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.

[Functional dyspepsia treated with acupuncture of different frequencies: a randomized controlled trial].

Objective: To compare the clinical efficacy of acupuncture with different frequencies in the treatment of patients with functional dyspepsia (FD).

Methods: A total of 90 patients with FD were randomly divided into a 3-time acupuncture treatment per week group (3-A group, 31 cases, 2 cases dropped off), a 1-time acupuncture treatment per week group (1-A group, 30 cases, 2 cases dropped off) and a control group (29 cases, 2 cases dropped off). In the two acupuncture groups, the acupoints were Zhongwan (CV 12) and bilateral Tianshu (ST 25), Neiguan (PC 6), Liangqiu (ST 34), Yanglingquan (GB 34), Zusanli (ST 36) and Taichong (LR 3), stimulated 3 times a week and once a week, respectively; and the treatment was given consecutively for 4 weeks.

[Minimal clinically important difference of the frequency of bowel movement for patients with chronic severe functional constipation treated with acupuncture].

Objective: To estimate the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) of the frequency of bowel movement for the patients with chronic severe functional constipation treated with acupuncture so as to provide the evidence for the clinical decision.

Methods: In this study, 813 patients with chronic severe functional constipation treated with acupuncture in two previous randomized controlled trials were included. Through the anchor-based method (anchored by the item 28 "satisfaction with previous treatment" of the patient assessment of constipation-quality of life [PAC-QOL]) and the distribution-based method, the MCID of the weekly frequency of complete spontaneous bowel movement (CSBM) and spontaneous bowel movement (SBM) was analyzed statistically in the patients.

[Acupuncture as adjuvant therapy for 32 cases of coronavirus disease 2019].

Objective: To observe the clinical effect of acupuncture on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) based on the conventional treatment.

Methods: A total of 35 patients with COVID-19 of mild or ordinary type were involved (3 cases dropped off). Acupuncture was applied on the basis of western medicine and Chinese materia medica treatment.

[Brief analysis on main indications and compatibility rules of Ciliao (BL 32) based on data mining].

Based on the data mining technology, the main indications and compatibility rules of Ciliao (BL 32) were analyzed and summarized. The relevant literature was retrieved from the databases of CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, Cochrane Library, SinoMed, Scopus, Web of Science, EMbase and PubMed, from the date of establishment to September 8, 2021. Using the software of SPSS Modeler 18.

How to design high quality acupuncture trials-a consensus informed by evidence.

An international panel including patients, clinicians, researchers, acupuncture and surgery trialists, statisticians, and experts in clinical epidemiology and methodology have developed new guidance for randomised controlled trials in acupuncture. It addresses the most prevalent and critical concerns of current acupuncture trials and will help funding agencies, trial registers, and journal editors to evaluate the relevance, importance, and quality of submitted trial proposals and completed trials

['s experience in treatment of infertility with decreasing ovarian reserve with electroacupuncture].

To summarize -'s clinical experience in treatment of infertility with decreasing ovarian reserve (DOR) with electroacupuncture. - believes that the location of infertility with DOR is the uterus, mainly involving the kidney, thoroughfare and conception vessels. He advocates to select acupoints by combining "disease-symptom-position" with prescription, and selects acupoint prescription of included Guanyuan (CV 4), Zigong (EX-CA 1), Tianshu (ST 25), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Ciliao (BL 32) and Zhongliao (BL 33) for electroacupuncture treatment.

Significant vision improvement and successful prevention of recurrence by electroacupuncture in hemiretinal vein occlusion combined with macular edema: A case report.

Rationale: Retinal vein occlusion (RVO) is the second commonest retinal vascular pathology, with macular edema (ME) as one of its major complications, which could finally cause vision loss. Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF therapy), as the standard therapy, has an unsustainable effect and needs repeated injections, which associates with frequent adverse events and significant economic burden. We reported a patient who had developed RVO and ME, and finally recovered after electroacupuncture treatment.

Effect of Electroacupuncture on Gut Microbiota in Participants With Knee Osteoarthritis.

A close relationship between knee osteoarthritis (KOA) and gut microbiota has recently been described. Herein, we aim to investigate the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on gut microbiota in participants with KOA. We conducted a study of 60 participants with KOA and 30 matched healthy controls (HCs).

Correction to: Efficacy of electro-acupuncture and manual acupuncture versus sham acupuncture for knee osteoarthritis: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

After publication of the original article [1], the authors have notified us that the Trial registration number NCT03274713 should be replaced by NCT03366363 in the Abstract section of the paper.

Efficacy of electro-acupuncture and manual acupuncture versus sham acupuncture for knee osteoarthritis: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Background: Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is one of the most common musculoskeletal disorders. Although the available evidence for its efficacy is inconclusive, acupuncture is used as an alternative therapy for KOA. The aim of this trial is to determine the efficacy of electro-acupuncture and manual acupuncture versus sham acupuncture for KOA.

[Long-term efficacy and safety of electroacupuncture on improving MMSE in patients with Alzheimer's disease].

Objective: To observe the efficacy and safety of electroacupuncture (EA) on improving mini-mental state examination (MMSE) in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), and to evaluate the efficacy during follow-up visit.

Methods: Forty patients were randomly divided into a treatment group and a control group, 20 patients in each one (3 patients dropped off in the treatment group and 4 patients in the control group). The patients in the treatment group were treated with acupuncture at Baihui (GV 20), Fengfu (GV 16), Shenting (GV 24), Taiyang (EX-HN 5), Shangyintang (Extra 3) and Dazhong (KI 14); besides, EA was applied at Taiyang (EX-HN 5), Baihui (GV 20) and Shenting (GV 24) with dilatational wave, 10 Hz/50 Hz in frequency, 0.

A Multicenter, Randomized, Controlled Trial of Electroacupuncture for Perimenopause Women with Mild-Moderate Depression.

Objective: Up to 62% of perimenopausal women have depression symptoms. However, there is no efficacy treatment. The aim of this study is to compare the clinical efficacy and safety of EA therapy and escitalopram on perimenopause women with mild-moderate depressive symptom.

Pivotal factors concerned in design of acupuncture clinical research: From two articles in JAMA.

Two randomized controlled trials of acupuncture concerning polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and stress urinary incontinence (SUI) were published simultaneously in the 24th issue, 2017 of The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). A trial involving PCOS indicated that active acupuncture did not increase live birth compared with sham acupuncture; meanwhile, another trial referring to SUI showed that electroacupuncture resulted in less urine leakage compared with sham electroacupuncture. With an eye to the negative and positive results of acupuncture, three pivotal factors should be contemplated: (1) proper illness for acupuncture, that is, a problem need to be solved in current medical science, and acupuncture may really work for it; (2) proper pre-studied primary outcome, which is better be objective and repeatedly measurable to reveal the therapeutic effect of acupuncture truly and objectively; (3) proper sham control, which can blind the patients to the upmost extent with minimal biological effects.

Electroacupuncture for patients with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome or functional diarrhea: A randomized controlled trial.

Diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) and functional diarrhea (FD) are highly prevalent, and the effectiveness of acupuncture for managing IBS-D and FD is still unknown.The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of electroacupuncture with loperamide.It was a prospective, randomized, parallel group controlled trial.

Efficacy of electroacupuncture in the treatment of functional constipation: A randomized controlled pilot trial.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of electroacupuncture at Tianshu (ST25) for patients with functional constipation (FC).

Methods: Ninety-six patients with FC were randomized to receive deep needling on bilateral ST25 (group A, 48 cases) or shallow needling on bilateral ST25 (group B, 48 cases) with electroacupuncture once daily for 4 weeks. The proportion of patients with four or more complete spontaneous bowel movements (CSBMs) per week, and scores of constipation symptoms and satisfaction with treatment were compared between two groups.

[Clinical research on fire filiform needle combined with mild moxibustion for postherpetic neuralgia].

Objective: To compare efficacy differences between fire filiform needle combined with mild moxibustion and gabapentin combined with sham acupuncture for postherpetic neuralgia (PHN).

Methods: One hundred cases of PHN were randomly divided into a needle group and a medicine group, 50 cases in each one. In the needle group, pricking method of fire filiform needle was given at the Ashi points, and then mild moxibustion was applied for 15 min.

[On-site quality control of acupuncture randomized controlled trial: design of content and checklist of quality control based on PICOST].

To effectively guarantee quality of randomized controlld trial (RCT) of acupuncture and develop reasonable content and checklist of on-site quality control, influencing factors on quality of acupuncture RCT are analyzed and scientificity of quality control content and feasibility of on-site manipulation are put into overall consideration. Based on content and checklist of on-site quality control in National 11th Five-Year Plan Project Optimization of Comprehensive Treatment Plan for TCM in Prevention and Treatment of Serious Disease and Clinical Assessment on Generic Technology and Quality Control Research, it is proposed that on-site quality control of acupuncture RCT should be conducted with PICOST (patient, intervention, comparison, out come, site and time) as core, especially on quality control of interveners' skills and outcome assessment of blinding, and checklist of on-site quality control is developed to provide references for undertaking groups of the project.

[Analysis on follow-up efficacy and safety of slow transit constipation treated with individualized deep puncture at Tianshu (ST 25): a multi-central randomized controlled trial].

Objective: To evaluate the follow-up efficacy and safety on slow transit constipation (STC) treated with individualized deep puncture at Tianshu (ST 25).

Methods: One hundred and twenty-eight cases of STC were randomized into a deep puncture group (64 cases), a western medication group (31 cases) and a shallow puncture group (33 cases) at the ratio of 2:1:1. In the deep puncture group, electroacupuncture of deep puncture was applied to bilateral Tianshu (ST 25).

[Thinking on controlled setting of plarebo acupuncture in clinical trial of acupuncture and moxibustion].

Differences and relations between effects of acupuncture therapy and sham acupuncture are systematically analyzed in this article through the influential factors of acupuncture effect. And it is held that sham acupuncture effect is not exactly equal to placebo effect. The effects of both acupuncture and sham acupuncture are composed by specific effects and non-specific effects, and the differences of non-specific effects between acupunc ture and sham acupuncture can be minimized furthest with blinding and randomized method.