Effectiveness Of Acupuncture In Patients Research Articles

Safety and efficacy of acupuncture for mild cognitive impairment: a study protocol for clinical study.

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is an intermediary condition between typical cognitive decline that occurs owing to aging and dementia. It is necessary to implement an intervention to slow the progression from MCI to Alzheimer's disease. This manuscript reports the protocol for a clinical trial on the effect of acupuncture in patients with MCI. The trial will be a randomized, prospective, parallel-arm, active-controlled trial. Sixty-four patients with MCI will be randomized to the Rehacom or acupuncture group (n = 32 each). The participants in the acupuncture group will receive electroacupuncture at GV24 (Shenting) and GV20 (Baihui) and acupuncture at EX-HN1 (Sishencong) once (30 min) a day, twice per week for 12 weeks. The patients in the Rehacom group will receive computerized cognitive rehabilitation using RehaCom software once (30 min) daily, twice weekly for 12 weeks. The primary outcome measure is the change in the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale score. The secondary outcome measures are the Geriatric Depression Scale, Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Korean version-cognitive subscale-3 scores, and European Quality of Life Five Dimensions Five Level Scale. The safety outcomes will include the incidence of adverse events, blood pressure, blood chemistry parameters, and pulse rate. The efficacy outcome will be assessed at baseline and at six weeks, 13 weeks, and 24 weeks after baseline. The findings of this protocol will provide information regarding the effects of acupuncture on MCI. https://cris.nih.go.kr/cris/search/detailSearch.do?search_lang=E&focus=reset_12&search_page=M&pageSize=10&page=undefined&seq=25579&status=5&seq_group=25579, KCT0008861.

Acupuncture versus sham acupuncture and usual care for Antiandrogen-Induced hot fLashes in prostate cancer (AVAIL): study protocol for a randomized clinical trial

BackgroundHot flashes are the common and debilitating symptom among prostate cancer (PCa) patients undergoing androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). Strong evidence from multiple rigorously designed studies indicated that pharmacological option such as venlafaxine provides partial relief, but the tolerability is poor when dose is not tapered. Hence, alternative therapy is needed. Previous studies reported that acupuncture may be helpful in the management of hot flashes. However, the insufficient randomized controlled trial limited the quality of evidence.MethodsFive hospitals will recruit 120 acupuncture naïve patients with moderate-to-severe hot flashes after prostate cancer received ADT in China from February 2023 to December 2024. Participants will be randomly 2:1:1 allocated to the 18 sessions of verum acupuncture at true acupuncture points plus usual care, 18 sessions of non-penetrating sham acupuncture at non-acupuncture points plus usual care, or usual care alone over 6 weeks. The primary outcome measure is the change of mean weekly hot flashes symptom severity score (HFSSS) at the end of treatment compared with baseline.Expected Results and ConclusionWe will be able to measure the effectiveness of acupuncture for patients with PCa suffering from ADT-induced hot flashes and whether acupuncture is superior to sham acupuncture and usual care. The proposed acupuncture treatment might provide an alternative option for those patients.Trial RegistrationClinicaltrials.gov (NCT05069467).

Effect of acupuncture for patients with knee osteoarthritis: study protocol for a double-dummy randomized controlled trial

BackgroundAcupuncture has been used to relieve chronic pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA), but the evidence is contradictory. Therefore, we carefully designed a double-dummy randomized controlled trial (RCT) to explore the therapeutic effect of acupuncture for KOA.Methods/designA total of 138 eligible participants with KOA who consent to participate will be randomly divided into Groups A, B, and C in a ratio of 1:1:1. Participants in Group A will receive verum acupuncture and placebo gel, while those in Groups B and C will be treated with diclofenac diethylammon gel and sham acupuncture, sham acupuncture and placebo gel, respectively. The patients will receive 4 weeks of treatment, five times a week, including acupuncture treatment once a day for 30 min and gel treatment three times a day. The primary outcome will be the change of Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) at week 4. The secondary outcomes will include visual analog scale (VAS), Arthritis Quality of Life Measurement Scale Simplified Scale (AIMS2-SF), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Credibility/Expectancy Questionnaire. The evaluation will be performed at baseline, week 4, 8, and 12 after randomization.DiscussionThis double-dummy RCT used diclofenac diethylammon gel as a positive control, and the completion of this trial will provide detailed and accurate evidence of the efficacy and safety of acupuncture for KOA.Trial registration: China Clinical Trials Registry No.ChiCTR2100043947. Registered on September 24, 2020. https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=122536.

Efficacy of acupuncture versus rehabilitation therapy on post-stroke shoulder pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Acupuncture and rehabilitation therapy (RT) have been widely used for post-stroke shoulder pain (PSSP), but the efficacy of acupuncture versus RT remains unclear. Our aim was to assess the efficacy of acupuncture versus RT for PSSP. Six databases including PubMed, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese biological medicine database, Chinese Scientific Journal Database, and WAN FANG were searched from their inception to March 2022. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing acupuncture with RT on PSSP were included. Primary outcome was shoulder pain. Secondary outcomes were upper limb motor function, activities of daily living (ADL), and adverse events (AEs). We used RevMan Version 5.3 to pool data. We conducted data synthesis of all outcomes using the random effects model. The methodological quality of all studies was assessed by 2 independent reviewers using the risk of bias (ROB) assessment tool. We also performed subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis. We assessed the publication bias using the Egger test and funnel plots. Eighteen studies were included in qualitative synthesis, fifteen (83%) studies with 978 patients were included in meta-analysis (MA) because of the outcomes of 3 studies were inappropriate. Nine (50%) studies were considered as moderate to high quality according to ROB assessment tool. The effectiveness of acupuncture for patients with PSSP was similar to that of RT on shoulder pain alleviation (standardized mean difference [SMD]: -0.41, 95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.91 to 0.08, P = .10), improvement of upper limb motor function (weighted mean difference [WMD]: 0.80, 95% CI: -1.19 to 2.79, P = .43), and ADL (WMD: -0.83, 95% CI: -3.17 to 1.51, P = .49). Two (11%) studied reported no acupuncture-related AEs, and fourteen (78%) studies did not mention AEs resulting from acupuncture. Acupuncture is similar to RT in relieving shoulder pain, improving upper limb motor function and ADL in patients with PSSP. Either acupuncture or RT might be the optimal treatment of PSSP. More well-designed RCTs of this topic are needed in the future.

Electro-acupuncture for health-related quality of life and symptoms in patients with gastric cancer undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy (EAGER): a protocol for a multicenter randomized controlled trial

BackgroundPatients with local gastric cancer experience a decline of Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) during adjuvant chemotherapy following gastrectomy. Our previous pilot study has indicated the potential of acupuncture to improve HRQOL and control cancer-related symptoms burden. This full-scale trial will focus on confirming the effect of acupuncture for patients with gastric cancer.MethodsA multicenter, open-label, three-arm randomized controlled trial with 249 patients will be conducted in China. Patients will be randomly assigned, in a ratio of 1:1:1, to receive high-dose acupuncture (HA, 7 times each chemo-cycle for 3 cycles), low-dose acupuncture (LA, 3 times each chemo-cycle for 3 cycles), or no acupuncture. The acupoints prescription consisted of bilateral ST36, PC6, SP4, DU20, EX-HN3, and selected Back-shu points. Patients-reported Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Gastric (FACT-Ga) and modified Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (mESAS) during the therapy will be recorded. Area under curve (AUC, 21 days/cycle × 3 cycles) and average trajectory of FACT-Ga and mESAS will be calculated. The primary outcome will be the differences in AUC of the FACT-Ga Trial Outcome Index (TOI) between HA and LA versus control groups. Secondary outcomes include AUCs and average trajectory of other FACT-Ga subscales and mESAS scores.DiscussionThis study aims to assess the effect of acupuncture and to compare the difference between LA and HA groups on HRQOL and symptom burden controlling in gastric cancer patients by an adequately powered trial.Trial registrationThis study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine (approval number: BF2018-118) with registration at ClinicalTrials.gov (identifier: NCT04360577).

Exploration of acupuncture therapy in the treatment of MCI patients with the ApoE ε4 gene based on the brain-gut axis theory

BackgroundMild cognitive impairment (MCI) is the predementia phase of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The intestinal microbiome is altered in MCI and AD, and apolipoprotein E (ApoE) ε4 gene polymorphism is a risk factor for the progression of MCI to AD. This study aims to investigate the improvement in cognitive function of MCI patients with and without ApoE ε4 due to acupuncture and the changes in gut microbiota community composition and abundance in MCI.MethodsThis randomized assessor-blind controlled study will enrol MCI patients with and without the ApoE ε4 gene (n = 60/60). Sixty subjects with the ApoE ε4 gene and 60 subjects without the ApoE ε4 gene will be randomly allocated into treatment and control groups in a 1:1 ratio. Intestinal microbiome profiles will be evaluated by 16 S rRNA sequencing of faecal samples and compared between the groups.Results/conclusionsAcupuncture is an effective method to improve cognitive function in MCI. This study will provide data on the relationship between the gut microbiota and the effectiveness of acupuncture in patients with MCI from a new angle. This study will also provide data on the relationship between the gut microbiota and an AD susceptibility gene by integrating microbiologic and molecular approaches.Trial registrationwww.chictr.org.cn, ID: ChiCTR2100043017, recorded on 4 February 2021.

Clinical efficacy and immune effects of acupuncture in patients with comorbid chronic pain and major depression disorder: A double-blinded, randomized controlled crossover study

BackgroundDepression and pain are highly comorbid and share biological mechanisms. Acupuncture is commonly used to manage both pain and depression, but the choice of acupoints for specific disorders differs. This study aimed to investigate whether specific acupuncture intervention on pain- and depression-acupoints would have specific efficacy and immune effects in patients with comorbid chronic pain and major depressive disorder (MDD). MethodsWe performed a subject- and assessor-blinded, crossover, and randomized controlled clinical trial of depression- and pain-specific acupuncture intervention and measured clinical responses and proinflammatory cytokines in patients with comorbid chronic pain and MDD. Specific acupoints for pain and depression were used in random order with a washout interval.Forty-seven patients were enrolled and randomly assigned to two groups: (1) the depression–pain group (23 patients who were treated with depression-specific acupoints and then the pain-specific acupoints after the washout) and (2) pain–depression group (24 patients with the reverse order). ResultsThe pain-specific acupoints for pain did not reduce Brief Pain Inventory scores to a significantly greater degree (-0.97 ± 1.69) than the depression-specific acupoints (-0.28 ± 1.88); likewise, the depression-specific acupoints did not significantly ameliorate Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (-4.59 ± 6.02) than the pain-specific acupoints (-6.69 ± 6.61). The pain-specific acupoints improved Beck Depression Inventory-Second Edition (-6.74 ± 9.76) even better than the depression-specific acupoints (-1.92 ± 10.74). The depression-specific acupoints did not significantly decrease the depression-related interleukin (IL)-6 level (-1.24 ± 6.67) than the pain-specific acupoints (-0.60 ± 4.36). The changed levels of IL-1β, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α between the depression-specific acupoints (-37.41 ± 194.49; −12.53 ± 54.68) and the pain-specific acupoints (-15.46 ± 87.56; −7.28 ± 27.86) could not reach significantly different, too. ConclusionThis study rejected our hypothesis that the pain-specific acupoints might produce superior analgesic effects than the depression-specific acupoints and vice versa. The cytokine results might imply that pain and depression share common biological mechanisms. (trial registration: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov: NCT03328819).

Effects of acupuncture on obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome: A meta-analysis.

Our study aimed to systematically evaluate the effect of acupuncture in patients with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). Literature search of four Chinese databases and six English databases for studies published from the inception of each database to March 1, 2022 and identify relevant studies published in Chinese or English. Related randomized controlled trials of acupuncture for the treatment of OSAHS were included to analyze the efficacy of acupuncture. Two researchers independently reviewed all of the retrieved studies to screen for eligible studies and extract the required relevant data. Included studies were subjected to a methodological quality assessment using the Cochrane Manual 5.1.0, and to a meta-analysis using Cochrane Review Manager version 5.4. A total of 19 studies with 1365 participants were examined. Compared with the control group, the apnea-hypopnea index, lowest oxygen saturation, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor α, and nuclear factor κ-B indicators all exhibited statistically significant changes. Thus, acupuncture was effective in alleviating the state of hypoxia and sleepiness and reduced the inflammatory response and disease severity among reported patients with OSAHS. Therefore, acupuncture could be widely used in the clinical treatment of OSAHS patients as a complementary strategy and warrants further study.

Exploration of acupuncture therapy in the treatment of mild cognitive impairment based on the brain-gut axis theory.

BackgroundMild cognitive impairment (MCI) is an intermediary state between normal aging and dementia. Early intervention for MCI may be a key opportunity in managing dementia. Recent studies have demonstrated the alterations in the gut microbial communities associated with MCI. This study aims to evaluate if acupuncture can improve cognitive function in subjects with MCI and explore the possible mechanism of acupuncture by better defining the interactions of gut microbiota.MethodsA randomized assessor-blind controlled study is proposed. A total of 62 subjects will be recruited and randomly allocated into two groups in a 1:1 ratio: the treatment and control groups. Participants in the treatment group will receive active acupuncture and exercise/cognitive training (conventional treatment). The control group will receive sham acupuncture and exercise/cognitive training. Each participant will receive active or sham acupuncture for 12 weeks. The primary outcome will be the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score and intestinal flora. Secondary outcomes will include mini-mental state examination (MMSE) and activity of daily living (ADL) scores. Various scales will be collected at baseline, during the treatment (weeks 4 and 8), week 12, and months 4 and 6 after the intervention. Feces will be collected before and after the treatment based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing technology for each participant to characterize the intestinal flora. Adverse events will be recorded by monthly follow-up.ResultsThe trial is expected to show that cognitive function can be improved by acupuncture and produce reliable clinical outcomes in MCI patients. It will also provide preliminary data on the possible mechanism based on the changes in the intestinal flora. Collected data will be used to support future large-scale fundamental studies.ConclusionAcupuncture is an effective method to improve cognitive function for MCI. This study will provide data on the relationship between gut microbiota and the effectiveness of acupuncture in patients with MCI from a new angle.Clinical trial registration[www.ClinicalTrials.gov], identifier [MR-33-22-002376].

Assessment of information on YouTube on the effect of acupuncture in patients with COVID-19: A cross-sectional study

Medical-related information rapidly spreads throughout the internet. However, these types of information often contain inaccurate information, which can lead to harmful misconceptions. In this study, we evaluated the reliability, quality, and accuracy of videos uploaded on YouTube that harbor claims on the effects of acupuncture on COVID-19 treatment. This is a cross-sectional study. Videos uploaded on YouTube up to February 17, 2022, were searched, and the keywords used were as follows: “acupuncture,” “coronavirus,” “COVID 19,” “COVID-19,” “Corona,” “COVID,” and “SARSCoV2.” The top 50 videos in English were viewed and evaluated. The reliability of the videos was evaluated using the modified DISCERN scale, the content-quality was evaluated using the Global Quality Scale. The accuracy of the information in each video was evaluated as well. Of the 50 videos, only 8% were found to be reliable and 64% were of poor quality. Additionally, 98% of the videos were misleading. The mean modified DISCERN scores was 1.72 and the mean Global Quality Scale score was 2.06. Despite the videos being made by experts, their reliability, content-quality, and accuracy were found to be low. The spread of inaccurate information may result in the use of inappropriate and potentially harmful treatment methods for patients. Videos that contain medical information should be produced based on verified scientific evidence.

Acupuncture for emotional disorders in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a systematic review protocol

IntroductionEmotional disorders are often observed in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). IBD with emotional disorders leads to poor quality of life. This systematic review aims to assess the effectiveness of acupuncture...

The cumulative therapeutic effect of acupuncture in patients with migraine without aura: Evidence from dynamic alterations of intrinsic brain activity and effective connectivity.

We explored the dynamic alterations of intrinsic brain activity and effective connectivity after acupuncture treatment to investigate the underlying neurological mechanism of acupuncture treatment in patients with migraine without aura (MwoA). The Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) scans were separately obtained at baseline, after the first and 12th acupuncture sessions in 40 patients with MwoA. Compared with the healthy controls (HCs), patients with MwoA mostly showed a decreased dynamic amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (dALFF) variability in the rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM), superior lobe of left cerebellum (Cerebellum_Crus1_L), right precuneus (PCUN.R), and so on. The decreased dALFF variability of RVM, Cerebellum_Crus1_L, and PCUN.R progressively recovered after the first and 12th acupuncture treatment sessions as compared to the baseline. There was gradually increased dynamic effective connectivity (DEC) variability in RVM outflow to the right middle frontal gyrus, left insula, right precentral gyrus, and right supramarginal gyrus, and gradually enhanced DEC variability from the right fusiform gyrus inflow to RVM. Furthermore, the gradually increased DEC variability was found from Cerebellum_Crus1_L outflow to the left middle occipital gyrus and the left precentral gyrus, from PCUN.R outflow to the right thalamus. These dALFF variabilities were positively correlated with the frequency of migraine attacks and negatively correlated with disease duration at baseline. The dynamic Granger causality analysis (GCA) coefficients of this DEC variability were positively correlated with Migraine-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire scores and negatively correlated with the frequency of migraine attacks and visual analog scale (VAS) scores after 12th acupuncture sessions. Our results were analyzed by a longitudinal fMRI in the absence of a sham acupuncture control group and provided insight into the dynamic alterations of brain activity and effective connectivity in patients with MwoA after acupuncture intervention. Acupuncture might relieve MwoA by increasing the effective connectivity of RVM, Cerebellum_Crus1_L, and PCUN.R to make up for the decreased dALFF variability in these brain areas.

Effect of acupuncture on unilateral spatial neglect after stroke: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

ObjectiveTo systematically evaluate the effects of acupuncture in patients with unilateral spatial neglect (USN) after stroke. Data sourcesRelevant English- and Chinese- language studies published until 12th February 2022, were retrieved from China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang, China Scientific Journals Database (VIP), SinoMed, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science and OVID. Review methodsRandomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the effects of acupuncture in patients with USN after stroke were included. Two researchers independently identified eligible studies and extracted the data. The methodological quality of the studies was evaluated using the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions v5.1.0. ResultsTwelve studies (731 participants) were included. The meta-analysis found that compared with the control group, acupuncture increased MMSE, BI, MBI, and FMA scores and reduced the USN scores (all P < 0.05). These results indicated that acupuncture improved cognitive function, activities of daily living (ADLs), and motor function and relieved the degree of USN in patients with USN after stroke. ConclusionAcupuncture could promote the rehabilitation of cognitive function, ADLs, and motor function and relieve the symptoms of USN in patients with USN after stroke. It may be a good complementary treatment to rehabilitation therapy for USN.

Effect of acupuncture in patients with chronic non-specific low back pain: a blind randomized clinical trial

The study aimed to evaluate the effect of acupuncture in the treatment of chronic non-specific low back pain (NSLBP). MethodsIt is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. It was developed at the outpatient clinic of the physiotherapy department at the Federal University of Sergipe. 36 individuals were selected and allocated into 2 groups, but finalized 18 subjects in the Real Acupuncture group (RA) and 17 in the Placebo Acupuncture group (PA), due to an individual not completing the treatment with acupuncture or Placebo Acupuncture, being evaluated the intensity and characterization of pain. Subjects were treated three times a week, on alternate days, totaling 10 sessions. ResultsAfter each of session, pain intensity was significantly lower at rest (p<0.028) and movement (p<0.035) in the RA group. In the PA group, pain intensity at rest (p=0.008) and movement (p=0.038) were significantly lower after 10 sessions. There was a significant reduction in the number of words selected (NWC; Br-MPQ) in the RA group when comparing sessions 1 and 10 (p=0.004). And there was a significant decrease in NWC between 1st and 10th session in the PA group (p=0.017). Regarding the pain classification index (PCI), there was a significant reduction (p=0.001) when comparing the 1st and 10th session in the RA group. When comparing RA and PA groups, the only significant difference was that CST of the right lower back was significantly lower in the AP group after the 1st and 10th sessions (p=0.028). ConclusionIt was concluded that acupuncture on NSLBP patients in the RA group decreased intensity of pain after each session, the NWC and the PCI in the measurement of pain. However, there was no evidence of improvement in sensory tests, psychoemotional aspects and quality of life.

Analgesic effect of acupuncture in patients with stable angina: integrative review

Analgesic effect of acupuncture in patients with stable angina: integrative review

Differential Modulating Effect of Acupuncture in Patients With Migraine Without Aura: A Resting Functional Magnetic Resonance Study.

Introduction: Migraine is a recurrent neurological disorder, the symptoms of which can be significantly relieved by acupuncture. However, the central mechanism via which acupuncture exerts its therapeutic effect in migraine is unclear. The aim of this study was to compare the differences in regional homogeneity (ReHo) between patients with migraine without aura (MwoA) and healthy controls (HCs) and to explore the immediate and cumulative therapeutic effect of acupuncture in patients with MwoA using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).Methods: The study subjects were 40 patients with MwoA and 16 matched HCs. The patients with MwoA received acupuncture on 2 days per week for 6 weeks for a total of 12 sessions followed by 24 weeks of follow-up. The primary clinical efficacy outcomes were the number of days with migraine and the average severity of headache. Secondary outcomes were the Migraine-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire, Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, and Self-Rating Depression Scale scores. In the migraine group, resting-state blood-oxygen-level-dependent fMRI scans were obtained at baseline and after the first and 12th acupuncture sessions to measure the ReHo value. In the HCs, only a baseline resting-state blood-oxygen-level-dependent fMRI scan was obtained.Results: Compared with the control group, the migraine group had a significantly lower ReHo value in the cerebellum, which increased after the first acupuncture session. Long-term acupuncture significantly improved migraine symptoms and mood with a therapeutic effect that lasted for at least 6 months. After 12 acupuncture sessions, there were significant increase of cerebellum and angular gyrus in the migraine group.Conclusion: These findings suggest that migraine is related to cerebellar dysfunction. Acupuncture can relieve the symptoms of migraine, improve dysfunction of cerebellum, and activate brain regions involved in modulation of pain and emotion The cumulative therapeutic effect of acupuncture is more extensive and significant than its immediate effect.

Immediate Analgesic Effect of Acupuncture in Patients With Primary Dysmenorrhea: A fMRI Study.

Primary dysmenorrhea (PDM) is a common gynecological disease characterized by lower abdominal pain. Acupuncture is considered a good alternative therapy for PDM. However, the central mechanism of the analgesic effect of acupuncture is largely unknown. In this study, eligible patients were randomized into the real and sham acupuncture groups using a computer-generated, permuted block randomization method. The study cohort comprised 34 patients: 19 in the real acupuncture group and 15 in the sham acupuncture group. The clinical characteristics of the patients during their menstrual period were collected, and imaging scans were performed during the first 3 days of the patients’ menstrual period. We analyzed task and resting functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data to investigate the potential central mechanism of the immediate effect of acupuncture intervention on the intensity of PDM pain. The task fMRI study found that the rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC) and right supplemental motor area were activated during real acupuncture. Using the resting-state functional connectivity (FC) method, we found a post- versus pre-treatment change in the FC of the rACC and left precentral gyrus in the comparison of real acupuncture versus sham acupuncture. In addition, the FC of the rACC–left precentral gyrus at baseline was negatively correlated with short-term analgesia, while the change in the FC of the rACC–left precentral gyrus was positively correlated with short-term analgesia after acupuncture treatment. These findings support the importance of rACC–left precentral gyrus resting-state FC in the modulation of the intensity of PDM pain through acupuncture, which may shed light on the central mechanism of acupuncture in the treatment of PDM.

Factors contributing to cognitive improvement effects of acupuncture in patients with mild cognitive impairment: a pilot randomized controlled trial

BackgroundMild cognitive impairment (MCI) is generally regarded as the borderline between cognitive changes of aging and very early Alzheimer’s disease (AD). It is important to develop easily available interventions to delay the progression of MCI to AD. We investigated factors contributing to the cognitive improvement effects of acupuncture to obtain data for developing optimized acupuncture treatments for MCI.MethodsThis outcome assessor-blinded, randomized controlled trial included a full analysis for comparing the efficacy of different acupuncture methods. Thirty-two participants with MCI (i.e., fulfilling the Peterson diagnostic criteria for MCI, K-MMSE scores of 20–23, and MoCA-K scale scores of 0–22) were randomly assigned to basic acupuncture (BA; GV20, EX-HN1, GB20, and GV24 for 30 min), acupoint specificity (AS; adding KI3 to BA), needle duration (ND; BA for 20 min), or electroacupuncture (EA; electrical stimulation to BA) groups (n=8/group) via 1:1:1:1 allocation and administered acupuncture once daily, three times a week for 8 weeks. The measured outcomes included scores on the Korean version of the Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive subscale (ADAS-K-cog), Korean version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment scale (MoCA-K), Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale, Korean Activities of Daily Living scale, Korean Instrumental Activities of Daily Living scale, and European Quality of Life Five Dimension Five Level Scale. Outcome measurements were recorded at baseline (week 0), intervention endpoint (week 8), and 12 weeks after intervention completion (week 20).ResultsTwenty-five patients with MCI completed the trial (BA group, 8; AS group, 6; ND group, 5; EA group, 6). MoCA-K scores were significantly increased in the BA group compared with the ND (p=0.008, week 8–week 0) and EA groups (p=0.003, week 8–week 0; p=0.043, week 20–week 0). ADAS-K-cog scores were significantly decreased in the BA group compared with the ND group (p=0.019, week 20–week 0).ConclusionsThe BA group showed significant improvement in cognitive function compared to the ND and EA groups. Electrical stimulation and needle duration may contribute to the cognitive improvement effects of acupuncture in patients with MCI.Trial registrationClinical Research Information Service; URL:cris.nih.go.kr.; unique identifier: KCT0003430 (registration date: January 16, 2019).

Effect of acupuncture treatment in patients with mild to moderate atopic dermatitis: a randomized, participant- and assessor-blind sham-controlled trial

BackgroundAtopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic recurrent inflammatory skin disease that affects 1–3% of adults worldwide. Currently, it is not possible to completely cure AD; therefore, alternative treatments need to be developed to meet the patients’ needs. Here, based on our previous pilot study, we conducted the first confirmatory randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effect of acupuncture in patients with mild to moderate AD.MethodsA randomized, participant- and assessor-blinded, sham-controlled trial was designed with an intervention period twice-weekly for 4 weeks and a 4-week follow-up. We equally allocated 36 participants to the verum acupuncture (VA) and sham acupuncture (SA) groups. The main outcome measure was the change in SCORing Atopic Dermatitis index (SCORAD) score before and after treatment.ResultsA total of 36 participants, aged 19 to 38 years, were enrolled, and 35 were included in the intention-to-treat analyses. The mean change in total SCORAD score differed significantly among the two groups at 4 weeks after randomization (P < .0001): the mean difference was − 11.83 (7.05) in the VA group and 0.45 (7.77) in the SA group. The mean SCORAD score substantially decreased 2-weeks after starting the acupuncture treatment and continued to improve for at least 4 weeks after the end of the treatment in the VA group compared to the SA group (each P < .0001). No serious adverse events were observed.ConclusionsTwice-weekly acupuncture treatment was effective in reducing AD symptoms in patients with mild to moderate AD without serious adverse events.Trial registrationClinical Research Information Service Identifier: KCT0002796.

The Effectiveness of Acupuncture on Headache Intensity and Frequency in Patients With Tension-Type Headache: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

IntroductionHeadache disorders are one of the most common health problems. Tension-type headache (TTH) is the most prevalent type of primary headache in adults. Several conservative treatments have been used for the management of TTH, such as analgesics, acupuncture, manual therapy, spinal mobilization. This study aims to examine the effectiveness of acupuncture in patients with TTH.Methods and materialsPubMed, PEDro database, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar were searched from January 2000 until February 2021, as well as the reference lists from identified articles. Studies of various acupuncture types were included, but only randomized controlled trials and clinical trials were selected. The studies were screened using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) question. Details about the type of acupuncture, sample size, outcome measures, results, and statistical significance were extracted from the selected studies. A short-term (after the last treatment) and long-term meta-analysis for pain intensity and frequency of headaches was conducted. The I2 index, as well as the x2 test, were used to determine the heterogeneity between studies. A random-effects meta-analysis was carried out.ResultsFrom all the studies found in the mentioned databases, only 15 studies with 1272 participants met the criteria. In the meta-analysis, four studies with 557 participants were included. The headaches' frequency after the last treatment was not significantly lower in the acupuncture group than in the placebo/sham group (mean difference: -1.53 [CI: -4.73, 1.67]). However, acupuncture seems to improve the frequency of headaches in the long term, although the results were not statistically significant p=0.06. Furthermore, there was a reduction of 1.55 days per month of headaches in the acupuncture group versus placebo (mean difference: -1.55 [CI: -3.19, 0.09]), but it was not statistically significant. The visual analog scale (VAS) score of the acupuncture group slightly reduced (-0.29) compared with the control group after the last treatment (mean difference: -0.29 [CI: -1.21, 0.62]), although the two groups were not statistically significant p=0.53. In the long term, acupuncture demonstrated a statistical (p=0.009) and clinical benefit compared with placebo/sham. Statistical analyses between the two groups showed a reduction of 0.41 in the VAS scale at the acupuncture group (mean difference: -0.41 [CI: -0.72, -0.10]).ConclusionOverall, after the meta-analysis of articles with high methodological quality, acupuncture's effectiveness compared to sham seems to be statistically non-significant on headache intensity and frequency in patients with TTH after the treatment. Both headache intensity and frequency were reduced in the long term, although only in the pain intensity, the results were statistically significant. Therefore, more studies on this topic should be conducted to examine its effectiveness in headache frequency and intensity.