Effect of Early-Intervention Acupuncture on Pain Relief Among Emergency Department Patients with Suspected Acute Renal Colic Due to Urinary Calculi: Study Protocol for a Randomized Clinical Trial.

Introduction: Analgesia is often delayed for suspected acute renal colic due to urinary calculi (ARCUC) even in emergency department. Acupuncture has a rapid onset and is effective for analgesia, however, evidence about early-acupuncture for suspected ARCUC is limited. This trial aims to evaluate the efficacy of early-intervention acupuncture compared with sham acupuncture on pain relief among emergency department suspected ARCUC patients.

Acupuncture improves the symptoms, serum ghrelin, and autonomic nervous system of patients with postprandial distress syndrome: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Whether gastrointestinal hormones in patients with postprandial distress syndrome (PDS) are altered by acupuncture, and whether such alterations are related to the autonomic nervous system (ANS), remains an open question.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the effects of acupuncture on symptoms, serum hormones, and ANS in PDS patients.

Methods: This randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted at Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine affiliated with Capital Medical University.

[Operator effects in acupuncture research].

As the principal part of acupuncture therapy, acupuncture operators play the key role in clinical effect. There are the inevitably differences in the characteristics among different operators when delivering acupuncture, which may bring a potential impact on the therapeutic effect of acupuncture. However, this impact has not been drawn enough attention in acupuncture research, and the relevant evidences are still contradictory and partially viewed.

Effect of acupuncture on quality of life in atrial fibrillation: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Introduction: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the prevalent cardiac arrhythmia and can significantly impair the quality of life (QoL). Although catheter ablation (CA) is an established treatment for AF,post-procedural complications or perceived inadequate control of AF may diminish the QoL for some patients, potentially even to levels lower than pre-procedure. Preliminary findings from our previous pilot trial indicate that acupuncture may positively influence QoL in AF patients post-CA.

Overall Reporting Quality of Randomized Controlled Trials of Acupuncture for Knee Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review.

Objective: To evaluate the reporting quality of randomized controlled trials (RCT) of acupuncture for knee osteoarthritis and explore factors associated with the reporting.

Study Design And Setting: Eight databases were searched from inception to August 2024 to assess the quality of acupuncture for knee osteoarthritis RCTs based on the CONSORT, the STRICTA, and the CONSORT-Outcomes. We performed regression analyses on pre-specified study characteristics to explore factors associated with reporting quality.

Acupuncture vs Sham Acupuncture for Chronic Sciatica From Herniated Disk: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Sciatica is commonly caused by herniated lumbar disc and contributes to severe pain and prolonged disability. Although acupuncture is widely used by patients with chronic sciatica, the evidence of its efficacy is scarce.

Objective: To investigate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture compared with sham acupuncture in patients with chronic sciatica from herniated disk.

Acupuncture Modulation of Chronic Neuropathic Pain and Its Association With Brain Functional Properties.

Chronic neuropathic pain has been one of the prominent causes of disability, and acupuncture has shown promise in treatment. The present study aimed to characterize acupuncture modulation of chronic neuropathic pain and explore the related functional brain changes. Sixty chronic sciatica patients were divided into acupuncture- or sham acupuncture groups and received 10 sessions of treatment during 4 weeks.

Preoperative electroacupuncture versus sham electroacupuncture for the treatment of postoperative ileus after laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer in China: a study protocol for a multicentre, randomised, sham-controlled trial.

Introduction: Postoperative ileus (POI) is a postoperative complication that can cause lingering recovery after colorectal resection and a heavy healthcare system burden. Acupuncture aims to prevent postoperative complications, reduce the duration of POI, help recovery and shorten hospital stays. We hypothesise that preoperative electroacupuncture (EA) can promote POI recovery under the enhanced recovery after surgery protocol after laparoscopic surgery in patients with POI.

Key issues in the STRICTA checklist.

The STRICTA checklist is the guideline for reporting clinical trials undertaken using acupuncture intervention. As an extension of the CONSORT checklist, the STRICTA checklist facilitates the reporting quality of acupuncture clinical trials. The clinical research paradigm changes along with the development of science and technology.

Cognitive and Hippocampal Changes in Older Adults With Subjective Cognitive Decline After Acupuncture Intervention.

Objective: Converging evidence indicates that subjective cognitive decline (SCD) could be an early indicator of dementia. The hippocampus is the earliest affected region during the progression of cognitive impairment. However, little is known about whether and how acupuncture change the hippocampal structure and function of SCD individuals.

Effect of 4 weeks vs 8 weeks of acupuncture for knee osteoarthritis in China: protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Introduction: Knee osteoarthritis represents the prevalent and incapacitating disease. Acupuncture, a widely used clinical treatment for knee osteoarthritis, has been shown to ameliorate pain and enhance joint function in affected individuals. However, there is a lack of evidence comparing different courses of acupuncture for knee osteoarthritis.

Pregnancy Benefit of Acupuncture on in vitro Fertilization: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Currently, more and more infertility couples are opting for combined acupuncture to improve success rate of in vitro fertilization (IVF). However, evidence from acupuncture for improving IVF pregnancy outcomes remains a matter of debate.

Objective: To quantitatively summarized the evidence of the efficacy of acupuncture among women undergoing IVF by means of systematic review and meta-analysis.

Patients' expectancy scale of acupuncture: Development and clinical performance test.

Purpose: This study aims to develop and validate a concise tool for evaluating acupuncture expectancy that is easy to understand and conforms to acupuncture characteristics.

Materials And Methods: A draft was created using the Delphi consensus method. Reliability, validity, discrimination, and feasibility tests were conducted at the item and scale levels.

Placebo response of sham acupuncture in patients with primary dysmenorrhea: A meta-analysis.

Background: The placebo response of sham acupuncture in patients with primary dysmenorrhea is a substantial factor associated with analgesia. However, the magnitude of the placebo response is unclear.

Objective: This meta-analysis assessed the effects of sham acupuncture in patients with primary dysmenorrhea and the factors contributing to these effects.

[Research progress and thinking of acupuncture in anti-inflammation by regulating autonomic nerve system].

The nervous system is the necessary condition for inducing the curative effect of acupuncture. Both the sympathetic and vagal nerve systems are widely distributed throughout the body and organically connect various systems and organs of the human body. In maintaining the coordination and unity of human physiological activities, it is in line with the holistic view and bidirectional regulation of acupuncture, and fits in with the meridian theory of "internally belonging to the Zang-fu organs and externally connecting with the limbs and joints".

[Application of "patient and public involvement" in acupuncture clinical research].

In order to explore the application of "patient and public involvement" (PPI) in acupuncture clinical research, the connotation, reporting standards and research status of PPI at home and abroad are collated, and the key problems of PPI encountered in acupuncture clinical research are deeply considered and summarized. It is suggested that the short-form checklist of (GRIPP) of the 2nd edition should be applied to acupuncture clinical research. PPI provides a new perspective for acupuncture clinical research.

[ASPIRE guidelines and their enlightenment on application of sham acupuncture in clinical researches].

Reasonable and standard application of sham acupuncture control is the key to determine the quality of acupuncture clinical trials, and is also a difficult problem faced by acupuncture clinical research. The UK National Institute for Health Research and the Medical Research Council jointly published the Applying Surgical Placebo in Randomised Evaluation (ASPIRE) guidelines on the application of placebo surgical operation in randomized evaluation, which includes 4 parts: rationale and ethics, design, conduct, and interpretation and translation, providing comprehensive guidance for the application of placebo controls in surgical trials. As an operational intervention, acupuncture is similar to surgery, so, ASPIRE guidelines can also provide certain guidance for the application of sham acupuncture.

[Dose-effect relationship and precise treatment of acupuncture：viewing from translational medicine].

The acupuncture treatment scheme contains several key elements including acupoint selection and prescription, duration of needle retention, treatment frequency, needling manipulation technique, etc. which have, in precision degree, an important influence on the clinical efficacy, and their precise determination needs the guidance of the dose-effect relationship of acupuncture stimulation. In the present article, we discuss the basic concept and content of the dose-effect relationship of acupuncture and analyze its relationship with the precise treatment scheme.

Psychological and neurological predictors of acupuncture effect in patients with chronic pain: a randomized controlled neuroimaging trial.

Chronic pain has been one of the leading causes of disability. Acupuncture is globally used in chronic pain management. However, the efficacy of acupuncture treatment varies across patients.