USE ACUPUNCTURE TO TREAT FUNCTIONAL DYSPEPSIA:STUDY PROTOCOL OF A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL

Objective: The problem of whether acupuncture is efficacious for patients with functional dys pepsia is still controversial, so we designed a randomized controlled trial to settle the problem.Design: We designed a multicenter, two-arm, sham-controlled clinical trial.Two hundred participants with functional dyspepsia will be randomly assigned to true acupuncture(TA) group and sham acupuncture(SA) group in a 1:1 ratio.Participants in the TA group will receive acupuncture at points selected according to syndrome differentiation.Participants in the SA group will receive penetrations at sham points.Participants in both groups will receive 20 sessions of electroacupuncture for 4 weeks, 5 times continuously with a 2-day rest in a week.The primary outcome is the proportion of patients reporting absence of dyspeptic symptoms at 16 weeks after inclusion.The secondary outcomes include Short-Form Leeds Dyspepsia Questionnaire(SF-LDQ), Chinese version of 36-Item Short Form Survey(SF-36), Chinese version of Nepean dyspepsia index(NDI), etc.Discussion: The result of this trial is hopefully to be gained on August, 2014, which would possibly answer the question of whether acupuncture is efficacious for patients with functional dyspepsia.     

ACUPUNCTURE TREATMENT OF PERIPHERAL FACIAL PARALYSIS IN THE ACUTE STAGE

Objective: The objective is to seek the best time in treating peripheral facial paralysis by acupuncture, and to observe the efficacy of acupuncture.Methods: We selected patients who met the criteria for inclusion and then divided the patients into two groups according to the time when the patients came: the treatment group and the control group.We started the treatment when the patient came.The two groups used the same methods for treatment.The patients were treated every other day, 3 times a week, totally 12 times in 4 weeks as a course.Different symptoms and signs were observed and analyzed between the two groups.Results: The total number of patients who met the diagnostic criteria and inclusion criteria was 53, and mean age was(48.21±14.90) years.Treatment group: 15 cases cured, 14 cases markedly effective, 4 cases improved, and the efficiency rate was 87.88%.Control group: 2 cases recovered, 13 cases markedly effective, 5 improved, and the efficiency rate was 75%.The treatment group has better clinical efficacy according to statistical analysis(P0.05).Conclusion: It is proved that acupuncture is an effective treatment for peripheral facial paralysis, as acupuncture treatment can effectively improve the nerve paralysis symptoms.Using acupuncture treatment in the acute stage can help improve the facial nerve function of the patients with peripheral facial paralysis.The time point that acupuncture involved in treating facial paralysis will influence the prognosis degree of facial paralysis.Using acupuncture to treat peripheral facial paralysis in the early stage is safe.     

EFFICACY OF ACUPUNCTURE FOR MOTION SICKNESS:A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED CLINICAL TRIAL

Objective: In this randomized, controlled study, we observed the efficacy of acupuncture in motion sickness.Methods: We did a randomized and controlled trial of acupuncture in volunteers with motion sickness.A total of 60 patients were randomly assigned to acupuncture or standard care group.The acupuncture group received treatments on acupuncture points including GV20(Baihui), EX-HN1(Sishencong), bilateral PC6(Neiguan) and ST36(Zusanli), twice per week for 5 weeks.The control group received only usual care during the same period.The two experimental groups received tests with motion sickness device in the same environment.Graybiel score and the degrees of discomfort were used to evaluate the degree of motion sickness.Car trials were used for the evaluation of clinical efficacy.Analysis was performed on the last score except patients who were dropped out before completion.Results: The Graybiel scores were 10.12±3.37 and 9.95±2.60 in the acupuncture group and the control group respectively with no significant difference(P0.05) before treatment.The Graybiel scores were 0.92±0.40 and 9.86±2.53 in the acupuncture group and the control group respectively with significant differences(P0.05) after treatment.The motion sickness degree distribution in the acupuncture group was N, 0;I, 0; IIB, 0; IIA, 7; III, 16; and F, 2 before treatment; and N, 3; I, 22; IIB, 0; IIA, 0; III, 0; and F, 0 after treatment.The distribution of the control group was N, 0; I, 0; IIB, 0; IIA, 5; III, 16; and F, 1 before and after treatment.After the experiment, the degrees of discomfort in the acupuncture group significantly decreased(P0.01).Total effective rates of the acupuncture group and the control group were 96% and 0% respectively with significant differences(P0.05).No adverse effects of acupuncture were reported.Conclusion: These data suggest that acupuncture is an effective therapy for patients with motion sickness.The anti-motion sickness capabilities are improved and the sufferings of patients with motion sickness were alleviated after acupuncture treatment.     

USING ACUPUNCTURE TO RELIEVE PERIMENOPAUSAL SYNDROME:STUDY PROTOCOL OF A MULTICENTER RANDOMIZED CLINICAL TRIAL

Objective: In this article, we report the protocol of a randomized controlled trial of using acupuncture to treat perimenopausal syndrome, aiming to answer the question whether acupuncture is effective for relieving perimenopausal syndrome.Methods: A multicenter randomized controlled trial with two parallel arms is undergoing in China.Two hundred and six women with perimenopausal syndrome will be randomly assigned to a treatment group using acupuncture plus auricular acupressure(AA) and a control group using Climen? in a 1:1 ratio.Participants in the AA treatment group will receive acupuncture 3 times per week in the first 4 weeks and 2 times per week in the following 8 weeks, for a total 28 sessions over 12 weeks.Auricular points will be plastered by Semen Vaccariae 2 times per week for 12 weeks.The Climen? control group, a 28-day sequential hormone replacement therapy, is prescribing a tablet containing estradiol valerate(E2V) 2 mg per day for the first 11 d, and a tablet containing E2 V 2 mgplus cyproterone acetate(CPA) 1 mg per day for the following 10 d.The total treatment period of control group is three cycles.Post-treatment follow-up period will last 24 weeks.The primary outcome is Menopause Rating Scale(MRS) that assessed at baseline and 4, 8, 16, 24 and 36 weeks after randomization.The secondary outcomes are Menopause-Specific Quality of Life(MENQOL), average hot flash score during 24 h, and the serum estradiol(E2), follicle-stimulating hormone(FSH) and luteinizing hormone(LH) level.The first two secondary outcomes are measured at as the same point as MRS.And other second outcomes are measured at baseline and 12, and 24 weeks after randomization.Discussion: The result of this trial, which will be available in 2015, will clarify whether acupuncture is effective to relieve perimenopausal syndrome.     

EFFECTS OF ACUPUNCTURE ON ALLERGIC RHINITIS:A RANDOMIZED,CONTROLLED CLINICAL TRIAL

Objective: To assess the effects of acupuncture on allergic rhinitis in a randomized, controlled clinical trial.Methods: This study was a multicenter, randomized, parallelcontrolled study.Participants were randomized into active acupuncture, sham acupuncture, or waitlist groups.The active and sham acupuncture groups received acupuncture treatment three times per week for 4 weeks.In the sham group, minimal acupuncture at non-acupuncture points was used.The waitlist group did not receive any acupuncture treatment during the study.The clinical efficacy was assessed at every week after treatment.Results: Of the 98 participants, 40, 39, and 19 individuals were assigned to the active acupuncture, sham acupuncture, and waitlist groups, respectively.At baseline, the means of the total nasal symptom score(TNSS) were 6.76(SD: 3.31), 7.25(SD: 2.97), and 7.06(SD: 2.46), respectively.After 4 weeks of treatment, TNSS was significantly reduced in the active acupuncture and sham acupuncture groups compared to baseline.The changes of TNSS in the 2nd and 4th weeks from baseline in the active acupuncture group were significantly greater than the sham acupuncture and waitlist groups.In addition, the results showed that TNSS and the Rhinitis Quality of Life Questionnaire score had significant changes in the active acupuncture group compared with the sham acupuncture and the waitlist groups.Conclusion: Active acupuncture showed a significantly greater effect on symptoms of allergic rhinitis than sham acupuncture.Acupuncture is an effective and safe treatment for allergic rhinitis.     

A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL ON CENTRAL FACIAL NERVE PARALYSIS AFTER ISCHEMIC STROKE WITH THE TREATMENT OF DIFFERENT QUANTITY OF STIMULATION ON HEGU

Objective: To observe the effectiveness of needling Hegu(LI4) in treating central facial nerve paralysis after ischemic stroke, and to select the optimal acupuncture parameters.Methods: A total of 150 patients were involved in this trial and were divided into 5 groups as A-D groups(A: direct puncture for 5 s; B: oblique needling for 5 s; C: direct puncture for 30 s; D: oblique needling for 30 s) and the control group(E group).The treatment for the patients included acupuncturing Hegu with different needling parameters(only for A-D groups) plus basic therapeutic plan based on the integrated Chinese and modern medicine(for all groups).The treatment duration was 14 d.The main measurements were House-Brackmann Facial(HBF) nerve grading systems, Toronto Facial Grading System(TFGS), degrees of facial nerve paralysis and Facial Disability Index(FDI).Results: After treatment, the socio-functional score of FDI did not significantly increase compared to that of prior treatment, while the score of HBF nerve grading systems, TFGS, degrees of facial nerve paralysis and the somato-functional score of FDI in each group significantly increased compared to that of prior treatment(P0.05).Compared with other groups, there was a significant improvement in group B when we used the degrees of facial nerve paralysis to evaluate the effectiveness(P0.05).Conclusion: The present trial indicated that group B which adopted oblique insertion backward the direction of meridian and twirled manually for 5 s could produce the best clinical effect.     

ACUPUNCTURE FOR CORONARY HEART DISEASE WITH DEPRESSION:STUDY PROTOCOL FOR A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL

Objective: Coronary heart disease(CHD) is a chronic condition, which seriously affects the daily lives of patients.In the course of CHD, depression can adversely affect the patient's heart condition.Mitigating the depressive state in patients has great benefit to improve the patients' condition of CHD.Acupuncture can relieve depression as well as medicines.However, its effect for CHD with depression is inconclusive.Aim of this study is to evaluate acupuncture for CHD patients with depression in China.Methods: The study is a prospective randomized controlled trial comparing the effects of acupuncture with placebo needle.Patients are manual-based, follow clinical epidemiology and acupuncture clinical practice criterion, and share evidence-based medicine.Patients will be randomly assigned to the acupuncture group and the placebo needle group, and acupuncture doctors with clinical practice experience will carry out the intervention.Data will be collected at baseline and 4, 8, 12, and 16 weeks after intervention.The evaluation indicators are Seattle angina questionnaire for patients' changes in the quality of life and Zung's self-evaluating depression scale for their mental changes.The recruitment will be completed in September 2014.Discussion: We expect that patients' depression condition after acupuncture will be mitigated significantly compared with the placebo needle group, and the quality of life of patients after acupuncture will be improved significantly than the placebo needle group.We estimate that the acupuncture has a benefit effect to mitigate the depression state of CHD patients, and to improve the quality of their life.The study will provide a new non-drug therapy for CHD with depression, by improving the patient's mental state to improve their quality of life.     

THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS OF ACUPUNCTURE PLUS FACIAL MUSCLE TRAINING THERAPY IN THE TREATMENT OF INTRACTABLE FACIAL PARALYSIS

Objective: To observe the clinical effect of scalp acupuncture combined with face muscle training on chronic facial paralysis.Methods: Sixty-two patients were randomly divided into two groups for treatment of chronic facial paralysis.Results: The experimental group had 90.63% effective rate including 15 cured, 14 valid and 3 invalid, and the control group had 66.67% effective rate including 8 cured, 12 valid and 10 invalid.The difference of the effective rate in the two groups was statistically significant(P0.05).Conclusion: Scalp acupuncture with face muscle training in treating chronic facial paralysis is clinically effective and should be promoted for its clinical value.     

ACUPUNCTURE FOR DRY EYE SYNDROME AFTER REFRACTIVE SURGERY:STUDY PROTOCOL FOR A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL

Background: Dry eye is a frequent consequence of refractive surgery.Acupuncture has been widely used to alleviate the associated symptoms.Nevertheless, the use of acupuncture for patients who suffer from dry eye syndrome following refractive surgery has its limits.This pilot study aims to evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture treatment in treating the signs and symptoms of dry eye after refractive surgery.Methods: Forty participants will be randomly assigned to acupuncture plus usual care group or usual care control group.While maintaining usual care, the acupuncture plus usual care group will undergo treatments 3 times per week for 4 weeks on 17 acupuncture points.The control group will receive only usual care during the same period.The primary outcome will refer to ocular surface disease index(OSDI) and examinations at 1, 3, 5, and 13 weeks.A tear-film breakup time(TBUT), the Schirmer-I test, visual analogue scale(VAS), quality of life(QOL) for selfassessment of ocular discomfort, and fluorescein-stained corneal surface digital photography will be used as secondary outcome variables.Schirmer-I test, TBUT, and fluorescein-stained corneal surface digital photography will be assessed at the screening and week 13.VAS will be assessed at the screening, and 1, 3, 5, and 13 weeks.QOL will be evaluated at 1, 3, 5, and 13 weeks.Discussion: This trial will provide primary data for the clinical effectiveness and safety of acupuncture treatment for dry eye after refractive surgery.     

HERB-PARTITIONED MOXIBUSTION AND ACUPUNCTURE FOR THE TREATMENT OF ACTIVE CROHN'S DISEASE:A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL

Background: Acupuncture and moxibustion are often used as an alternative therapy for Crohn's disease(CD), however, their efficacy are not fully established.Objective: This study sought to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of acupuncture and moxibustion for the treatment of active CD of mild to moderate severity.Methods: Ninety-two patients were equally and randomly divided into a treatment group that received herb-partitioned moxibustion combined with acupuncture and a control group that received wheat bran-partitioned moxibustion combined with shallow acupuncture.The patients received 3 treatment sessions per week for 12 weeks, and were followed up at the 24 th week.The outcomes were measured by using the CD Activity Index(CDAI) score, lab tests, endoscopic rating, and intestinal histology.Results: The CDAI scores of both the treatment and control groups were significantly reduced after treatment compared to that prior to treatment, but the improvement of the treatment group was significant better than that of the control group.The symptom improvement in patients of the treatment group was sustained at the follow-up, while that of the control group was not.Both groups showed significantly improvement in quality of life ratings after treatments, but the improvement was significantly better in the treatment group than in the control group.In addition, the patients in the treatment group showed significantly increased hemoglobin and decreased C-reactive protein and histopathological scores at the end of the treatment, while the control group did not show any changes.Conclusion: Acupuncture and moxibustion are effective and safe treatment methods for mild to moderate CD.In addition to the placebo effect, acupuncture also has significant therapeutic effects.     

EFFECTS OF ACUPUNCTURE-BASED LASER IRRADIATION THERAPY ON 38 CASES OF PERIPHERAL FACIAL PARALYSIS

Objective: To investigate acupuncture combined with laser irradiation for treatment of peripheral facial paralysis.Methods: Thirty-eight cases of peripheral facial paralysis were randomly divided into 2 groups, the treatment group and the control group.The effect of acupuncture combined with laser irradiation in the two groups was compared.Results: By EMG examination, the cure rate of the treatment group was 73.7%, and the control group was 52.6%; there was a significant difference between the two groups(P0.05).Conclusion: Acupuncture combined with laser irradiation treatment was better than simple acupuncture therapy.     

A CLINICAL STUDY OF ACUPUNCTURE TREATMENT FOR FACIAL PARALYSIS

Peripheral facial paralysis is a common disease with manifestation of facial paralysis. The author's clinical observation on 50 cases of facial paralysis treated mainly with acupuncture showed an effeclive rate of 98%, and the remarkable effectiveness was reported as follow.     

TREATMENT OF 46 CASES OF PERIPHERAL FACIAL PARALYSIS WITH HAND ACUPUNCTURE，MOXIBUSTION AND ELECTROACUPUNCTURE

In the present paper,the therapeutic effect of hand acupuncture,moxibustion and electroacupuncture (EA) is observed in the treatment of 46 cases of peripheral facial paralysis(treatment group)and compared with that of Western medicines(prednisone,Vitamin B1 and B12,dibazol)in other 42 facial palsy patients.Acupoints used are Fenchi(GB20),Yifeng(TE17),Taiyang(LR3),Yangbai(GB14),Cuanzhu(BL2),Yingxiang(LI20),Dicang(ST4),Shuigou(GV26),Chengjiang(CV24),Xiaguan(ST7)and jiache(ST6),Following 20-30 sessions of treatment,results show that the therapeutic effect of treatment group is significantly superior to that of Western medicine group and the therapeutic duration of the former group is shorter.     

ACUPUNCTURE FOR DYSPHAGIA AFTER CHEMORADIATION THERAPY IN HEAD AND NECK CANCER:A PILOT RANDOMIZED SHAMCONTROLLED TRIAL

Background: Dysphagia is a common side effect following chemoradiation(CRT) in patients with head and neck cancer(HNC).The purpose of this pilot trial was to assess the feasibility of recruiting HNC patients and to collect preliminary data on the efficacy and safety of acupuncture on dysphagia-related quality of life(QOL).Methods: Patients were eligible if diagnosed with stage IIIIV HNC, without evidence of distance metastasis, receiving curative-intent CRT.Patients were randomized to 12 sessions of either active or sham acupuncture, once every two weeks, over 24 weeks from during CRT to 20-week post-CRT.All study personnel and the patients were blinded, while the treating acupuncturists were not.MDADI and other questionnaires were measured at baseline(end of CRT), end of acupuncture, and at six months follow-up(12-month post-CRT).Data were analyzed by repeated-measures ANOVA adjusting for baseline.Results: Accrual was completed in December 2011.Among 42 patients enrolled, 35(83%) received at least 8 sessions of acupuncture, and 28(67%) received all 12.Six patients withdrew due to time constraints.No serious side effects were observed.The mean MDADI total scores improved from baseline in both treatment arms(64.5(SE±2.4) vs.71.4(SE±3.1), P=0.048; 64.5(SE±2.4) vs.77.8(SE±3.0), P0.001); the difference in improvement was not significant(P=0.12).The median feeding tube duration did not differ between active and sham treatments(n=39, median 125 d vs.147 d, P=0.93).Conclusion: Acupuncture is a safe and feasible treatment for HNC patients.In the pilot trial, improvements in QOL parameters from end of CRT to the time points examined were observed but they did not differ between the two arms.Efficacy of acupuncture to improve swallowing-related QOL in HNC patients may require more frequent or longer duration of treatment.     

针灸治疗面瘫及对口唇、甲臂微循环的影响

目的 探讨辨证论治针灸法与传统针灸法治疗急性周围性面瘫的疗效及机制。方法 将52例病程在1个月内的急性周围性面瘫患者随机分成辨证组和传统组,于治疗前后分别观察临床症状、体征和口唇、甲襞微循环。结果 辨证组的疗程明显短于传统组（P＜0．05）,辨证组的有效率明显高于传统组（P＜0．05）,52例患者治疗后,甲襞、口唇微循环的输入、输出枝管径均增大,管袢数增加,血流速度加快,袢周状态异常改变减少,出血消失,但辨证组在改善微循环上优于传统组（P＜0．05）。结论 辨证论治针灸法能改善机体微循环状态,从而实现对急性周围性面瘫的良好疗效。     

THE EFFECT AND SAFETY OF DEEP ACUPUNCTURE AT TIANSHU FOR FUNCTIONAL CONSTIPATION:A MULTI-CENTER RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL

Objective: To assess the effects and safety of deep acupuncture at Tianshu(ST25) for functional constipation Methods: A total of 475 patients with functional constipation were randomized to deep acupuncture group, shallow acupuncture group and lactulose controlled group.Participants were assessed a week for inclusion, treated for 4 weeks and followed up for 12 weeks.Primary outcome: compared with baseline, the change of mean weekly SBM frequency during 4 weeks of treatment and 12 weeksof follow-up.Secondary outcomes: evaluation of constipation-related symptoms.Results: ① Primary outcome: Compared with baseline, the mean weekly SBM frequency was increased in all three groups during 4 weeks of treatment and 12 weeks of follow-up(P0.01,all).The mean weekly SBM frequency in the deep acupuncture group over 4-week treatment were gained by 2(1.75) times,from 2(2) at baseline to 4.25(1.5), which were increased more than the shallow acupuncture group(P0.05); however, statistical difference was not seen between the deep acupuncture group and lactulose group(P0.05).Mean weekly SBM frequency during12-week follow-up in the deep acupuncture group was 4(2) times,increased by 2(2.5) compared with baseline.The deep acupuncture group showed a larger improvement than the lactulose group(P0.01).Statistical difference was not showed between two acupuncture groups(P0.05).② Secondary outcomes: After 4 weeks of treatment, the deep acupuncture group had better effect in improving incomplete defecation, abdominal distention, and Cleveland Clinic Score(CCS) than the shallow acupuncture group and lactulose group(P0.05, all).Compared with lactulose group,two acupuncture groups both improved the stool character better(P0.01).Nevertheless, statistical difference was not showed among the three groups in furthering the degree of straining during defecation(P0.05).③ Safety: There were no obvious adverse events of the deep and shallow acupuncture groups.Conclusion: Deep acupuncture at Tianshu for functional constipation can increase the weekly SBMs effectively, improve the constipation-related symptoms, and be safe.These improvements can last for 12 weeks.     

USING ACUPOINT-TO-ACUPOINT PENETRATIVE NEEDLING TO TREAT POST-STROKE SPASTIC PARALYSIS:A CLINICAL PROGRESS REVIEW

Objective: The aim of this clinical literature review is to determine the characteristics and advantages of acupoint-to-acupoint penetrative needling(AAPN) treatment on post-stroke spastic paralysis(PSSP), so as to improve the clinical outcomes of this disease in the future.Methods: Randomized controlled trials of PSSP patients receiving AAPN treatment were searched from Medline, EMBASE and CNKI database from January 2006 to June 2013.Key words included clinic or clinical, acupuncture, needling, acupoint-toacupoint, penetrative or penetration or penetrating, stroke or apoplexy or cerebral infarction or cerebral hemorrhage, spastic paralysis or spasticity or palsy, and hypermyotonia.Language was limited to English and Chinese.Case series reports, review articles, and animal studies were excluded.Results: AAPN shows better clinical results than other acupuncture treatments, especially combined with other adjunct therapies such as electroacupuncture, bloodletting, and rehabilitation.In light of the recent data, AAPN is effective for PSSP.Penetrations from yang-channel acupoints to yin-channel acupoints in the upper limbs and from yin-channel acupoints to yang-channel acupoints in the lower limbs with a reinforcing maneuver combined with rehabilitation achieve the best effect.Conclusion: AAPN is an effective treatment for PSSP, and it can accelerate and improve the functional repair of PSSP patients.     

ANALYSIS ON THE EFFECT OF ACUPUNCTURE IN THE TREATMENT OF PERIPHERAL FACIAL PARALYSIS AT DIFFERENT STAGES

The use of acupuncture in treating peripheral facial paralysis has been well recognized, but the right time of giving the treatment remains disputable. The author has treated peripheral facial paralysis at different stages with acupuncture and analyzed its effect.     

针灸治疗不同时期周围性面瘫的疗效分析

The use of acupuncture in treating peripheral facial paralysis has been well recognized, but the right time of giving the treatment remains disputable. The author has treated peripheral facial paralysis at different stages with acupuncture and analyzed its effect.     

CLINICAL OBSERVATION ON STAGE-AIDED TREATMENT OF 62 CASES OF PERIPHERAL FACIAL PARALYSIS WITH ACUPUNCTURE, MOXIBUSTION AND CUPPING

FromSeptemberof 1 998toSeptemberof2 0 0 2 ,theauthorsofthepresentpaperadoptedstage aidedacupuncturemethodtotreat62casesofperipheralfacialparalysisandcompareditsef fectwithroutineacupunctureinother 60cases.Theresultsarereportedasfollows.1　CLINICALDATAAllthe 1 2 2casesoffacialparalysiswereoutpatientsfromXinxiangSecondPeople’sHos pitalandwerediagnosedasperipheralfacialparalysisaccordingtothediagnosticstandardsforfacialneuritisfrombookPracticalOtorhino laryngology.Theywererandomlydivided…