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Ischemic stroke (IS) is one of the leading causes of death and disability. Complicated mechanisms are involved in the pathogenesis of IS. Immunomodulatory mechanisms are crucial to IS. Acupuncture is a traditional non-drug treatment that has been extensively used to treat IS. The exploration of neuroimmune modulation will broaden the understanding of the mechanisms underlying acupuncture treatment. This review summarizes the immune response of immune cells, immune cytokines, and immune organs after an IS. The immunomodulatory mechanisms of acupuncture treatment on the central nervous system and peripheral immunity, as well as the factors that influence the effects of acupuncture treatment, were summarized. We suggest prospects and future directions for research on immunomodulatory mechanisms of acupuncture treatment for IS based on current progress, and we hope that these will provide inspiration for researchers. Additionally, acupuncture has shown favorable outcomes in the treatment of immune-based nervous system diseases, generating new directions for research on possible targets and treatments for immune-based nervous system diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the potential of using tongue image features as non-invasive biomarkers for diagnosing subthreshold depression and to assess the correlation between these features and acupuncture treatment outcomes using advanced deep learning models. Methods: We employed five advanced deep learning models--DenseNet169, MobileNetV3Small, SEResNet101, SqueezeNet, and VGG19_bn--to analyze tongue image features in individuals with subthreshold depression. These models were assessed based on accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 score. Additionally, we investigated the relationship between the best-performing model's predictions and the success of acupuncture treatment using Pearson's correlation coefficient. Results: Among the models, SEResNet101 emerged as the most effective, achieving an impressive 98.5% accuracy and an F1 score of 0.97. A significant positive correlation was found between its predictions and the alleviation of depressive symptoms following acupuncture (Pearson's correlation coefficient = 0.72, p<0.001). Conclusion: The findings suggest that the SEResNet101 model is highly accurate and reliable for identifying tongue image features in subthreshold depression. It also appears promising for assessing the impact of acupuncture treatment. This study contributes novel insights and approaches to the auxiliary diagnosis and treatment evaluation of subthreshold depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Depression is a pervasive mental health challenge with substantial global ramifications. Contemporary therapeutic strategies predominantly consist of psychological interventions and pharmacological treatments. Acupuncture, deeply rooted in ancient traditions and bolstered by a plethora of clinical trials, demonstrates considerable efficacy in depression. This study aims to elucidate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture as a standalone therapy for depression patients by reviewing randomized controlled trials that compare acupuncture treatment with conventional drug therapy. Methods: Comprehensive searches were conducted across six databases in both Chinese and English: CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, Embase, Medline, and CENTRAL. The literature search spanned from 1 July 2013, to 1 July 2023. Two researchers independently carried out literature screening and data extraction. Review Manager 5.4 was utilized for data analysis and bias risk assessment. A total of 20 randomized controlled trials were included in the qualitative synthesis, involving 1,376 participants and 43 relevant acupoints. Results: The Meta-analysis results, based on the HAMD scale scores, revealed that acupuncture regimens (RR: -1.63; 95% CI: -2.49 to -0.76; P = 0.0002; I2 = 86%; n = 1,668) were significantly more effective compared to standalone medication. Moreover, efficacy metrics from the HAMD highlighted a substantial advantage of acupuncture (RR: 2.6; 95% CI: 1.6 to 4.23; P = 0.0001; I2 = 0; n = 614). Further assessments utilizing SERS and TESS demonstrated a lower incidence of side effects and adverse outcomes in the acupuncture group. Conclusions: Acupuncture, when compared to conventional pharmacotherapy, exhibits significant efficacy as a standalone treatment after four weeks of intervention, with fewer side effects and adverse reactions. However, further investigation is needed to determine the most effective acupoints and appropriate types of acupuncture techniques for treating depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: While acupuncture treatment has gained extensive usage in addressing headaches, there remains a notable gap in the literature analysis for this field. Therefore, this study aims to conduct a literature review using Citespace, VOSviewer, and Bibliometrix, aiming to examine the current status, strengths, and potential future directions in the utilization of acupuncture for headache treatment. Methods: Relevant literature on acupuncture treatment for headaches between 2003 and 2023 was retrieved from the Web of Science (WoS) core database. Utilizing CiteSpace 6.1.R6, VOSviewer 1.6.18, and Bibliometrix 4.1.4, we conducted bibliometric analyses across various categories, including countries/regions, institutions, authors, journals, references, and keywords. Results: A total of 808 research reports were included. China and the United States have significantly contributed to this field. Chengdu University of Chinese Medicine holds the record for the highest number of published papers. Liu Lu has the highest publication output, while Linde K has the highest citation rate. MEDICINE leads in publication frequency, while CEPHALALGIA holds the highest citation rate. The Long-term Effect of Acupuncture for Migraine Prophylaxis a Randomized Clinical Trial is the most cited reference. Migraine was the most researched type. Filiform needle acupuncture was the most widely used stimulation method. The safety and efficacy of acupuncture have received significant attention. Modern mechanism research shows that depression, brain functional connectivity, and neuroimaging technology have become research hotspots in the acupuncture treatment of headaches. Conclusion: Acupuncture treatment for headaches has established a stable trend with a promising developmental trajectory. Research in this field mainly focuses on different acupuncture prevention and treatment for various types of headaches, the safety and efficacy of acupuncture, etc. Research on the mechanism of action mainly focuses on interpreting bidirectional and holistic regulation between pain and emotion by acupuncture and the regulation of brain function connection and neuroimaging technology by acupuncture. Future research should expand on the advantages and indications of acupuncture treatment for different headaches and their modern mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acupuncture treatment (AT) of depressive insomnia by traditional Chinese medicine has the advantages of fewer side effects, quicker results, and lower prices compared to medication and psychological and cognitive therapy. Clinicians often select multiple acupoints, such as Bai Hui (GV20), San Yin Jiao (SP6), and Shen Men (HT7), for combined treatment in a single AT session to improve sleep quality. Since the ancient literature on AT often only records the general order of acupoints, there needs to be more discussion on the influence of the multiple acupoint sequence on the priority of efficacy for a specific disease. At the same time, determining the ranking of acupoints in-patient treatment in clinical practice is mainly dependent on the treatment experience of practitioners, and there is no transparent quantitative model or evaluation method for generating credible acupoint sequences from a small and limited scale of cases. Therefore, it is essential to explore the optimization of the order of multiple acupoints in treating depressive insomnia by Traditional Chinese Medicine acupuncture both for the symptom relief of depressive insomnia patients and for the efficient use of national health care resources. This paper proposes a reinforcement learning-based method for optimizing the acupoint sequence for depressive insomnia AT to address these issues. This paper provides a post-AT EEG signal prediction model with related interpretable models to construct a reinforcement learning framework to represent the state transfer of the AT environment and a quantitative EEG signal-based AT efficacy model to represent the reward function. Finally, 30 patients with depressive insomnia were recruited to collect EEG signals during AT for depressive insomnia, and the case data were used to quantify the efficacy of AT and to model the post-AT EEG signal prediction. The above two models were applied to optimize the acupoint sequence based on reinforcement learning. Satisfactory results were obtained, verifying the effectiveness and feasibility of the method proposed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objective: Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. In recent years, the incidence of KOA has been gradually increasing due to population aging and lifestyle changes. As a result, there has been a growing body of research and clinical applications related to acupuncture treatment for KOA. The aim of this study is to analyze and summarize the clinical research progress of acupuncture treatment for KOA in the past 5 years. It seeks to understand the current developments and trends in this field and lay the foundation for future research. Methods: Conducted a systematic review and analysis of clinical research literature on acupuncture treatment for KOA published in the last 5 years, both domestically and internationally. Results: Acupuncture treatment for KOA has shown diverse and effective methods. However, the quality of research literature varies, leading to differences in reported treatment outcomes and a lack of high-quality research findings. Conclusions: It was recommended that future research should develop comprehensive and well-designed study protocols, conduct research with scientific rigor, and improve the overall quality of scientific investigations. In addition, it is advisable to include a few horizontal comparative studies to provide more evidence for the clinical application of acupuncture in treating KOA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessments of treatments for 'subjective symptoms' are problematic and potentially contentious. These are symptoms without ascertainable pathophysiology, also referred to as 'medically unexplained.' Treatments of them may be assessed from different perspectives, and an assessment as seen from one perspective may be discrepant with an assessment as seen from another perspective. The observational study described in the paper represents one perspective. Patients in the study were treated with acupuncture for the subjective symptom of low back pain in a Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic in China; acupuncture is a form of TCM, which is indigenous to China. Shortly after treatment began and six months afterward, patients reported 'clinically important improvements' on a variety of standard, cross‐culturally validated outcome measures, including pain intensity, physical functioning, and emotional functioning; this assessment is consistent with numerous assessments of acupuncture in China and other Southeastern Asian countries. On the other hand, clinical trials represent another perspective from which to assess acupuncture. Although assessments based on trials are not uniform, several assessments based on them, including those published in journals such as Lancet and New England Journal of Medicine, conclude that acupuncture is not effective. These trials, however, were mainly situated in the U.S., western European countries, and other WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, Democratic) countries. This is notable, because the population of China, the indigenous context of acupuncture, is greater than populations of WEIRD countries combined. Patients' expectations of a treatment such as acupuncture and their prior familiarity with it vary among contexts, and patients' experiences of treatment outcomes may vary accordingly. In short, although clinical trials constitute a test of truth in biomedicine and inform authoritative assessments in WEIRD countries, they do not necessarily represent the truth from the perspective of those experiencing outcomes of especially indigenous treatments for subjective symptoms in non‐WEIRD contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background : Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) accounts for more than half of all adult cardiac surgeries worldwide. Post-operative chest pain is a common CABG complication and can cause significant discomfort. Objectives: Because taking large amounts of analgesics can have many side effects, we evaluated whether acupuncture effectively reduces pain and the use of analgesics by CABG patients. Methods : In this clinical trial, 30 patients who had recently undergone CABG were randomly allocated to two groups. For both groups, exercise therapy and routine analgesics were recommended. The intervention group underwent bilateral acupuncture in distinct acupoints, including the HT3, HT4, HT5, HT6, HT7, PC3, PC5, PC6, and PC7 for 10 daily sessions constantly. Visual analog scale (VAS) and analgesic use were evaluated in both groups at baseline and after completing the 10-day treatment. Results : Our analysis revealed significant decreases in the mean VAS scores in both the intervention and the control group, and that the reduction was more significant in the acupuncture group (p < 0.001). Moreover, analgesic use was significantly lower in the acupuncture group when compared with the control group (p < 0.001). Conclusion : Our findings highlight acupuncture as an alternative method of controlling CABG-associated post-operative chest pain and reducing the use of analgesics, which might have many side effects.

Mingqi Tu,1,&ast; Sangsang Xiong,1,&ast; Shengxia Lv,2,&ast; Xiaoting Wu,1 Hantong Hu,3 Renjie Hu,4 Jianqiao Fang,1 Xiaomei Shao1 1Key Laboratory for Research ofAcupuncture Treatment and Transformation of Emotional Diseases, Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Neurology of Zhejiang Province, The Third Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China; 2The School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China; 3The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China; 4The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Xiaomei Shao, Key Laboratory for Research of Acupuncture Treatment and Transformation of Emotional Diseases, Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Neurology of Zhejiang Province, The Third Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, No. 548, Binwen Road, Binjiang District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 189 5713 0287, Email 13185097375@163.comIntroduction: Acupuncture has a long history of treating major depressive disorder (MDD), yet the acupoint selection of acupuncture for MDD varies greatly. This study aimed to explore the characteristics and principles of acupuncture for MDD by analyzing clinical trials of acupuncture for MDD using data mining techniques.Methods: In this study, clinical trials of acupuncture for MDD were retrieved and relevant data were extracted, and then the data were analyzed by data mining techniques. In addition, association rule mining, network analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis were used to determine the correlation between different acupoints.Results: The results revealed that GV20, LR3, PC6, SP6 and GV29 were used most frequently; acupoints in the Yang meridian were used more often than those in the Yin meridian, with the most applied acupoints in the Governor Vessel; the percentage of specific acupoints applied was 69.39%, with the most applied being five-shu points; the frequency of acupoints used was highest in the lower limbs, while the head, face, and neck had the most acupoints used; GV29 combined with GV20 were the most used acupoint groups; the core acupoints used for MDD were GV20, PC6 and SP36; there were 5 acupoint groups according to the cluster analysis. The most used acupuncture method was manual acupuncture; the frequency of treatment was mostly 7 times per week and the duration of treatment was mostly 42 days.Discussion: We discussed the current character of acupuncture treatment on MDD, including the frequency used of acupoints, the property of used acupoints, the acupoint combination, the acupuncture method, and the frequency and duration of treatment. These findings may provide new ideas for the clinical treatment of MDD. However, further clinical/experimental studies are needed to demonstrate the significance of this concept and approach.Keywords: acupuncture treatment, data mining technology, association rule mining, network analysis, cluster analysis

Objective: Acupuncture has become a popular complementary treatment in oncology. This study is based on RNA-Seq transcriptome sequencing technology to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the effect of acupuncture-mediated regulation of the Leptin/AMPK signaling pathway on mitochondrial dysfunction-induced fatigue in breast cancer patients after chemotherapy. Methods: Peripheral blood samples from 10 patients with post-operative chemotherapy for breast cancer were selected for transcriptome sequencing to screen the key molecular pathways involved in fatigue after chemotherapy in breast cancer patients. Besides, peripheral blood samples were collected from 138 post-operative chemotherapy patients with breast cancer to study the composite fatigue and quality of life scores. Flow cytometry was used to detect T lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood-specific immune cells. In addition, a blood cell analyzer was used to measure peripheral blood leukocyte counts, and MSP-PCR was used to detect mitochondrial DNA mutations in peripheral blood leukocytes. Results: Transcriptome bioinformatics analysis screened 147 up-regulated mRNAs and 160 down-regulated mRNAs. Leptin protein was confirmed as the key factor. Leptin was significantly higher in the peripheral blood of breast cancer patients who developed fatigue after chemotherapy. Acupuncture treatment effectively improved post-chemotherapy fatigue and immune status in breast cancer patients, suppressed the expression of Leptin/AMPK signaling pathway-related factor and leukocyte counts, and significantly reduced the rate of mitochondrial DNA mutations in peripheral blood leukocytes. Conclusion: The Leptin/AMPK signaling pathway may be the key molecular pathway affecting the occurrence of fatigue after chemotherapy in breast cancer patients. Leptin may improve post-chemotherapy fatigue in breast cancer patients by activating AMPK phosphorylation and alleviating mitochondrial functional impairment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Acupuncture therapy has been widely used to treat post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI). However, acupuncture therapy includes multiple forms. Which acupuncture therapy provides the best treatment outcome for patients with PSCI remains controversial. Objective: We aimed to compare and evaluate the efficacy and safety of different acupuncture-related therapies for PSCI in an attempt to identify the best acupuncture therapies that can improve cognitive function and self-care in daily life for patients with PSCI, and bring new insights to clinical practice. Method: We searched eight databases including PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, China Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), China Science and Technology Journal (VIP) database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) database, and Wan fang database to find randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of acupuncture-related therapies for PSCI from the inception of the database to January 2023. Two researchers independently assessed the risk of bias in the included studies and extracted the study data. Pairwise meta-analyzes for direct comparisons were performed using Rev. Man 5.4 software. Bayesian network meta-analysis (NMA) was performed using STATA 17.0 and R4.2.4 software. The quality of evidence from the included studies was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system. Adverse effects (AEs) associated with acupuncture therapy were collected by reading the full text of the included studies to assess the safety of acupuncture therapy. Results: A total of 62 RCTs (3 three-arm trials and 59 two-arm trials) involving 5,073 participants were included in this study. In the paired meta-analysis, most acupuncture-related therapies had a positive effect on cognitive function and self-care of daily living in patients with PSCI compared with cognitive training. Bayesian NMA results suggested that ophthalmic acupuncture plus cognitive training (79.7%) was the best acupuncture therapy for improving MMSE scores, with scalp acupuncture plus cognitive training ranking as the second (73.7%). The MoCA results suggested that warm acupuncture plus cognitive training (86.5%) was the best acupuncture therapy. In terms of improvement in daily living selfcare, scalp acupuncture plus body acupuncture (87.5%) was the best acupuncture therapy for improving MBI scores. The most common minor AEs included subcutaneous hematoma, dizziness, sleepiness, and pallor. Conclusion: According to our Bayesian NMA results, ophthalmic acupuncture plus cognitive training and warm acupuncture plus cognitive training were the most effective acupuncture treatments for improving cognitive function, while scalp acupuncture plus body acupuncture was the best acupuncture treatment for improving the performance of self-care in daily life in patients with PSCI. No serious adverse effects were found in the included studies, and acupuncture treatment appears to be safe and reliable. However, due to the low methodological quality of the included studies, our findings need to be treated with caution. Highquality studies are urgently needed to validate our findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) accounts for more than half of all adult cardiac surgeries worldwide. Post-operative chest pain is a common CABG complication and can cause significant discomfort. Objectives: Because taking large amounts of analgesics can have many side effects, we evaluated whether acupuncture effectively reduces pain and the use of analgesics by CABG patients. Methods: In this clinical trial, 30 patients who had recently undergone CABG were randomly allocated to two groups. For both groups, exercise therapy and routine analgesics were recommended. The intervention group underwent bilateral acupuncture in distinct acupoints, including the HT3, HT4, HT5, HT6, HT7, PC3, PC5, PC6, and PC7 for 10 daily sessions constantly. Visual analog scale (VAS) and analgesic use were evaluated in both groups at baseline and after completing the 10-day treatment. Results: Our analysis revealed significant decreases in the mean VAS scores in both the intervention and the control group, and that the reduction was more significant in the acupuncture group (p < 0.001). Moreover, analgesic use was significantly lower in the acupuncture group when compared with the control group (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Our findings highlight acupuncture as an alternative method of controlling CABG-associated post-operative chest pain and reducing the use of analgesics, which might have many side effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fever is the most important symptom of COVID-19, and its timely and correct treatment is of great importance to achieve rapid recovery, prevent further aggravation of the disease and minimize the incidence of long-COVID. This essay systematically discusses the mechanism of fever, its TCM pathogenesis, and different patterns of external pathogen invasions mainly classified as wind cold, wind heat with toxin and damp heat. Acupuncture focuses on the syndrome differentiation in common frameworks such as six channels in Shang Han Lun etc. The acupuncture treatment includes eliminating the external pathogen factors, with consideration of patients’ underlying constitutions as well as psychological factors. Meanwhile, during all the treatment, it is important to especially focus on the lung to restore its physiological functions of dispersing and descending. The main acupuncture points are given and explained after each pattern to provide a clear guide for practitioner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cognitive impairment is one of the common sequelae after stroke, which not only hinders the recovery of patients but also increases the financial burden on families. In the absence of effective therapeutic measures, acupuncture treatment has been widely used in China to treat post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI), but the specific efficacy is unclear. Therefore, this review aimed to evaluate the true efficacy of acupuncture treatment in patients with PSCI. Methods: We searched eight databases [PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, China Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), China Science and Technology Journal (VIP) database, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) database, and Wan fang database] from the inception to May 2022 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) related to acupuncture treatment combined with cognitive rehabilitation (CR) for PSCI. Two investigators independently used a pre-designed form to extract valid data from eligible RCTs. The risk of bias was assessed through tools provided by the Cochrane Collaboration. The meta-analysis was implemented through Rev Man software (version 5.4). The strength of the evidence obtained was evaluated using GRADE profiler software. Adverse events (AEs) were collected by reading the full text and used to evaluate the safety of acupuncture treatment. Results: Thirty-eight studies involving a total of 2,971 participants were included in this meta-analysis. Overall, the RCTs included in this meta-analysis were poor in methodological quality. The combined results showed that acupuncture treatment combined with CR showed significant superiority compared to CR alone in terms of improving cognitive function [Mean Difference (MD) = 3.94, 95% confidence intervals (CI): 3.16-4.72, P < 0.00001 (MMSE); MD = 3.30, 95%CI: 2.53-4.07, P < 0.00001 (MoCA); MD = 9.53, 95%CI: 5.61-13.45, P < 0.00001 (LOTCA)]. Furthermore, the combination of acupuncture treatment and CR significantly improved patients' self-care ability compared to CR alone [MD = 8.66, 95%CI: 5.85-11.47, P < 0.00001 (MBI); MD = 5.24, 95%CI: 3.90-6.57, P < 0.00001 (FIM)]. Meanwhile, subgroup analysis showed that MMSE scores were not sufficiently improved in the comparison of electro-acupuncture combined with CR versus CR alone (MD = 4.07, 95%CI: --0.45-8.60, P = 0.08). However, we also observed that electro-acupuncture combined with CR was superior to the use of CR alone in improving MoCA and MBI scores in patients with PSCI [MD = 2.17, 95%CI: 0.65-3.70, P = 0.005 (MoCA); MD = 1.74, 95%CI: 0.13-3.35, P = 0.03 (MBI)]. There was no significant difference in the occurrence of adverse events (AE) between acupuncture treatment combined with CR and CR alone (P > 0.05). The certainty of the evidence was rated low level because of flaws in the study design and considerable heterogeneity among the included studies. Conclusion: This review found that acupuncture treatment combined with CR may have a positive effect on improving cognitive function and self-care ability in PSCI patients. However, our findings should be treated with caution owing to the existence of methodological quality issues. High-quality studies are urgently required to validate our results in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sciatica results from primary or secondary damage to the sciatic nerve in the lumbar or gluteal region. The first option for sciatica is analgesics, but their therapeutic effect and safety in long-term use are questionable. On the other hand, acupuncture has recently been recognized as a complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) to conventional medicine, and studies on its effectiveness and safety have been actively conducted. Objective: To systematically compare acupuncture with analgesics in terms of effect, safety, and durability in the treatment of sciatica Methods: This review was performed in accordance with Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions Version 6.2. Four databases were searched for this review: Wangfang, the Korean Traditional Knowledge Portal (KTKP), PubMed, and EBSCOhost. The primary outcome measures in the review were total effective rate (TER), visual analog scale (VAS) score and pain threshold, and the secondary ones were adverse effects (AEs) and relapse rates. Risk ratio (RR) for TER and mean difference (MD) for VAS score and pain threshold were used as statistics for the meta-analysis of effectiveness, along with associated 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) and P-values. AEs and relapse rates were used for the safety and durability of the interventions. Version 2 of the Cochrane risk-of-bias assessment tool for randomized trials (RoB 2) was used for the methodological quality of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) included in the review. Results: The synthesized TER of 28 RCTs involving 2707 participants was significantly higher in the acupuncture group compared to the analgesic group (RR [95 % CI] = 1.20 [1.16, 1.24], P

Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is the most common side effect of chemotherapy for breast cancer (BC). Acupuncture treatment has an anti-fatigue effect and can regulate gut microbiota disturbance in fatigue patients. Related studies have shown that the gut microbiota-gut-brain axis is closely related to the occurrence of CRF. In this study, we first investigated the alterations of acupuncture on fatigue-like behavior, gut microbiota, gut inflammation and neuroinflammation response, gut barriers, HPA axis, and serum metabolomics in CRF mice after BC chemotherapy. Then, the correlation analysis of gut microbiota and other indicators was discussed. Our results showed that acupuncture treatment could exert an anti-fatigue effect and ameliorate the gut barrier, gut inflammation, neuroinflammation, and dysfunction of the HPA axis in CRF mice after chemotherapy for BC. 16S rRNA sequencing showed that acupuncture treatment could enhance the abundance of Candidatus Arthromitus, Lactobacillus, and Clostridia_UCG-014_unclassified and decrease the abundances of Escherichia-Shigella, Burkholderia-Caballeronia-Paraburkholderia, and Streptococcus. Serum metabolomics analysis showed that acupuncture treatment could regulate the differential metabolites N-methylnicotinamide, beta-glycerophosphoric acid, geranyl acetoacetate, serotonin and phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan biosynthesis, taurine and hypotaurine, and beta-alanine metabolic pathways. Correlation analysis indicated that there are certain correlations between gut microbiota and gut inflammation, neuroinflammation, gut barrier, HPA axis function and serum metabolites. In conclusion, our findings revealed that the anti-fatigue mechanism of acupuncture treatment may be closely related to the gut microbiota-gut-brain axis. This study also provided a new reference for basic and clinical research on CRF after breast cancer chemotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the potential of using tongue image features as non-invasive biomarkers for diagnosing subthreshold depression and to assess the correlation between these features and acupuncture treatment outcomes using advanced deep learning models., Methods: We employed five advanced deep learning models-DenseNet169, MobileNetV3Small, SEResNet101, SqueezeNet, and VGG19&#95;bn-to analyze tongue image features in individuals with subthreshold depression. These models were assessed based on accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 score. Additionally, we investigated the relationship between the best-performing model's predictions and the success of acupuncture treatment using Pearson's correlation coefficient., Results: Among the models, SEResNet101 emerged as the most effective, achieving an impressive 98.5% accuracy and an F1 score of 0.97. A significant positive correlation was found between its predictions and the alleviation of depressive symptoms following acupuncture (Pearson's correlation coefficient = 0.72, p<0.001)., Conclusion: The findings suggest that the SEResNet101 model is highly accurate and reliable for identifying tongue image features in subthreshold depression. It also appears promising for assessing the impact of acupuncture treatment. This study contributes novel insights and approaches to the auxiliary diagnosis and treatment evaluation of subthreshold depression., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Han, Chang, Tan and Han.)

Erythromelalgia is a rare disease characterized by a triad of recurrent burning pain, redness with pain, and hot flashes in the legs during attacks. We report the case of a 40-year-old woman who suffered from refractory erythromelalgia for 15 years and was successfully managed with Kampo medicine and acupuncture. Her pain was refractory to seven types of oral medications and intravenous lidocaine injections. Byakkokaninjinto was also administered for concomitant polydipsia in addition to acupuncture, unseiin, orengedokuto, and sokeikakketsuto. Because erythromelalgia has no established treatment, traditional Kampo medicine combined with acupuncture may help improve the quality of life of affected patients., Competing Interests: Human subjects: Consent was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work., (Copyright © 2024, Kumada et al.)

Otogenic vertigo is a common disorder that affects the vestibular system, which often results in considerable discomfort and impaired daily functioning. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), including acupuncture and moxibustion, has been historically utilized to manage the symptoms of vertigo. However, the effectiveness and methodology of these treatments have rarely been investigated in the medical literature. This study reviews the existing literature on the point selection, method, and therapeutic effect of acupuncture and moxibustion to provide a reference for the TCM treatment of otogenic vertigo. A literature search was performed using the PubMed search engine. The terms used included otogenic vertigo, acupuncture treatment, and acupuncture point selection. A total of 34 relevant articles were retrieved from PubMed. These suggest that the clinical treatment of otogenic vertigo should consider the functions of zang-fu organs and meridians and select different acupuncture treatment methods according to syndrome differentiation based on the difference between deficiency and excess. Acupuncture and moxibustion therapy should be based on acupoint selection, considering the syndrome differentiation, supplemented with experience. The treatment of otogenic vertigo with acupuncture and moxibustion refers to the selection of appropriate acupuncture methods under the guidance of TCM theory and following the principles of syndrome, disease, and meridian differentiation. Common acupuncture methods include body acupuncture, auricular acupuncture, scalp acupuncture, acupoint injection, electroacupuncture, and moxibustion. There are many acupuncture and moxibustion acupoints selected for the treatment of otogenic vertigo. Individualized treatment according to the patient's specific condition is effective and safe, which can help to improve the patient's vertigo symptoms and cerebral blood perfusion., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: Dr. Zhou has nothing to disclose., (©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is the most common side effect of chemotherapy for breast cancer (BC). Acupuncture treatment has an anti-fatigue effect and can regulate gut microbiota disturbance in fatigue patients. Related studies have shown that the gut microbiota-gut-brain axis is closely related to the occurrence of CRF. In this study, we first investigated the alterations of acupuncture on fatigue-like behavior, gut microbiota, gut inflammation and neuroinflammation response, gut barriers, HPA axis, and serum metabolomics in CRF mice after BC chemotherapy. Then, the correlation analysis of gut microbiota and other indicators was discussed. Our results showed that acupuncture treatment could exert an anti-fatigue effect and ameliorate the gut barrier, gut inflammation, neuroinflammation, and dysfunction of the HPA axis in CRF mice after chemotherapy for BC. 16S rRNA sequencing showed that acupuncture treatment could enhance the abundance of Candidatus Arthromitus, Lactobacillus, and Clostridia_UCG-014_unclassified and decrease the abundances of Escherichia-Shigella, Burkholderia-Caballeronia-Paraburkholderia, and Streptococcus. Serum metabolomics analysis showed that acupuncture treatment could regulate the differential metabolites N-methylnicotinamide, beta-glycerophosphoric acid, geranyl acetoacetate, serotonin and phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan biosynthesis, taurine and hypotaurine, and beta-alanine metabolic pathways. Correlation analysis indicated that there are certain correlations between gut microbiota and gut inflammation, neuroinflammation, gut barrier, HPA axis function and serum metabolites. In conclusion, our findings revealed that the anti-fatigue mechanism of acupuncture treatment may be closely related to the gut microbiota-gut-brain axis. This study also provided a new reference for basic and clinical research on CRF after breast cancer chemotherapy.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a respiratory disease characterized by the presence of chronic airflow obstruction. Previous studies have evaluated the effect of acupuncture treatment (AT) in patients with COPD. Nevertheless, these studies show a great deal of heterogeneity in treatment protocols, having sample sizes that are too small to estimate and clarify effect size and heterogeneity in patients' baseline. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture on quality of life, functional performance, dyspnea, and pulmonary function in patients with COPD. As such, patients will go through the following three phases: Phase I–pretreatment: period of subject selection and inclusion in the protocol, with an interview and performance of exams and tests as follows: Mini-Cog, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, spirometry, the Patient-Generated Index, Saint George's Respiratory Questionnaire, the six-minute walk test, the London Chest Activity of Daily Living, and the COPD Assessment Test. Phase II–8 weeks of treatment, with AT 3 times a week, with two parallel groups: Group I–with 50 subjects–AT according to the recommended technical standards; Group II–with 50 subjects–Control, without acupuncture. Phase III–Continuation of AT for 8 weeks, maintaining the subjects in the previously allocated groups and following the same methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Chronic neck and shoulder pain (CNSP) is a common neurological disorder, which females are more likely to suffer from. The periaqueductal gray (PAG) plays a key role in the descending modulation of pain. This study aimed to investigate altered PAG‐based functional connectivity (FC) in female patients with CNSP related to healthy controls (HCs) and the effect of acupuncture for female patients with CNSP using PAG‐based FC biomarkers. Methods: PAG‐based FC value was calculated based on resting‐state functional images and then compared between patients with CNSP at pre‐acupuncture, post‐acupuncture, and HCs. Then, correlational analyses were performed to examine the relationships between increased PAG‐based FC strength and improved clinical parameters in patients after acupuncture treatment. Results: Before acupuncture treatment, compared to HCs, patients with CSNP showed altered PAG‐based FC with widely distributed brain regions, including the left medial superior frontal gyrus, bilateral posterior insula (pIns), and cingulate gyrus. After treatment, patients with CNSP exhibited specially improved PAG‐pIns FC compared to that before treatment, and no significant difference was observed in the increased PAG‐pIns FC strength between HCs and patients with CNSP after treatment. Furthermore, pain catastrophizing reduction was significantly correlated with the increased PAG‐pIns FC strength in patients after treatment. Conclusion: The effect of acupuncture treatment may relate to the increased PAG‐pIns FC, which significantly correlated with pain catastrophizing reduction after treatment. These findings shed important mechanistic information on the role of therapeutic approaches in treating chronic neck and shoulder pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spasticity after brain injury is a neurological sequela caused by damage to upper motor neurons. The primary symptoms are involuntary muscle activity, decreased muscle strength, and joint contracture. Acupuncture as a therapeutic method to regulate central nervous system function has been studied widely in recent years. Many clinical experiments have proved that acupuncture has positive effects on spasticity after brain injury. In this review, we discuss recent research of acupuncture treatment and the need for large randomized controlled trials.

"Timely, near, and expectation" is the main principle of battlefield rescue for military combat stress reaction (CSR). Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is the most common form of CSR and a long-term persistent mental disorder that is caused by unusual threatening or catastrophic psychological trauma. Chinese medicine (CM) has abundant resources, is simple, easy to master, with few side effects. This article summarizes the cellular and animal experimental mechanisms of CM treatment on PTSD, suggesting that traditional Chinese herbs and acupuncture can protect brain functional areas, and adjust hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis. Traditional Chinese herbs and acupuncture have shown good anti-stress efficacy and fewer side effects in clinical application, which may improve the CSR in the battlefield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ischemic stroke (IS) is one of the leading causes of death and disability. Complicated mechanisms are involved in the pathogenesis of IS. Immunomodulatory mechanisms are crucial to IS. Acupuncture is a traditional non-drug treatment that has been extensively used to treat IS. The exploration of neuroimmune modulation will broaden the understanding of the mechanisms underlying acupuncture treatment. This review summarizes the immune response of immune cells, immune cytokines, and immune organs after an IS. The immunomodulatory mechanisms of acupuncture treatment on the central nervous system and peripheral immunity, as well as the factors that influence the effects of acupuncture treatment, were summarized. We suggest prospects and future directions for research on immunomodulatory mechanisms of acupuncture treatment for IS based on current progress, and we hope that these will provide inspiration for researchers. Additionally, acupuncture has shown favorable outcomes in the treatment of immune-based nervous system diseases, generating new directions for research on possible targets and treatments for immune-based nervous system diseases., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Kuang, Zhu, Chen, Tang and Zhao.)

Objective: To evaluate the structural changes of atherosclerotic plaque before and after acupuncture treatment by three-dimensional ultrasound of Vascular Plaque Quantification technology. Methods: Forty subjects were recruited and randomly divided into acupuncture group and sham acupuncture group. All patients were treated twice a week for 3 months and were observed the changes of the bilateral carotid plaque volume (PV), gray scale value (GSM) and inner media thickness (IMT). Results: The acupuncture group's PV decreased after 3 months, while the sham group's increased slightly. The result were statistically significant (P≤0.05). After treatment, the acupuncture group's left GSM was higher than before, while the sham group's was slightly lower than before. The result were statistically significant (P≤0.05). Although the difference of the acupuncture group's right GSM before and after treatment was not statistically significant, it also had a rising trend. Conclusion: Acupuncture can reduce the volume of carotid atherosclerotic plaque and stabilize the nature of the plaque. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the clinical efficacy of Zeng Ye Bai Hu Tang (Humor-Increasing White Tiger Decoction) combined with pulse-taking acupuncture on dysphagia after radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma and its influence to Epstein-Barr virus shell antigen immunoglobulin A (VCA-IgA), Epstein- Barr virus RTA protein antibody immunoglobulin G (Rat-IgG) and sialic acid (SA) antibody levels. Methods: A total of 83 dysphagia patients after radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma diagnosed and treated in our hospital from June 2015 to April 2017 were selected in the study. By using a random number table method, patients were assigned into either the combination group (n = 41) or the control group (n = 42). Patients in the two groups were treated with Zeng Ye Bai Hu Tang (Humor-Increasing White Tiger Decoction), while patients in the observation group were treated with pulse-taking acupuncture additionally on the basis of the control group. The patients in the two groups were followed up for two years after completing all of the treatments. The efficacy of dysphagia symptom at the last follow-up of patients in the two groups was observed and compared. Moreover, the swallowing function assessment of the patients in the two groups were performed and compared respectively before treatment and at the last follow-up. In addition, scores of quality of life, serum EB virus antibody level and condition of adverse reactions of the patients in the two groups were observed and compared respectively before treatment and at the last follow-up. Results: The total effective rate of the combination group was 90.24%, which was significantly higher than that of the control group (71.42%) (P < 0.05). The mean grade of water drinking test at the last follow-up was compared between the two groups, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The scores of fluid, semi-fluid and solid-state food vadeofluroscopic dysphagia scale (VDS) and scores of World Health Organization Quality of Life instrument-brief (WHOQOL-BREF) were compared between the two groups after treatment, and the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The number of cases with VCA-IgA titer equaling to 1 : 20 and under 1 : 20 in the combination group at the last follow-up was significantly higher than that of the control group (P < 0.05). However, the content of serum Rat-IgG and SA in the combination group was significantly lower than that of the control group (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference between the two groups in number of cases with adverse reactions (P = 0.223). Conclusions: Adding pulse-taking acupuncture on the basis of Zeng Ye Bai Hu Tang (Humor-Increasing White Tiger Decoction) can treat dysphagia after radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma effectively, and the effect of combined treatment is better than that of sole usage of Zeng Ye Bai Hu Tang (Humor-Increasing White Tiger Decoction). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The study aimed to compare the effects of bloodletting and acupuncture treatment on patients with headaches caused by “blood-fire origin”. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out at Affiliated Hospital of National University of Inner Mongolia, with two treatment groups, one receiving bloodletting and the other acupuncture. The effects of both treatments were evaluated using the traditional medical questionnaire, visual analog scale scores, and serum lab tests at baseline and one month after treatment. Sixty patients with headaches caused by “blood-fire origin” participated in the study and 27 were male while 33 were female. The data were analyzed at baseline and 1month after treatment using t-tests. Results: After treatment, all complaints related to headaches improved in both study groups when compared before the treatment (p

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a respiratory disease characterized by the presence of chronic airflow obstruction. Previous studies have evaluated the effect of acupuncture treatment (AT) in patients with COPD. Nevertheless, these studies show a great deal of heterogeneity in treatment protocols, having sample sizes that are too small to estimate and clarify effect size and heterogeneity in patients’ baseline. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture on quality of life, functional performance, dyspnea, and pulmonary function in patients with COPD. As such, patients will go through the following three phases: Phase I–pretreatment: period of subject selection and inclusion in the protocol, with an interview and performance of exams and tests as follows: Mini-Cog, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, spirometry, the Patient-Generated Index, Saint George’s Respiratory Questionnaire, the six-minute walk test, the London Chest Activity of Daily Living, and the COPD Assessment Test. Phase II–8 weeks of treatment, with AT 3 times a week, with two parallel groups: Group I–with 50 subjects–AT according to the recommended technical standards; Group II–with 50 subjects–Control, without acupuncture. Phase III–Continuation of AT for 8 weeks, maintaining the subjects in the previously allocated groups and following the same methodology.

Objective: To observe the sustained expression of transient outward potassium channel related proteins at the end of the treatment and 30 days after the end of the treatment in rats, and to explore the sustained curative effect and mechanism of acupuncture combined with Xijingtongmai decoction in rats with myocardial infarction. Methods: Twenty of 130 male SD rats were random extracted as the control group, and the rest were used to establish myocardial infarction by fed with high-fat diet and then injected with isoproterenol. According to ECG, 80 rats were successfully established. Then they were randomly divided into model group, acupuncture combined with Chinese medicine group, acupuncture group and Western medicine group. The content of bFGF protein was measured by ELISA. The protein contents of Kv1.4, Kv4.2, Kv4.3 and KChIP2 were measured by Western blot. Results: At the end of treatment, compared with the model group, the protein contents of Kv1.4, Kv4.2, Kv4.3, KChIP2 and bFGF in each treatment group increased, and the increase was most significant in the acupuncture combined with Chinese medicine group (P < 0.05). At the end of treatment, compared with the model group, the protein contents of Kv1.4, Kv4.2, Kv4.3, KChIP2 and bFGF in each treatment group increased, and the increase was most significant in the acupuncture combined with Chinese medicine group (P < 0.05). Compared with the treatment group at the end of treatment, the expression of Kv1.4, Kv4.2, Kv4.3, KChIP2 and bFGF protein in each treatment group 30 days after the end of treatment decreased slightly (P < 0.05), but still higher than that of the model group at this time (P < 0.05). The combination of acupuncture and Chinese medicine group decreased the least of them(P < 0.05). Conclusion: The results showed that acupuncture combined with xijingtongmai decoction had a sustained good effect. Its sustained action mechanism may be achieved by continuously increasing the protein content of Kv1.4, Kv4.2, Kv4.3, KChIP2 and bFGF through transient outward potassium channel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: While acupuncture treatment has gained extensive usage in addressing headaches, there remains a notable gap in the literature analysis for this field. Therefore, this study aims to conduct a literature review using Citespace, VOSviewer, and Bibliometrix, aiming to examine the current status, strengths, and potential future directions in the utilization of acupuncture for headache treatment., Methods: Relevant literature on acupuncture treatment for headaches between 2003 and 2023 was retrieved from the Web of Science (WoS) core database. Utilizing CiteSpace 6.1.R6, VOSviewer 1.6.18, and Bibliometrix 4.1.4, we conducted bibliometric analyses across various categories, including countries/regions, institutions, authors, journals, references, and keywords., Results: A total of 808 research reports were included. China and the United States have significantly contributed to this field. Chengdu University of Chinese Medicine holds the record for the highest number of published papers. Liu Lu has the highest publication output, while Linde K has the highest citation rate. MEDICINE leads in publication frequency, while CEPHALALGIA holds the highest citation rate. The Long-term Effect of Acupuncture for Migraine Prophylaxis a Randomized Clinical Trial is the most cited reference. Migraine was the most researched type. Filiform needle acupuncture was the most widely used stimulation method. The safety and efficacy of acupuncture have received significant attention. Modern mechanism research shows that depression, brain functional connectivity, and neuroimaging technology have become research hotspots in the acupuncture treatment of headaches., Conclusion: Acupuncture treatment for headaches has established a stable trend with a promising developmental trajectory. Research in this field mainly focuses on different acupuncture prevention and treatment for various types of headaches, the safety and efficacy of acupuncture, etc. Research on the mechanism of action mainly focuses on interpreting bidirectional and holistic regulation between pain and emotion by acupuncture and the regulation of brain function connection and neuroimaging technology by acupuncture. Future research should expand on the advantages and indications of acupuncture treatment for different headaches and their modern mechanisms., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Zhao, Hu, Luo, Li, Zhao, Wang, Meng and He.)

Baihui (DU20)-penetrating-Qubin (GB7) acupuncture can inhibit inflammatory reactions and activate signaling pathways related to proliferation after intracerebral hemorrhage. However, there is no research showing the relationship between this treatment and cell apoptosis. Rat models of intracerebral hemorrhage were established by injecting 60 μL of autologous blood into the right side of the caudate-putamen. Six hours later, the needle traveled subcutaneously from the Baihui acupoint to Qubin acupoint. The needle was alternately rotated (180 ± 10 turns/min) manually along clockwise and counter-clockwise directions. Stimulation lasted for 7 days, and was performed three times each for 6 minutes with 6-minute intervals between stimulations. Rats intraperitoneally receiving Sonic hedgehog pathway activator, purmorphamine (1 mg/kg per day), served as positive controls. Motor and sensory function were assessed using the Ludmila Belayev test. Extent of pathological changes were measured in the perihemorrhagic penumbra using hematoxylin-eosin staining. Apoptosis was examined by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP nick end labeling assay. Expression of smoothened (Smo) and glioma-associated homolog 1 (Gli1) was determined by western blot assay. Our results showed that Baihui-penetrating-Qubin acupuncture promoted recovery of motor and sensory function, reduced the apoptotic cell percentage in the perihemorrhagic penumbra, and up-regulated Smo and Gli1 expression. We conclude that Baihui-penetrating-Qubin acupuncture can mitigate hemorrhage and promote functional recovery of the brain in a rat model of intracerebral hemorrhage, possibly by activating the Sonic hedgehog pathway.

Objectives: Cancer treatment can present its own physical and mental challenges resulting in symptoms such as fatigue, stress, pain, nausea, and vomiting. Aurora Health Care is a large health system with 19 cancer centers. Integrative therapies such as acupuncture and massage have demonstrated success in reducing cancer-related symptoms and side effects to conventional cancer treatment and improving patient outcomes. In 2018, 15 of the 19 Aurora Cancer Clinics embedded a replicable Integrative Cancer Care closed model to provide adjuvant therapies for the best patient outcomes. This quality improvement study aimed to explore if the replicable integrative care model could demonstrate consistent outcomes for massage and acupuncture therapies aimed at symptom reduction across multiple oncology clinics. Design: Aurora Cancer Care and Aurora Integrative Medicine designed a reproducible integrative therapy service model to be embedded into the Aurora Cancer Centers. Integrative therapies within the cancer centers allow patients easy access to care before, during, or after their cancer treatment. In 2018, 15 of the 19 cancer clinics had integrative therapies available to patients with cancer. This model required unified operations, onboarding, training, competency, and clinical oversight to achieve consistent processes for consistent outcomes. Furthermore, these innovative models prioritized the following: patient access (easy and affordable); service delivery (consistent and operationalized); clinical outcomes (effective and meaningful); and caliber of clinician (competent and confident). Aurora Health Care employs massage therapists (Mts) and acupuncturists (Ats). This employment model allows for standards and program model adherence. To achieve competent and confident clinician's, MT or AT must complete a cancer treatment-focused competency training program relative to their respective profession and adherence to practice standards outlined. The training program is built on evidence-based practice, observation, direct demonstration, return demonstration, mentorship, and ongoing quality review by clinical leaders. Aurora's Integrative Cancer Care closed model of care is accessible to patients through philanthropic funds secured to underwrite the free service of MT provided during infusion treatments. Funds also provided three free AT sessions. Ongoing acupuncture therapies were provided at a low-cost group acupuncture fee at $25.00 per treatment. Acupuncture is available in group format and provided either before or after chemotherapy treatment. The free services were intended to introduce the concept of integrative therapies as a viable adjuvant option with conventional cancer care. As this model incorporates a mix of philanthropic funding and low-cost fees to offset the cost of the therapy provider, it is referred to as a "closed model" or accessible only to those patients under the care of an Aurora Cancer specialist. In 2018, 15 Aurora Cancer Clinics offered massage and 11 Aurora Cancer Clinics offered acupuncture. Patients who self-selected integrative therapies via system-employed Mts and Ats were surveyed pre/post acupuncture and MT treatments using a visual analog scale about their perceived levels of pain, stress, nausea, and neuropathy. The staff integrative clinicians collected data from patients, and post-treatment data were compiled by the Department of Integrative Medicine. Settings/Location: Aurora Cancer Centers are embedded within Aurora hospitals or free-standing clinics located throughout Wisconsin. In 2018, 15 cancer clinic locations embedded Mts, and 11 cancer clinic locations embedded Ats. Subjects: Oncology patients. Interventions: Clinical competencies were developed and applied to address indications, contraindications, and oncology-specific procedures to ensure that consistent quality of therapies was provided across sites. In 2018, Ats delivered 4367 Ats across 11 locations and Mts delivered 4197 Mts across 15 locations. During this study, the number of treatments provided was tracked versus episodic care. Outcome Measures: Pre/post AT and MT pain, stress, nausea, and neuropathy scores were recorded (0 [least] to 10 [worst]) and compared using paired t-tests. Results: Pre/post AT scores for pain, neuropathy, stress, and nausea were all significantly different (p < 0.001). For AT, there was a reported decrease in pain, stress, and neuropathy of 61.7%, 68.8%, and 47.9%, respectively. Pre/post MT scores for pain, neuropathy, nausea, and stress were also significantly different (p < 0.001). MT was greater at reducing stress and pain, 42.5% and 34.4%, respectively. Conclusions: Across 15 cancer clinics, both AT and MT treatments consistently and significantly reduced cancer-related side effects. These findings highlight the value of conducting a larger randomized-controlled trial to further assess the impact of Oncological Multisite Massage and Acupuncture Therapy on cancer-related symptoms across multiple oncologic clinics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To compare the clinical efficacy of methotrexate(MTX) combined with acupuncture and methotrexate treatment in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis(RA) . Methods From July 2017 to July 2018, a total of 80 patients with active RA, being eligible for inclusion criteria,were collected. According to incomplete randomized method by the end number of hospitalization, patients with uneven number were divided into experiment group ( n = 40) and treated with MTX(sig.10 mg po. qw. ) combined acupuncture( moxibustion Shenshu,Zusanli, Yanglingquan, Ashi points + moxibustion), while patients with even number were divided into control group (n = 40) and treated only with MTX(sig. 10 mg po. qw.). Before and during the six months of treatment, laboratory indicators, visual analogue scale(VAS) score of pain and satisfaction degree of patients were evaluated. Six months after treatment, treatment efficacy was evaluated, and degree of remission was also evaluated by using disease activity score in 28 joints(DAS28). Results Among all patients, there was no withdrawal from liver and kidney dysfunction. Levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, creatinine, and blood urea nitrogen were with an increasing trend with the prolonging of treatment time. While levels of erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C reactive protein, rheumatoid factor and VAS score of pain were with an decreasing trend, and those of experiment group were superior to control group ( P< 0. 05). Satisfaction degree of experiment group was better than control group( P< 0. 05). Six months after treatment, the effective rates of experiment group and control group were 87. 50% and 65. 00% respectively,and with statistical difference(P < 0. 05),and the number of patients with RA relief according to the DAS28 score was higher than control group( P < 0. 05). Conclusion The effect of MTX combined with acupuncture on RA could be better than single MTX treatment, and could be with more efficiency to relieve the disease condition and pain of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The therapeutic effect of acupuncture treatment on chronic kidney disease (CKD) was assessed, and the characteristics of acupoint selection in different CKD types were summarised., Methods: A total of 100 patients with CKD were enrolled in this retrospective cohort study, of whom 50 received acupuncture treatment for 12 weeks (acupuncture group) and 50 received routine treatment for 12 weeks (control group). Routine treatment included appropriate rest, low-salt and low-protein diet and correction of the disturbance in water, electrolyte and acid-base balance. Hypertensive patients received antihypertensive treatment, and patients with hyperuricaemia received uric acid lowering treatment. Acupuncture acupoints were selected in accordance with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory. Baseline characteristics, therapeutic effects and adverse events were assessed, and kidney function indexes, urine albumin creatine ratios (UACRs) and estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFRs) were compared at different time points (before acupuncture treatment, T1; Immediately after acupuncture treatment, T2; After 3 months of follow-up, T3)., Results: The baseline data were slightly different between the groups ( p > 0.05), specifically gender, age, duration time, TCM syndrome, CKD stage, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). The acupuncture group presented better therapeutic effects than the control group (82.00% vs. 60.00%, p = 0.015). At T2 or T3, the value of UACR in both groups obviously decreased ( p < 0.05), whereas the eGFRs markedly increased ( p < 0.05). In addition, at T2 or T3, the UACRs were significantly lower in the acupuncture group than in the control group ( p < 0.01), whereas an opposite result was obtained for eGFR ( p < 0.05). The adverse event rate barely differed between the groups (8.00% vs. 6.00%, p = 0.695)., Conclusions: Acupuncture treatment can effectively treat CKD and can improve kidney function. This study provides a theoretical basis for clinical application., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2023 The Author(s).)