception of the databases to March 20th, 2022. Data analysis was performed using R4.1.1, Stata16.0 and RevMan5.3 softwares. A total of 48 RCTs were included, involving 15 kinds of acupuncture and moxibustion interventions and a sample size of 3 900 cases. The results of network Meta-analysis showed that: ① For the forced expiratory volume in one second predicted (FEV1%), both the governor vessel moxibustion combined with conventional treatment (G+C therapy) and the yang-supplementing moxibustion combined with conventional treatment (Y+C therapy) obtained the better effect than that of the conventional treatment (P<0.05), and the G+C therapy was more effective compared with the thread-embedding therapy combined with conventional treatment (E+C therapy) and warm needling (P<0.05). ② Concerning to COPD assessment test (CAT) score, the results indicated that the Y+C therapy, and the mild moxibustion combined with conventional treatment (M+C therapy) were more effective when compared with the conventional treatment (P<0.05), and the effect of the Y+C therapy was better than that of the E+C therapy (P<0.05). ③ Regarding six-minute walking distance (6MWD), the effect of acupuncture combined with conventional treatment (A+C therapy) was better than that of either the E+C therapy or the conventional treatment (P<0.05). The effect of the G+C therapy was optimal for improving FEV1%, the Y+C therapy obtained the best effect for improving CAT score, and A+C therapy was the most effective for improving 6MWD. Due to the limitation of the quality and quantity of included studies, this conclusion needs to be further verified through high-quality RCT.

Effects of acupuncture on pregnancy outcomes in women undergoing in vitro fertilization: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis.

To evaluate the effects of acupuncture on IVF-ET outcomes. Digital databases, including Pubmed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, the Web of Science and ScienceDirect, were searched from their inception to July 2022. The MeSH terms we used included: acupuncture, in vitro fertilization, assisted reproductive technology and randomized controlled trial. The reference lists of relevant documents were also searched. The biases of included studies were assessed by the Cochrane Handbook 5.3. The major outcomes were clinical pregnancy rate (CPR) and live birth rate (LBR). The pregnancy outcomes reported in these trials were pooled and expressed as risk ratios (RR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) in the Review Manager 5.4 meta-analysis software. Heterogeneity of the therapeutic effect was evaluated with a forest plot analysis. Publication bias was assessed by a funnel plot analysis. Twenty-five trials (a total of 4757 participants) were included in this review. There were no significant publication biases for most of the comparisons among these studies. The pooled CPR (25 trials) of all the acupuncture groups (43.6%) was significantly higher than that of all the control groups (33.2%, P < 0.00001), and the pooled LBR (11 trials) of all the acupuncture groups (38.0%) was significantly higher than that of all the control groups (28.7%, P < 0.00001). Different acupuncture methods (manual acupuncture, electrical acupuncture and transcutaneous acupoint electrical stimulation), acupuncture time (before or during the time of controlled ovarian hyperstimulation and around the time of embryo transfer), and acupuncture courses (at least 4 sessions and less than 4 sessions) have respectively positive effects on IVF outcomes. Acupuncture can significantly improve CPR and LBR among women undergoing IVF. Placebo acupuncture can be a relatively ideal control measure.

Sham acupuncture and placebo acupuncture in clinical trials

The commonly used terms "sham acupuncture" and "placebo acupuncture" in clinical acupuncture research is compared and analyzed in this article. In terms of their respective characteristics, sham acupuncture has a wider scope, including various types of acupoints, needle insertion at non-acupoint or non-insertion at acupoints, while placebo acupuncture mainly focuses on non-insertion at acupoints. Sham acupuncture mainly emphasizes the appearance similarity to real acupuncture, while placebo acupuncture emphasizes both similarity in appearance and the absence of therapeutic effects. Properly distinguishing and applying sham acupuncture and placebo acupuncture can help standardize their usage in terminology. Considering the difficulty in setting up qualified placebo acupuncture, it is suggested that researchers use the term "sham acupuncture" to describe the acupuncture control methods used in clinical research.

Effects of acupuncture on hemorrhagic transformation and motor function in stroke patients after intravenous thrombolysis with rt-PA: a prospective cohort study

To observe the effects of the Xingnao Kaiqiao (regaining consciousness and opening orifices) acupuncture on hemorrhagic transformation and limb motor function after intravenous thrombolysis with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) in stroke patients. A total of 130 stroke patients after rt-PA thrombolytic were divided into an acupuncture group (58 cases, 1 case dropped off) and a non-acupuncture group (72 cases, 7 cases dropped off) according to whether they received acupuncture treatment. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to match each group, with 38 patients in each group. The patients in the non-acupuncture group received rt-PA thrombolytic therapy and western medical basic treatment. In addition to the basic treatment, the patients in the acupuncture group received Xingnao Kaiqiao acupuncture at Shuigou (GV 26), bilateral Neiguan (PC 6), and ipsilateral Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Chize (LU 5), once a day for 14 days. The incidence of hemorrhagic transformation within 30 days after onset was compared between the two groups. The Fugl-Meyer assessment (FMA) score and activities of daily living (ADL) score were observed at baseline and 30 days, 6 months, 1 year after onset in the two groups. The disability rate at 6 months and 1 year after onset was recorded, and safety was evaluated in both groups. The incidence of hemorrhagic transformation in the acupuncture group was 5.3% (2/38), which was lower than 21.1% (8/38) in the non-acupuncture group (P<0.05). At 30 days, 6 month, and 1 year after onset, the FMA and ADL scores of both groups were higher than those at baseline (P<0.01), and the scores in the acupuncture group were higher than those in the non-acupuncture group (P<0.01). The disability rate in the acupuncture group at 1 year after onset was 10.5% (4/38), which was lower than 28.9% (11/38) in the non-acupuncture group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse events between the two groups (P>0.05). The Xingnao Kaiqiao acupuncture method could reduce the incidence of hemorrhagic transformation in stroke patients after intravenous thrombolysis with rt-PA, improve their motor function and daily living ability, and reduce the long-term disability rate.

Acupuncture Methods for Piriformis Syndrome: A Protocol for Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.

Piriformis syndrome (PS) is a common disease that is difficult to clinically treat, which seriously affects people's health and living quality. Multiple clinical studies have demonstrated that acupuncture therapy is an effective treatment for PS, but the optimal method of various acupuncture methods has remained unknown. The aim of this study protocol is to compare the efficacy and the safety of different acupuncture methods for PS. We will search seven electronic bibliographic databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, and Chongqing VIP Database) from inception to June 2023. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) will be selected for assessing the effectiveness of acupuncture therapy on PS. Primary outcome measure for this study is pain intensity, and the secondary outcomes are clinical symptoms and signs, physical activity, effective rate, and adverse events. Study selection, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment will be independently completed by at least two reviewers. Then, standard pairwise meta-analysis and network meta-analysis will be conducted using Revman 5.3, Stata V.15.1 and OpenBUGS V.3.2.3. The heterogeneity will be explored by subgroup, meta-regression, and sensitivity analysis, if applicable. Finally, Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) pro system will be used to evaluate the quality of evidence. Our systematic review and network meta-analysis will identify the best acupuncture treatment method for PS patients. The results of our review will help decision-makers make educated choices regarding evidence-based acupuncture management options for PS. No. CRD42022335028.

Ziwuliuzhu Acupuncture Modulates Clock mRNA, Bmal1 mRNA and Melatonin in Insomnia Rats.

In clinics, Ziwuliuzhu acupuncture is widely considered an effective method of treating insomnia; however, there is currently limited information available regarding its possible mechanisms. Although the method of Ziwuliuzhu acupuncture possesses a unique rhythmic pattern. In this study, we have creatively combined the traditional Chinese medicine of Ziwuliuzhu with a modern biological rhythm to investigate the internal mechanism of insomnia. Pathological tissue from the hypothalamus was analyzed using hematoxylin-eosin staining. The level of TNF (tumor necrosis factor)-α in the SCN (suprachiasmatic nucleus) area of the hypothalamus was detected in situ using the TUNEL fluorescence staining assay. The concentration of hypothalamic melatonin was detected using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The mRNA expression of Clock and Bmal1 was measured using RT-qPCR. In the Ziwuliuzhu acupuncture groups, the structural damage in the hypothalamic neurons was alleviated compared to the model group and the expression of inflammatory factors was reduced. The mRNA expression levels of Clock and Bmal1 were significantly increased (p < 0.05). The concentration of melatonin was significantly increased (p < 0.001). Although there were no significant differences between the treatment groups (diazepam group, Nazi group, Najia group, and routine group) (p > 0.05). Ziwuliuzhu acupuncture alleviated neuronal damage and modulated the inflammatory reaction in the hypothalamus of rats with insomnia. Moreover, Ziwuliuzhu acupuncture increased the expression levels of Clock and Bmal1 mRNA, and MT content. This study has potentially highlighted one of the mechanisms through which Ziwuliuzhu acupuncture can be used to treat insomnia.