Critical thinking among institutional academic advisors and sociodemographic, professional and academic variables: A multicenter correlation study.

Background: In nursing education, essential skills include Critical Thinking (CT). There is scant evidence on how nurse educators could promote CT in students in a clinical context.

Objective: To analyse the level of CT and correlated variables in healthcare nurses overseeing the clinicals of nursing undergraduates.

Effect of ear acupuncture on pregnancy-related pain in the lower back and posterior pelvic girdle: A multicenter randomized clinical trial.

Introduction: Ear acupuncture carried out in primary care by trained midwives, with no specialist training in acupuncture, may be effective in alleviating pregnancy-related lower back and/or posterior pelvic girdle pain (LBPGP). The objective of this study was to assess the effect of ear acupuncture associated with standard obstetric care, in the primary-care setting, on LBPGP experienced by pregnant women.

Material And Methods: This four-group, multicenter, randomized controlled trial was conducted at 18 public primary care centers in three regions in Spain, with the participation of 220 pregnant women at 24-36 weeks of gestation, aged 18 years or more, diagnosed with pregnancy-related LBPGP and who had not previously received ear acupuncture.

Acupuncture for fibromyalgia in primary care: a randomised controlled trial.

Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy of an individualised acupuncture protocol for patients with fibromyalgia.

Methods: Randomised controlled multicentre trial, blinded to participants and to data analysts. Conducted in three primary care centres in southern Spain.

Auricular acupuncture for primary care treatment of low back pain and posterior pelvic pain in pregnancy: study protocol for a multicentre randomised placebo-controlled trial.

Background: About 45% of all pregnant women suffer low back pain and/or pelvic girdle pain (LBPGP). This study seeks to evaluate the effect of auricular acupuncture on LBPGP compared with placebo auricular acupuncture and with standard obstetric care in the field of primary health care.

Methods And Design: This study will be a four-parallel-arm, multicentre, randomised, placebo-controlled trial.

Efficacy and safety of auriculopressure for primary care patients with chronic non-specific spinal pain: a multicentre randomised controlled trial.

Background: Chronic uncomplicated musculoskeletal pain in the spine (cervical, thoracic or lumbar) is highly prevalent and may severely limit the daily activities of those affected by it.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of treatment with auriculopressure applied to patients with non-specific spinal pain.

Methods: A multicentre randomised controlled trial with two parallel arms (true auriculopressure (TAP) and placebo auriculopressure (PAP)) was performed.

Using moxibustion in primary healthcare to correct non-vertex presentation: a multicentre randomised controlled trial.

Objective: To compare the effectiveness of additional moxibustion at point BL67 with moxibustion at a non-specific acupuncture point and with usual care alone to correct non-vertex presentation.

Methods: This was a multicentre randomised controlled trial in which 406 low-risk pregnant women with a fetus in ultrasound breech presentation, with a gestational age of 33-35 weeks, were assigned to (1) true moxibustion at point BL67 plus usual care; (2) moxibustion at SP1, a non-specific acupuncture point (sham moxibustion) plus usual care; or (3) usual care alone. The primary outcome was cephalic presentation at birth.

Acupuncture in patients with acute low back pain: a multicentre randomised controlled clinical trial.

Reviews of the efficacy of acupuncture as a treatment for acute low back pain have concluded that there is insufficient evidence for its efficacy and that more research is needed to evaluate it. A multicentre randomized controlled trial was conducted at 4 primary-care centres in Spain to evaluate the effects of acupuncture in patients with acute nonspecific low back pain in the context of primary care. A total of 275 patients with nonspecific acute low back pain (diagnosed by their general practitioner) were recruited and assigned randomly to 4 different groups: conventional treatment either alone or complemented by 5 sessions over a 2-week period of true acupuncture, sham acupuncture, or placebo acupuncture per patient.

[Occult hepatitis C virus infection].

Occult hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is characterized by the detection of HCV-RNA in liver in the absence of anti-HCV and serum HCV-RNA determined by conventional techniques. The development of a new enzyme immunoassay for the detection of antibodies against a conserved epitope in the HCV core protein, together with the detection of HCV-RNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and in serum after concentrating the viral particles by ultracentrifugation, allow diagnosis of more than 90% of patients with occult HCV without the need to perform a liver biopsy. Histological damage in occult HCV infection ranges from minimal changes to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, although in general this disease is less severe than classical chronic hepatitis C.

Effects of acupuncture on patients with fibromyalgia: study protocol of a multicentre randomized controlled trial.

Background: Fibromyalgia is a multidimensional disorder for which treatment as yet remains unsatisfactory. Studies of an acupuncture-based approach, despite its broad acceptance among patients and healthcare staff, have not produced sufficient evidence of its effectiveness in treating this syndrome. The present study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of individualized acupuncture for patients with fibromyalgia, with respect to reducing their pain and level of incapacity, and improving their quality of life.

Randomised controlled study in the primary healthcare sector to investigate the effectiveness and safety of auriculotherapy for the treatment of uncomplicated chronic rachialgia: a study protocol.

Background: Uncomplicated chronic rachialgia is a highly prevalent complaint, and one for which therapeutic results are contradictory. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of treatment with auriculopressure, in the primary healthcare sector, carried out by trained healthcare professionals via a 30-hour course.

Methods/design: The design consists of a multi-centre randomized controlled trial, with placebo, with two parallel groups, and including an economic evaluation.

Effectiveness of acupuncture, special dressings and simple, low-adherence dressings for healing venous leg ulcers in primary healthcare: study protocol for a cluster-randomized open-labeled trial.

Background: Venous leg ulcers constitute a chronic recurring complaint that affects 1.0-1.3% of the adult population at some time in life, and which corresponds to approximately 75% of all chronic ulcers of the leg.

Correcting non cephalic presentation with moxibustion: study protocol for a multi-centre randomised controlled trial in general practice.

Background: Non cephalic presentation in childbirth involves various risks to both the mother and the foetus. The incidence in Spain is 3.8% of all full-term pregnancies.

Study protocol for a pragmatic randomised controlled trial in general practice investigating the effectiveness of acupuncture against migraine.

Background: Migraine is a chronic neurologic disease that can severely affect the patient's quality of life. Although in recent years many randomised studies have been carried out to investigate the effectiveness of acupuncture as a treatment for migraine, it remains a controversial issue. Our aim is to determine whether acupuncture, applied under real conditions of clinical practice in the area of primary healthcare, is more effective than conventional treatment.

Effectiveness of acupuncture and related techniques in treating non-oncological pain in primary healthcare--an audit.

Background: Pain is one of the principal symptoms for which the general public seeks medical attention, and it is frequently treated by GPs. Although acupuncture is mainly practised in the private field, it enjoys growing acceptance in the public system too, which helps bring down the high cost of its use. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture and related techniques in treating non-oncological pain during nine years of activity at the Pain Treatment Unit (PTU) within the Andalusian Public Health System (Spain) in the field of primary healthcare.

Efficacy and safety of acupuncture for the treatment of non-specific acute low back pain: a randomised controlled multicentre trial protocol [ISRCTN65814467].

Background: Low back pain and its associated incapacitating effects constitute an important healthcare and socioeconomic problem, as well as being one of the main causes of disability among adults of working age. The prevalence of non-specific low back pain is very high among the general population, and 60-70% of adults are believed to have suffered this problem at some time. Nevertheless, few randomised clinical trials have been made of the efficacy and efficiency of acupuncture with respect to acute low back pain.

Acupuncture as a complementary therapy to the pharmacological treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee: randomised controlled trial.

Objectives: To analyse the efficacy of acupuncture as a complementary therapy to the pharmacological treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee, with respect to pain relief, reduction of stiffness, and increased physical function during treatment; modifications in the consumption of diclofenac during treatment; and changes in the patient's quality of life.

Design: Randomised, controlled, single blind trial, with blinded evaluation and statistical analysis of results.

Setting: Pain management unit in a public primary care centre in southern Spain, over a period of two years.