Publications by authors named "Filomena Petti"
Background: The neural mechanism underlying the analgesic effect of acupuncture is largely unknown. We aimed at investigating the effect of abdominal acupuncture (AA) on the laser-evoked potential (LEP) amplitude and laser-pain rating to stimulation of body parts either homotopic or heterotopic to the treated acupoint.
Methods: Laser-evoked potentials were recorded from 13 healthy subjects to stimulation of the right wrist (RW), left wrist (LW) and right foot (RF).
Background: Lateral elbow pain (LEP) due to tendinosis is one of the most common musculoskeletal pains of the upper limbs, yet there is no satisfactory treatment. This study was an international, prospective, multi-centre, randomized, controlled, clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture compared to sham laser in the treatment of LEP.
Methods: The study used a parallel and stratified design (1:1 allocation using a computer-generated sequence) and was participant-, outcome assessor- and statistician-blinded.
Objective: To compare the effects of a basic traditional Chinese diet with a Western standard diet on body mass index (BMI), lean body mass (LBD), and eating and hunger behaviours.
Methods: A sample of 284 patients were randomized into 2 groups: group A (n = 142) followed a basic traditional Chinese diet (BCTD) and group B (n = 142) followed a Western standard diet (WSD). Both diets were set at approximately 1200 calories.
Objective: To evaluate the effect of a basic Chinese traditional diet (BTCD) in overweight patients on body mass index (BMI), lean mass, sense of hunger, and eating behaviour.
Methods: A total of 694 enrolled subjects (218 male and 476 female) were divided into two groups: group A undergoing a 1200-Kcal BTCD, and group B undergoing a 1200-Kcal standard western diet.
Results: From T0 (before treatment) to T1 (6 weeks after treatment), BMI was lowered in group A from (32.
Objective: To check the effectiveness of a true acupuncture treatment according to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in migraine without aura, comparing it to a standard mock acupuncture protocol, an accurate mock acupuncture healing ritual, and untreated controls.
Background: Migraine prevalence is high and affects a relevant rate of adults in the productive phase of their life. Acupuncture has been increasingly advocated and used in Western countries for migraine treatment, but the evidence of its effectiveness still remains weak.
The effects of electroacupuncture (EA) has been studied in a model of global cerebral ischaemia performed in gerbils through the bilateral carotid artery occlusion (BCAO). Animals, under isofluorane anaesthesia, underwent 5 min of BCAO and were killed after 7 days. The effects of EA were evaluated both on functional (with electrophysiological recordings of synaptic potentials in hippocampal slices) and morphological parameters (by counting the number of survived neurons in CA1 area of the hippocampus).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: To observe the plasmatic concentration of IL-6, IL-10 and IL-2 in the patient of chronic allergic rhinitis before and after acupuncture therapy.
Methods: Cytokine levels were determined before and after treatment in 30 healthy volunteers (Group A) and 90 patients of chronic allergic rhinitis (Group B) with an increased plasma IL-10 level. Group B was then divided into 3 subgroups: 30 patients treated with real acupuncture (Group B1); 30 patients treated with sham acupuncture (Group B2); 30 non-treated patients (Group B3).