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.     

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.     

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.     

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.     

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.     

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 AND MOXIBUSTION FOR TREATMENT OF 21 CASES OF RESTLESS LEGS SYNDROME

Restless legs syndrome is a commonly-seen disease in clinic, characterized by severity at rest and disappearance after movement. And the symptoms occur mainly in the lower limbs, particularly, the leg has a special uncomfortable sense difficult to be expressed which compels the lower limbs of the patient to continuously move. The disease attacks at rest, and the symptoms are more severe at night or after taking a rest, sometime lasting only     

USING ACUPUNCTURE EXERCISE THERAPY TO TREAT PERIPHERAL FACIAL PARALYSIS:A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL

Objective: Acupuncture exercise therapy is a new and effective therapy for some nervous system diseases and motor system diseases.The problem that whether acupuncture exercise therapy is effective for patients with peripheral facial paralysis is still unclear.Therefore, we reported a randomized controlled trial of using acupuncture exercise therapy to treat peripheral facial paralysis.Methods: This was a randomized, controlled trial.A total of 302 patients were randomly allocated into acupuncture exercise group(AE, n=100), sham acupuncture and exercise group(SAE, n=101) and acupuncture group(AC, n=101).The AE group received needling at Zusanli(ST36), Hegu(LI4) and Fengchi(GB20) and the SAE group received needling at sham Zusanli(ST36), Hegu(LI4) and Fengchi(GB20).Patients exercised facial muscle, such as lifting eyebrow, mouth movement, and eye closure in the process of retaining needle for 30 min once a day.The AC group was treated with acupuncture at acupoints Sibai(ST2), Dicang(ST4), Jiache(ST6), Quanliao(SI18), Yangbai(GB14), Yingxiang(LI20) and Hegu(LI4) for 30 min once a day.The patients were treated continuously for 3 to 12 d.Patients were assessed weekly by blinded assessors, using the House-Brackmann facial nerve grading system.Results: The efficacy of the three groups was compared in terms of degree of recovery and speed of recovery.The overall improvement(grade 3 or better) was 90.1% in the AE group, 80.4% in the AC group and 78.5% in the SAE group.The degree of recovery and time of treatment in the AE group were significantly different from those in other groups(P0.05).However, the difference in the degree of recovery and time of treatment in the AC group and the SAE group was not statistically significant(P0.05).Conclusion: Acupuncture exercise therapy was effective to treat peripheral facial paralysis and exercise therapy played an important role in the course of acupuncture.     

RECENT RESEARCHES ON THE TREATMENT OF OBESITY WITH ACUPUNCTURE AND MOXIBUSTION

The paper reviews the treatment of obesity with ear acupuncture and bodyacupuncture as well as the two methods combined since 1987. From the influence of acupuncture oncarbohydrate metabolism, fat metabolism, regulation of hormone, function of autonomic nerve, en-docrine, digestive and renal functions, etc., the mechanism is also explored.     

针灸治疗方法研究概况

<正> 针灸治疗方法是针灸学的重要组成内容,针灸治疗方法的研究与发展,对扩大针灸治疗范围和提高针灸治疗效果、改善针灸条件、提高工作效率有重要作用。新中国成立三十多年来,在继承古代针灸治疗方法的基础上,通过临床实践,又创用了许多新方法,有了许多新进展。在针法中,主要有毫针、电针、水针(小剂量药物穴位注射)、火针、温针、鍉针、指针、芒针、巨针、皮肤针(包括梅花针)、皮内外(揿针)、挑针(针挑疗法)、声电波针、放血针(刺血疗法)、耳针、头针和腕踝针等。在灸法中,主     

针灸治疗骨质疏松症的回顾与评价

随着我国步入老龄化社会，骨质疏松症的研究越来越受到医务界的重视。通过传统针灸疗法治疗该症，在改善临床症状、改善骨代谢及提高骨密度方面的疗效已得到初步肯定，而且方法简便，疗效稳定，无副作用，其研究前景广阔。     

COMMENTS ON THE STUDY OF ACUPOINT COMBINATION AND REMEDIES FOR TREATMENT OF DIABETES MELLITUS WITH ACUPUNCTURE AND MOXIBUSTION

In the present paper, the author reviews the progresses in the study on acumoxi (acupuncture-moxi-bustion) treatment of diabetes mellitus (DM) from Chinese ancient classical works, Chinese and foreign journals. The therapeutic results reveal that acupuncture treatment of DM is effective in improving DM patients' symptoms via vagal-nerve reflex, regulation of neuroendocrine and immune functions. The author holds that ① correct selection of acupoints in accordance with syndrome differentiation and the related meridians and combined application of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicines (for oral administration) are the key points for raising the therapeutic effect; and ②acupoint combination and curative methods need to be researched further.     

DEVELOPMENT OF RESEARCHES ON THE TREATMENT OF BRONCHIAL ASTHMA WITH ACUPUNCTURE AND MOXIBUSTION

Bronchial asthma ,or asthmainsi mple term,is a chronicinflammatory disease of the air passages .It is also oneof the commonly-seen diseases severelythreateningthe human s healthinthe world.Accordingto an assessmentfrom World Health Organization ( WHO) ,about 100 -150 million people suffer fromasthma in the world andabout 180 000 asthma patients died every year[1]. Up to now,there have been no any effective drugs or reme-dies to cure it[2].In the treatment of asthma acu-moxibustion not only …     

针灸治疗女性更年期综合征实验研究进展

从实验研究角度对近年来针灸治疗女性更年期综合征文献报道进行综述。在各种刺激方式中,以针刺法方面的研究最多,其研究主要体现在针灸对下丘脑-垂体-性轴、神经-内分泌-免疫的影响方面。通过综述可以看到针灸对女性绝经后生殖内分泌环境有调节作用。利用生物医学与多学科交叉优势,进一步提高针灸临床疗效,力争从多层次、多指标、多学科交叉的角度,探讨更年期综合征的发病机制及针灸治疗更年期综合征的作用机制,是今后工作的重点。     

针灸作用原理

<正> 各位领导、各位代表和各位来宾: 针灸作用原理研究的内容包括针灸作用、影响针灸作用的因素和经、穴-脏腑相关。研究针灸作用原理的目的在于了解针灸作用的机制,掌握针灸作用的规律,以便正确估计针灸的宜忌,提高临床疗效。我国古代的临床实践已从宏观方面掌握了针灸作用的规律,现代研究则逐步地在向微观水平深入。近五年来,国内的研究由于突出了针灸的特点特色,引入了一些新技术,因而进展较大。现在我仅就个人所收集到的资料,从以下三个方面作一概述。     

MULTI-CENTER RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS OF COMBINED TREATMENT OF VERTEBRAL ARTERY TYPE CERVICAL SPONDYLOSIS WITH ACUPUNCTURE AND MASSAGE

Vertebralarterytypecervicalspondylosis(VACS)isacommontypeofcervicalspondylosis(CS).Itisusuallymanifestedbyvertigoduetocer vicalretrogradedegenerationwhichimpairstheblood supplyfromvertebralarterytothebrainstemand labyrinthine.Amongtheremediesaimingtorelieve VACS,acupunctureandmassagearewell accepted worldwide.Duringthepasttwodecades,alarge numberofarticleswerepublishedinthisfield,and mostofthemshowedsatisfactorytherapeuticeffects.However,therearestillsomeflaws:1)poormethod ologicalqualityu…     

EVALUATION OF DIFFERENT MOXIBUSTION DOSES FOR LUMBAR DISC HERNIATION:A RANDOMISED CONTROLLED CLINICAL TRIAL OF MOXIBUSTION THERAPY ON CV4

Objective: Whether moxibustion therapy is effective for patients with lumbar disc herniation(LDH) is still unclear, but previous studies neglected the dose of moxibustion and usually adopted standardized 15-minute dose in the treatment of LDH.Dose of moxibustion plays an important role in obtaining good effects.Therefore, we report the protocol of a randomized controlled trial to confirm the efficacy of moxibustion for LDH and to clarify the relationship between the dose and efficacy of moxibustion for LDH.Methods: Forty participants with LDH were randomized into four groups.The small moxibustion dose group(SM), moderate moxibustion dose group(MM) and large moxibustion dose group(LM) respectively received 15-minute, 30-minute, and 60-minute treatment of suspended moxibustion on Guanyuan(CV4).The acupuncture group(AC) received acupuncture treatment as the control group.Moxibustion and acupuncture were performed a total of five times(once per week), a total of 10 treatments in a 2-week treatment period.Outcome was evaluated by VAS pain intensity and Roland Morris Questionnaire(RMQ).Results: VAS and RMQ scores were improved in the four groups during the treatment.Significant reduction in pain intensity(P0.01) and RMQ(P0.01) was shown in the LM group.After treatment, the group that received large moxibustion dosereported less pain intensity compared to the acupuncture group or the groups that received 15-minute and 30-minute treatments of moxibustion, and the differences were statistically significant(P0.05).Conclusion: The large moxibustion dose treatment may be more effective in the treatment of LDH.The time of treatment was between 15 and 60 min, and efficacy of moxibustion on CV4 gradually improved with increasing of treatment time.     

PROGRESSION ON TREATMENT OF HUMERAL EPICONDYLITIS WITH ACUPUNCTURE AND MOXIBUSTION

Humeral epicondylitis is a kind of common chronic strain disorder ,also named as tennis elbow, humeral epi-condyle syndrome ,lateral humeral-radial bursitis ,lateral-elbowpainsyndrome ,theinjury of the starting end ofextensor carpi radialis ,etc ..It is i…     

DEVELOPMENT ON CLINICAL TREATMENT OF CONSTIPATION WITH ACUPUNCTURE AND MOXIBUSTION

Constipation is one of the common disorders ofthe digestive systemin daily life and is increasing inthe sick rate due to stress,lower physical activity,quickened rhythms of people’s daily living activitiesand changes of the diet habits.Administration ofmedicines for catharsis can relieve its symptoms tem-porarily though;the secondary constipation aftermedication may worsen the state further.Acupunc-ture therapy works well in the treatment of constipa-tion.It is recorded early in Chinese class…     

ON-SITE QUALITY CONTROL OF ACUPUNCTURE RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS

Objective: To assure quality of acupuncture randomized controlled trials(RCTs) and to get good quality control contents.Methods: To analyze impact factors of quality of acupuncture RCTs through the series of brainstorming and thorough interview with consideration of the science, contents, quality control and their feasibility at site, at the same time this article made several references to quality control contents of traditional Chinese medicine interview RCTs which were researched by our team.Results: Patients, intervention, comparison and outcome(PICO), as key factors for the design of RCTs, are important contents for quality control of acupuncture RCTs.Especially intervener technology level and blind evaluation are crucial impact factors of quality of acupuncture RCTs and they can be observed and controlled directly on-site.Conclusion: Quality control contents based on PICOST assure quality of acupuncture RCTs.