OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of acupoint sticking on clinical symptoms and life quality in patients with bronchial asthma. METHODS: Multicenter randomized double-blind clinical trial was done, one hundred and eighty-eight cases were divided into a medication acupoint sticking group (125 cases) and a placebo group (63 cases). Dazhui (GV 14), Feishu (BL 13), Tiantu (CV 22), etc. were selected in both groups. The medication cakes were made of grinding pepper, brassica alba seeds, asarum, etc. into fine powder mixed with ginger oil and ginger juice, applied on acupoints in the acupoint sticking group. While another compound cakes made of powder of red rice, black rice, maize mixed with small amount of ginger juice, were used in the placebo group. Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire(AQLQ), symptom scores during the day and night, scores of self effect, and the value of lung function were observed. RESULTS: The value of daily behavior and environmental factors of AQLQ, total scores of AQLQ, daytime symptoms and scores of self effect in the medication acupoint sticking group, were significantly improved compared to those of placebo group (all P<0.05). The lung function of forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and the percentage of forced expiratory volume in one second in predicted value (FEV1/FVC) had no significant diffrence between two groups (both P>0.05). CONCLUSION: The acupoint sticking therapy can significantly improve clinical symptoms of patients with bronchial asthma, and can improve life quality of the patients.

[Purpose] Low back pain (LBP) is the leading cause of global disability. Acupressure is a manual approach that can be used for self-management of LBP. The purpose of the study was to determine the effectiveness of acupressure in treating chronic LBP. [Subjects and Methods] The research design was a single system study utilizing an AB design. The subject was recruited using convenience sampling. During phase A, the subject received traditional physical therapy interventions. During phase B, the subject received acupressure in addition to traditional physical therapy interventions. Outcomes included the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), the Patient Specific Functional Scale (PSFS), and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). [Results] For the VAS, the pain was 38.8 mm at baseline, decreased to 11.3 mm after phase A, and decreased to 2.5 mm after phase B. For the PSFS, the subject's function was 5/10 at baseline, remained the same after phase A, and increased to 9/10 after phase B. For the ODI, the subject's disability was moderate (30%) at the baseline,decreased to minimal (14%) after phase A, and completely resolved (0%) after phase B. [Conclusion] The data indicated that integrating acupressure in physical therapy could reduce pain, increase function, and decrease disability.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Today, acupuncture therapy is commonly used for pain control throughout the world, although the putative mechanisms are still unclear. A Pub Med search for the key words "Acupuncture" and "Scoliosis" reveals 3 papers only, not containing any results of studies designed for the treatment of scoliosis with the help of acupuncture. Because of this lack of trials especially designed for the treatment of scoliosis this pilot study has been performed. METHODS: 24 girls undergoing in-patient rehabilitation, 14 - 16 years of age (at average 15,1 years, SD 0,74) with the diagnosis of an Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) have agreed to take part in this controlled single blind crossover study. Average Cobb angle was 33 degrees (SD 9,2) ranging from 16 to 49 degrees. 10 of the girls had a thoracic, one a lumbar, 7 a double major and 6 a thoracolumbar curve pattern. The patients have been scanned with the Formetric(R) surface topography measurement system before and after lying on the left side [L], before and after sham acupuncture [S] and before and after real acupuncture [R]. RESULTS: For the whole group of patients no significant changes have been found during lying, sham acupuncture or real acupuncture. There were no differences between the patient groups with different curve pattern. In the explorative subgroup analysis of Patients with curvatures from 16 to 35 degrees, however significant changes in surface rotation have been found after R intervention as well as a strong differences in lateral deviation while in the L or S intervention no real changes have been achieved. CONCLUSION: One session with real (verum) acupuncture seems to have an influence on the deformity of scoliosis patients with no more than 35 degrees. The findings during verum acupuncture clearly are different to sham acupuncture or just lying, while in the whole group of patients also including patients with curvatures of more than 35 degrees no obvious changes have been found. The results of this study justify further investigation of the effect of acupuncture in the treatment of patients with scoliosis.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Today, acupuncture therapy is commonly used for pain control throughout the world, although the putative mechanisms are still unclear. A Pub Med search for the key words "Acupuncture" and "Scoliosis" reveals 3 papers only, not containing any results of studies designed for the treatment of scoliosis with the help of acupuncture. Because of this lack of trials especially designed for the treatment of scoliosis this pilot study has been performed. METHODS: 24 girls undergoing in-patient rehabilitation, 14 - 16 years of age (at average 15,1 years, SD 0,74) with the diagnosis of an Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) have agreed to take part in this controlled single blind crossover study. Average Cobb angle was 33 degrees (SD 9,2) ranging from 16 to 49 degrees. 10 of the girls had a thoracic, one a lumbar, 7 a double major and 6 a thoracolumbar curve pattern. The patients have been scanned with the Formetric(R) surface topography measurement system before and after lying on the left side [L], before and after sham acupuncture [S] and before and after real acupuncture [R]. RESULTS: For the whole group of patients no significant changes have been found during lying, sham acupuncture or real acupuncture. There were no differences between the patient groups with different curve pattern. In the explorative subgroup analysis of Patients with curvatures from 16 to 35 degrees, however significant changes in surface rotation have been found after R intervention as well as a strong differences in lateral deviation while in the L or S intervention no real changes have been achieved. CONCLUSION: One session with real (verum) acupuncture seems to have an influence on the deformity of scoliosis patients with no more than 35 degrees. The findings during verum acupuncture clearly are different to sham acupuncture or just lying, while in the whole group of patients also including patients with curvatures of more than 35 degrees no obvious changes have been found. The results of this study justify further investigation of the effect of acupuncture in the treatment of patients with scoliosis.

BACKGROUND:Acupuncture anesthesia was created in the 1950's in China and continues to be used there today during most major surgeries. It is widely used in China for such complex operations as brain, heart, and abdominal surgery. It is popular in China because it is economical, practical, and beneficial to the patients. With acupuncture anesthesia there is less bleeding during surgery and there is also quicker post-operative recovery.

OBJECTIVE:This randomized prospective study aims at comparing the effect of two acupoints (Yongquan, KI1 and Renzhong, DU26) with sham acupuncture and no acupuncture on the time to recovery of consciousness after general anesthesia by means of the Bispectral Index monitor (BIS).

DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTIONS:This is a prospective randomized controlled study. We randomly assigned 50 patients to 5 groups during recovery from surgical anesthesia. Four groups had acupuncture on KI1 (group A), DU26 (groups B), both KI1 and DU26 (group C), and sham points (group D), and one had no acupuncture (group E).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:Bispectral Index (BIS), time to spontaneous eye opening, time to tracheal extubation, and time to following commands were measured as the main outcome measures.

RESULTS:Time to spontaneous eye opening differed among groups (P=0.002), as well as time to tracheal extubation (P<0.000 1) and time to following commands (P=0.000 6). BIS values differed significantly among groups both 5 and 10 min after the end of anesthesia (P<0.000 1 and P=0.000 4, respectively). BIS values of groups D and E were lower than those of the other groups and those of group C were higher. The same pattern was observed also 15 and 30 min after the end of anesthesia, although the difference among groups was not significant at these time points (P=0.164 and P=0.104, respectively).

CONCLUSION:Acupuncture on DU26 and KI1 accelerates recovery of consciousness after general anesthesia. Moreover, a possible synergistic effect of DU26 and KI1 is suggested. This issue may play a role in the optimization of operating room management and raise interest about the usefulness of acupuncture on unconsciousness states of different nature.

BACKGROUND:Acupuncture anesthesia was created in the 1950's in China and continues to be used there today during most major surgeries. It is widely used in China for such complex operations as brain, heart, and abdominal surgery. It is popular in China because it is economical, practical, and beneficial to the patients. With acupuncture anesthesia there is less bleeding during surgery and there is also quicker post-operative recovery.

OBJECTIVE:This randomized prospective study aims at comparing the effect of two acupoints (Yongquan, KI1 and Renzhong, DU26) with sham acupuncture and no acupuncture on the time to recovery of consciousness after general anesthesia by means of the Bispectral Index monitor (BIS).

DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTIONS:This is a prospective randomized controlled study. We randomly assigned 50 patients to 5 groups during recovery from surgical anesthesia. Four groups had acupuncture on KI1 (group A), DU26 (groups B), both KI1 and DU26 (group C), and sham points (group D), and one had no acupuncture (group E).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:Bispectral Index (BIS), time to spontaneous eye opening, time to tracheal extubation, and time to following commands were measured as the main outcome measures.

RESULTS:Time to spontaneous eye opening differed among groups (P=0.002), as well as time to tracheal extubation (P<0.000 1) and time to following commands (P=0.000 6). BIS values differed significantly among groups both 5 and 10 min after the end of anesthesia (P<0.000 1 and P=0.000 4, respectively). BIS values of groups D and E were lower than those of the other groups and those of group C were higher. The same pattern was observed also 15 and 30 min after the end of anesthesia, although the difference among groups was not significant at these time points (P=0.164 and P=0.104, respectively).

CONCLUSION:Acupuncture on DU26 and KI1 accelerates recovery of consciousness after general anesthesia. Moreover, a possible synergistic effect of DU26 and KI1 is suggested. This issue may play a role in the optimization of operating room management and raise interest about the usefulness of acupuncture on unconsciousness states of different nature.

Due to the dangers associated with psychotropic medications, there is an urgent need for non-pharmacologic therapies to treat behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD). Acupuncture and acupressure are safe and well-tolerated non-pharmacologic therapies for this population, but currently no review has explored acutherapy for management of distressing dementia symptoms. This review synthesizes research on acupuncture and acupressure for BPSD. Upon searching five databases, 15 studies met inclusion/exclusion criteria. Nine examined acupressure, six acupuncture, and eight were randomized controlled trials. The percent of studies demonstrating statistically significant improvements in symptoms were: activities of daily living (ADLs; 75%), agitation (100%), anxiety (67%), depression (100%), mood (100%), neuropsychological disturbances (67%), and sleep disturbances (100%). Variations in study design, intervention procedures, and outcomes limit interpretations about effectiveness. It is recommended that further research be done to examine the efficacy of these therapies and promote generalizability.

BACKGROUND:Acupuncture has a history of traditional use in China for women's health conditions including premenstrual syndrome (PMS), but its effectiveness for this condition remains unclear. This review examined the available evidence supporting the use of acupuncture or acupressure to treat PMS.

OBJECTIVES:To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture or acupressure for women with PMS or premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).

SEARCH METHODS:We searched the Cochrane Gynaecology and Fertility Specialised Register, Cochrane Central Register of Studies Online (CENTRAL CRSO), MEDLINE, Embase, AMED, PsycINFO, CINAHL (from inception to 21 September 2017), two clinical trial databases (from their inception to 21 September 2017), and four electronic databases in China (from their inception to 15 October 2017): Chinese Biomedical Literature database (CBM), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), VIP information/ Chinese Scientific Journals database and WANFANG. Reference lists from included articles were handsearched.

SELECTION CRITERIA:We included studies if they randomised women with PMS and associated disorders (PMDD and late luteal phase dysphoric disorder/LPDD) to receive acupuncture or acupressure versus sham, usual care/waiting-list control or pharmaceutical interventions mentioned by the International Society for Premenstrual Disorders (ISPMD). If acupuncture or acupressure were combined with another therapy, these studies were also included where the additional therapy was the same in both groups. Cross-over studies were eligible for inclusion, but only data from the first phase could be used.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS:Two review authors independently selected the studies, assessed eligible studies for risk of bias, and extracted data from each study. Study authors were contacted for missing information. The quality of the evidence was assessed using GRADE. Our primary outcomes were overall premenstrual symptoms and adverse events. Secondary outcomes included specific PMS symptoms, response rate and quality of life.

MAIN RESULTS:Five trials (277 women) were included in this review. No trials compared acupuncture or acupressure versus other active treatments. The number of treatment sessions ranged from seven to 28. The quality of the evidence ranged from low to very low quality, the main limitations being imprecision due to small sample sizes and risk of bias related to detection bias and selective reporting.Acupuncture versus sham acupunctureAcupuncture may provide a greater reduction in mood-related PMS symptoms (mean difference (MD) -9.03, 95% confidence interval (CI) -10.71 to -7.35, one randomised controlled trial (RCT), n = 67, low-quality evidence) and in physical PMS symptoms (MD -9.11, 95% CI -10.82 to -7.40, one RCT, n = 67, low-quality evidence) than sham acupuncture, as measured by the Daily Record of Severity of Problems scale (DRSP). The evidence suggests that if women have a mood score of 51.91 points with sham acupuncture, their score with acupuncture would be between 10.71 and 7.35 points lower and if women have a physical score of 46.11 points, their score with acupuncture would be between 10.82 and 7.4 points lower.There was insufficient evidence to determine whether there was any difference between the groups in the rate of adverse events (risk ratio (RR) 1.74, 95% CI 0.39 to 7.76, three RCTs, n = 167, I= 0%, very low-quality evidence).Specific PMS symptoms were not reportedThere may be little or no difference between the groups in response rates. Use of a fixed-effect model suggested a higher response rate in the acupuncture group than in the sham group (RR 2.59, 95% CI 1.71 to 3.92; participants = 100; studies = 2; I= 82%), but owing to the high heterogeneity we tested the effect of using a random-effects model, which provided no clear evidence of benefit for acupuncture (RR 4.22, 95% CI 0.45 to 39.88, two RCTs, n = 100, I= 82%, very low-quality evidence).Acupuncture may improve quality of life (measured by the WHOQOL-BREF) compared to sham (MD 2.85, 95% CI 1.47 to 4.23, one RCT, n = 67, low-quality evidence).Acupuncture versus no treatmentDue to the very low quality of the evidence, we are uncertain whether acupuncture reduces PMS symptoms compared to a no treatment control (MD -13.60, 95% CI -15.70 to -11.50, one RCT, n = 14).No adverse events were reported in either group.No data were available on specific PMS symptoms, response rate or quality of life outcomes.Acupressure versus sham acupressureWe found low-quality evidence that acupressure may reduce the number of women with moderate to severe PMS symptoms at the end of the trial compared to sham acupressure (RR 0.64 95% CI 0.52 to 0.79, one RCT, n = 90, low-quality evidence). The evidence suggests that if 97 women out of 100 in the sham acupressure group had moderate to severe PMS symptoms, the number of women in the acupressure group with moderate to severe symptoms would be 50 to 76 women.Acupressure may improve both physical (MD 24.3, 95% CI 17.18 to 31.42, one RCT, n = 90, low-quality evidence) and mental (MD 17.17, 95% CI 13.08 to 21.26, one RCT, n = 90, low-quality evidence) quality of life.No data were available on adverse events, specific symptoms or response rates.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS:The limited evidence available suggests that acupuncture and acupressure may improve both physical and psychological symptoms of PMS when compared to a sham control. There was insufficient evidence to determine whether there was a difference between the groups in rates of adverse events.There is no evidence comparing acupuncture or acupressure versus current ISPMD recommended treatments for PMS such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Further research is required, using validated outcome measures for PMS, adequate blinding and suitable comparator groups reflecting current best practice.

Symptomatic heart failure is managed with interdisciplinary approaches to reduce acute exacerbations and to improve mortality. Acupuncture is a standardized treatment of Traditional Chinese Medicine that has been shown to have beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system via a neurohumoral pathway known as the long-loop pathway. This article serves to examine recent evidence supporting the long-loop pathway as the physiologic mechanism of acupuncture and the sympatholytic, vasodilatory, and cardioprotective effects of acupuncture that could specifically improve cardiac function and quality of life measures in the management of congestive heart failure.

Anxiety disorders are one of the most common mental health concerns with a major contribution to the global burden of disease. When not treated, anxiety can be aggravated to more serious and complicated health problems. Pharmacology and psychotherapy stand for the conventional treatment for anxiety disorders but these present limited efficacy, especially in the case of chronic anxiety, with high relapse rates and often causing adverse side effects. Clinical research studies render acupuncture as a valid treatment therapy for anxiety disorders without significant adverse effects. The objective of this paper is to review the literature on the effectiveness of acupuncture and electroacupuncture for the treatment of patients with anxiety disorders in order to find strong scientific evidence for its regular practice in Western culture. The systematic review of the clinical research was focused on published clinical trials (controlled, randomized and non-randomized) regarding the treatment of anxiety with acupuncture. Only clinical trials where anxiety was treated as the therapeutic target, and not as a secondary measurement or being associated with other health condition or disease, were considered. Two authors extracted the data independently and exclusion and inclusion criteria were set. The search rendered 1135 papers addressing anxiety as a primary therapeutic target. After review, 13 papers were identified to match exclusion and inclusion criteria and were selected for this analysis. Methodology, design, and quality of the research were highly variable and are discussed and compared. Overall, there is good scientific evidence encouraging acupuncture therapy to treat anxiety disorders as it yields effective outcomes, with fewer side effects than conventional treatment. More research in this area is however needed.

Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is defined as a chronic, severe, electrifying and burning pain in one side of the face. The attacks are initiated by tactile irritations in a so-called trigger area of the trigeminal nerve and are perceived within the borders of this nerve's innervation. TN is a chronic condition which initially goes into spontaneous remission but these become fewer as the condition progresses. TN is classified as symptomatic when the etiology is known and as idiopathic when the etiology is unknown. There are various forms of treatment: drugs such as anticonvulsants, local ganglionic opioid analgesia (GLOA) at the superior cervical ganglion or sphenopalatine ganglion, percutaneous intervention at the trigeminal ganglion as well as neurosurgery. None of these various procedures has been found to be the most suited and best method. A retrospective analysis of the data of 39 patients who had sought treatment for TN at our pain and acupuncture outpatients' department from 1993 to 1994 was undertaken. Group A (n = 17) had received carbamazepine and acupuncture therapy, group B (n = 11) carbamazepine and GLOA + acupuncture, whereas group C (n = 11) had received carbamazepine and GLOA without acupuncture. All subjects had taken carbamazepine for at least 4 weeks and their plasma levels were within the therapeutic range. Acupuncture therapy was carried out once a week and the number recorded. GLOA was carried out with 0.045 mg buprenorphine at the superior cervical ganglion or the sphenopalatine ganglion as a series of at least 5 injections. The number of attacks of pain and the degree of pain (visual analogue scale [VAS]) were documented. The reduction in pain was categorized in 4 groups: I = pain free, II = reduction of at least 50% on the VAS, III = reduction of less than 50% on the VAS, and IV = no improvement. The statistical analysis was carried out using the chi 2-text, p<0.05 was considered as significant. Of the groups who received acupuncture as an additive, 8 of the 17 subjects of group A, and 5 of the 11 subjects of group B were pain free, but only 2 of the 11 subjects of group C (no acupuncture). The results of the patients with marked pain reduction (category II) were similar. The most patients with no improvement were from the group which did not receive acupuncture (C). The statistical analysis showed significant differences in the categories I, II, and IV between groups A and C. These results show that the combined use of acupuncture and carbamazepine with/without GLOA achieves an additional therapeutic effect in the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia. The addition of acupuncture seems to have a superior effect to the addition of GLOA. These results support the use of acupuncture as an additional form of therapy for the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia.

Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is defined as a chronic, severe, electrifying and burning pain in one side of the face. The attacks are initiated by tactile irritations in a so-called trigger area of the trigeminal nerve and are perceived within the borders of this nerve's innervation. TN is a chronic condition which initially goes into spontaneous remission but these become fewer as the condition progresses. TN is classified as symptomatic when the etiology is known and as idiopathic when the etiology is unknown. There are various forms of treatment: drugs such as anticonvulsants, local ganglionic opioid analgesia (GLOA) at the superior cervical ganglion or sphenopalatine ganglion, percutaneous intervention at the trigeminal ganglion as well as neurosurgery. None of these various procedures has been found to be the most suited and best method. A retrospective analysis of the data of 39 patients who had sought treatment for TN at our pain and acupuncture outpatients' department from 1993 to 1994 was undertaken. Group A (n = 17) had received carbamazepine and acupuncture therapy, group B (n = 11) carbamazepine and GLOA + acupuncture, whereas group C (n = 11) had received carbamazepine and GLOA without acupuncture. All subjects had taken carbamazepine for at least 4 weeks and their plasma levels were within the therapeutic range. Acupuncture therapy was carried out once a week and the number recorded. GLOA was carried out with 0.045 mg buprenorphine at the superior cervical ganglion or the sphenopalatine ganglion as a series of at least 5 injections. The number of attacks of pain and the degree of pain (visual analogue scale [VAS]) were documented. The reduction in pain was categorized in 4 groups: I = pain free, II = reduction of at least 50% on the VAS, III = reduction of less than 50% on the VAS, and IV = no improvement. The statistical analysis was carried out using the chi 2-text, p<0.05 was considered as significant. Of the groups who received acupuncture as an additive, 8 of the 17 subjects of group A, and 5 of the 11 subjects of group B were pain free, but only 2 of the 11 subjects of group C (no acupuncture). The results of the patients with marked pain reduction (category II) were similar. The most patients with no improvement were from the group which did not receive acupuncture (C). The statistical analysis showed significant differences in the categories I, II, and IV between groups A and C. These results show that the combined use of acupuncture and carbamazepine with/without GLOA achieves an additional therapeutic effect in the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia. The addition of acupuncture seems to have a superior effect to the addition of GLOA. These results support the use of acupuncture as an additional form of therapy for the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia.

OBJECTIVE:The immune system has been implicated as one mechanism underlying the benefits of acupuncture therapy. Evidence suggests that acupuncture can ameliorate symptoms of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS), but the association between clinical response and the immune system has not been investigated.

DESIGN/SETTING:We investigated 12 CP/CPPS patients participating in a prospective randomized clinical trial comparing acupuncture versus sham acupuncture for effects on cellular immunity. Blood samples were taken before the first needling and after the last of 20 treatment sessions (week 10). Patients also completed questionnaires examining their CP/CPPS symptoms and mood status at the baseline and end of study visits.

RESULTS:At the end of study 8 of 12 participants (67%) were classified as treatment responders, four participants each from the acupuncture and sham groups. The acupuncture group averaged a 5% increase in natural killer cell levels compared to corresponding sham (-13%; p=0.03). Similarly, patients randomized to acupuncture reported a reduction in other white blood cell parameters examined, supporting the possibility that immunity might be important in the pathophysiology of CP/CPPS.

CONCLUSIONS:The specific effect of acupuncture on CP/CPPS remains unclear. Further research is warranted to examine the mechanisms by which acupuncture therapy may improve clinical symptoms in patients with CP/CPPS.

TRIAL REGISTRATION:ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00260637).

OBJECTIVE:The immune system has been implicated as one mechanism underlying the benefits of acupuncture therapy. Evidence suggests that acupuncture can ameliorate symptoms of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS), but the association between clinical response and the immune system has not been investigated.

DESIGN/SETTING:We investigated 12 CP/CPPS patients participating in a prospective randomized clinical trial comparing acupuncture versus sham acupuncture for effects on cellular immunity. Blood samples were taken before the first needling and after the last of 20 treatment sessions (week 10). Patients also completed questionnaires examining their CP/CPPS symptoms and mood status at the baseline and end of study visits.

RESULTS:At the end of study 8 of 12 participants (67%) were classified as treatment responders, four participants each from the acupuncture and sham groups. The acupuncture group averaged a 5% increase in natural killer cell levels compared to corresponding sham (-13%; p=0.03). Similarly, patients randomized to acupuncture reported a reduction in other white blood cell parameters examined, supporting the possibility that immunity might be important in the pathophysiology of CP/CPPS.

CONCLUSIONS:The specific effect of acupuncture on CP/CPPS remains unclear. Further research is warranted to examine the mechanisms by which acupuncture therapy may improve clinical symptoms in patients with CP/CPPS.

TRIAL REGISTRATION:ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00260637).

Primary osteoporosis (PO) is a common disease that was characterized by a systemic impairment of bone mass and microarchitecture that results in fragility fractures and constitutes a pressing public health problem. But the effect of acupuncture or moxibustion treatment for PO is controversial.To provide a comprehensive systematic overview of current evidence from systematic reviews (SR)/Meta-analysis of acupuncture treatment for PO pertaining to risk of bias, quality of evidence and report quality.A total of 9 international and Chinese databases were searched for SR/meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The risk of bias of SR/meta-analysis was appraised using the risk of bias in systematic reviews (ROBIS) instrument, the quality of the evidence was evaluated via Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE), and the report quality of the included studies are estimated by Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA).According to ROBIS, only 2 articles were with risk of low bias; according to PRISMA, and most articles were reported incomplete, mainly in Q2, Q7, Q24, and Q27; according to GRADE, a total of 28 outcome indicators were evaluated under 4 different interventions of experimental group and control group: the evidence quality of bone mineral density (BMD) from treatment of acupuncture and moxibustion/acupuncture and moxibustion plus was high or moderate; Visual Analogue Score (VAS) of acupuncture plus moxibustion or acupuncture plus moxibustion plus other was low or very low; clinical effectiveness of acupuncture plus moxibustion or acupuncture plus moxibustion plus other was uncertain.Acupuncture and moxibustion can improve the BMD of PO patients according to high-quality evidence, and may benefit VAS, pain score, clinical efficacy based on moderate or low-quality evidence. Further research that provides higher quality evidence of SR/RCTs of acupuncture and moxibustion treatment for PO is required.

Within the last 10 years, the percentage of low back pain (LBP) prevalence increased by 18%. The management and high cost of LBP put a tremendous burden on the healthcare system. Many risk factors have been identified, such as lifestyle, trauma, degeneration, postural impairment, and occupational related factors; however, as high as 95% of the cases of LBP are non-specific. Currently, LBP is treated pharmacologically. Approximately 25 to 30% of the patients develop serious side effects, such as drowsiness and drug addiction. Spinal surgery often does not result in a massive improvement of pain relief. Therefore, complementary approaches are being integrated into the rehabilitation programs. These include chiropractic therapy, physiotherapy, massage, exercise, herbal medicine and acupuncture. Acupuncture for LBP is one of the most commonly used non-pharmacological pain-relieving techniques. This is due to its low adverse effects and cost-effectiveness. Currently, many randomized controlled trials and clinical research studies have produced promising results. In this article, the causes and incidence of LBP on global health care are reviewed. The importance of treatment by acupuncture is considered. The efforts to reveal the link between acupuncture points and anatomical features and the neurological mechanisms that lead to acupuncture-induced analgesic effect are reviewed.

BACKGROUND:Treatment of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN), which affects approximately 30% to 40% of patients treated with neuropathy-causing agents, is mainly symptomatic. Currently available interventions are of little benefit.

STUDY DESIGN:This study was conducted as a retrospective analysis of the efficacy of acupuncture and reflexology in alleviating CIPN in breast cancer patients.

METHODS:Medical records of 30 consecutive breast cancer patients who received both chemotherapy and treatment for CIPN according to our Acupuncture and Reflexology Treatment for Neuropathy (ART-N) protocol between 2011 and 2012 were reviewed. Symptom severity was rated at baseline, during, and after treatment.

RESULTS:The records of 30 breast cancer patients who had been concomitantly treated with chemotherapy and ART-N for CIPN were retrieved. Two records were incomplete, leaving a total of 28 patients who were enrolled into the study. Twenty patients (71%) had sensory neuropathy, 7 (25%) had motor neuropathy, and 1 (4%) had both sensory and motor neuropathy. Only 2 (10%) of the 20 patients with grades 1 to 2 neuropathy still reported symptoms at 12 months since starting the ART-N protocol. All 8 patients who presented with grades 3 to 4 neuropathy were symptom-free at the 12-month evaluation. Overall, 26 patients (93%) had complete resolution of CIPN symptoms.

CONCLUSION:The results of this study demonstrated that a joint protocol of acupuncture and reflexology has a potential to improve symptoms of CIPN in breast cancer patients. The protocol should be validated on a larger cohort with a control group. It also warrants testing as a preventive intervention.

OBJECTIVE:To synthesize evidence on the effectiveness of acupuncture and related therapies for primary carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) by conducting a systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

DATA SOURCES:Nine databases were searched for potential RCTs from their inception till July 2019.

REVIEW METHODS:RCTs which reported at least one of the three outcomes were included: symptom severity, functional status and pain. Included RCTs were appraised using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool.

RESULTS:A total of 10 RCTs (728 participants) were included. Majority were at high risk of bias for blinding of participants, personnel and outcome assessors. When compared to conventional medications, manual acupuncture showed significant superior effect in reducing symptom than ibuprofen (mean difference (MD) on Symptom Severity Scale (SSS)) = -5.80, 95% confidence interval (CI): -7.95 to -3.65) and prednisolone (MD = -6.50, 95% CI: -10.1, -2.86). Electroacupuncture plus splinting was more effective in reducing symptom severity than splinting alone (SSS score: MD = -0.20, 95% CI: -0.36 to -0.03). Manual acupuncture showed significantly superior effect than ibuprofen in improving functional status (Functional Status Scale (FSS): MD = -1.84, 95% CI: -2.66 to -1.02). The combination of electroacupuncture and splinting showed more improvement in functional status compared to splinting alone (FSS: MD = -6.22, 95%CI: -10.7 to -1.71). Triple treatment of acupuncture, magnetic spectrum heat lamp and splinting showed stronger pain relief than splinting alone.

CONCLUSION:For both symptom relief and function improvement, manual acupuncture is superior to ibuprofen while electroacupuncture plus splinting outperforms splinting alone. Limited evidence showed electroacupuncture's potential role in pain reduction.