Search

The purpose of this study is to examine visual search in a wide range of everyday graphical user interfaces.

Purpose. Acupuncture and moxibustion techniques have been increasingly used to treat peripheral neuropathic pain (PNP). However, there is a paucity of comparative information and cost-effectiveness assessment for techniques on PNP management. Patients and Methods. Randomized controlled trials studying the acupuncture or moxibustion treatments on PNP were identified from electronic databases. The quality of the included studies and the potential risk of bias was evaluated using the ROB 2.0 assessment tool. The primary outcome was at least 20% pain relief. The treatment effects were pooled through a frequentist-based network meta approach. Subsequently, the cost-effectiveness measured by incremental cost per additional responder (ICPR) was calculated. Results. One three-arm trial and 15 two-arm trials comprising 1308 participants that satisfy the eligibility criteria were identified. Among the included studies, 12.5% were at low risk of bias, 68.75% had some concerns about the risk of bias, and 18.75% were at high risk of bias. The major sources of bias originated from the randomization processes of the studies. The patients were assigned to seven different acupuncture or moxibustion interventions and two pharmaceutical treatments. Except for acupoint injection, all the included acupuncture and moxibustion techniques showed superior improvements in PNP and were more cost-effective as compared to pharmaceutical treatments. Warm needling, fire needling, and moxibustion were the most effective treatments. Fire needling showed the lowest ICPR relative to the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the cost-effectiveness analysis of direct and indirect costs. Conclusion. Acupuncture and moxibustion techniques are beneficial and cost-effective approaches for easing PNP and hence can be considered for PNP management.

Background. Previous studies have shown that electroacupuncture (EA) has a positive effect on motor and sensory function in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). This review evaluated the effectiveness of EA for improvement in activities of daily living in patients with SCI. Methods. We searched the Cochrane Library, PubMed, Web of Science, CNKI, WanFang Data, and VIP databases using a search strategy according to the guidelines of the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Review of Interventions up to 30th September 2020. Only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of EA in patients with SCI were included. We analyzed the data using RevMan (version 5.3) and graded the quality of evidence using GRADE profiler 3.6.1. Results. This meta-analysis included 10 RCTs with 712 patients. Three studies revealed that the functional independence measure score for SCI patients in the EA group was higher than that in the control group (mean difference [MD] = 13.46, 95% CI: 8.00 to 18.92, P < 0.00001 ). Five studies showed that the modified Barthel index in the EA group was higher than that in the control group (MD = 6.92, 95% CI: 4.96 to 8.89, P < 0.00001 ). Five studies showed that the American Spinal Injury Association-motor score (ASIA-motor score) in the EA group was higher than that in the control group (standard MD = 0.96, 95% CI: 0.75 to 1.18, P < 0.00001 ). Three studies reported the ASIA-tactile and pain scores and also reported that the scores in the EA group were higher than those in the control group, with high homogeneity (tactile I2 = 86%, P = 0.0008; pain I2 = 54%, P = 0.11). The quality of evidence for the use of EA for improvement in motor and sensory function in SCIs was moderate according to the GRADE system. Conclusion. This review suggested that EA improves activities of daily living and motor function in patients with SCI, with a moderate level of evidence.

Background Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) refers to pain which remains after the healing of rashes from herpes zoster. Previous literatures have shown that acupuncture has potential benefits for PHN, but evidence remains lacking. Thus, we have performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify the effectiveness of acupuncture in the treatment of PHN. Methods Six databases were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to assess the effects of acupuncture on PHN. After selecting the studies, extracting the data, and assessing study quality, meta-analysis was performed on several of the studies with RevMan 5.3. The GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment Development and Evaluation) system was used to assess the overall quality of the evidence. Results Acupuncture helps relieve pain intensity (standardized mean difference [SMD]: -1.78, 95% confidence interval [CI]: -2.36 to -1.21). For other intervention types, electroacupuncture (SMD: -1.28, 95% CI: -2.51 to -0.05), fire needle (SMD: -2.23, 95% CI: -2.62 to -1.84), bloodletting and cupping (SMD: -2.46, 95% CI: -2.95 to -1.97) have better effects on pain intensity relief. To date, no study has reported on the onset of pain relief time. The Hamilton Anxiety Scale score (SMD: -18.94, 95% CI: -37.37 to -0.52) was lower for the acupuncture group than for the control group. It was also found that acupuncture can improve quality of life (QOL) (SMD: 3.78, 95% CI: 2.50 to 5.06). The quality of evidence for acupuncture for PHN pain intensity was moderate according to the GRADE system. Conclusion Acupuncture may reduce pain intensity, relieve anxiety and improve quality of life in patients with PHN. Further randomized trials with larger sample sizes and of higher methodological quality are needed to confirm these results.

Background This study evaluates the reporting quality of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on acupuncture use for the treatment of postherpetic neuralgia and explores related factors. Methods The following six databases PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, VIP, CNKI, and SinoMed, were systematically searched from their inception to December 2018. RCTs using acupuncture as an intervention for postherpetic neuralgia were selected and incorporated in this study. The reporting quality was assessed based on the CONSORT statement and the STRICTA guidelines. Regression analyses were also conducted on pre-specified study characteristics searching for factors associated with reporting quality. Results A total of 137 RCTs were included in this study. The CONSORT based median OQS was 12 (minimum 3, maximum 29). Of the items comprised in the statement, ten were sufficiently reported (reported in over 70% of trials). The remaining fifty-five items were poorly reported (reported by fewer than 5% of trials). The STRICTA based median OQS was 9 (minimum 2, maximum 15). The results showed that eight of the comprised items were well reported (reported in over 70% of trials), and only three were incompletely reported (reported in fewer than 20% of trials). Based on the CONSORT statement related analysis, a post-2010 publication (β coefficient 2.394, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.168–3.620) and funding (β coefficient 4.456, 95% CI: 3.009–5.903) represented independent and significant predictors of a high overall reporting quality. However, only a funding source (β coefficient 1.305, 95% CI 0.219–2.391) was associated with an increased OQS based on STRICTA analysis. Conclusion The findings indicated that RCTs on acupuncture for PHN generally had a sub-optimal reporting quality, a situation that improved for those published after 2010 or with funding sources. Therefore, rigorous adherence to the CONSORT statement and the STRICTA guidelines should be emphasized in future studies.

Objective In 2017, the International Standard for Reporting Items for practice Guideline in HealThcare (RIGHT) published reporting guidelines to enhance transparency and clarity in the process of developing clinical practice guidelines (CPGs). Given the original tool was developed in 2017 and demanded in developing and reporting high quality of acupuncture CPGs, an extension with a focus on a specific reporting checklist was warranted. Study Design and Setting The study was designed based on the methodology recommended by the Enhancing the Quality and Transparency Of Health Research (EQUATOR) Network with modification accordingly. A reporting checklist and its elaboration and explanations for users were developed. Results A checklist of seven sections (Basic information, Background, Evidence, Recommendations, Funding, Declaration and management of interest, Other information), twenty-three first level items and forty-three second level items was developed. We clarified the rationales of the items and provided explanations and examples of each item for additional guidance. Conclusion The RIGHT for Acupuncture checklist identifies a set of items to be reported when reviewing clinical practice guidelines on acupuncture. This extension can be expected to improve the reporting quality of CPGs on acupuncture.

Background This article aims to summarize the key characteristics of registered trials of 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19), in terms of their spatial and temporal distributions, types of design and interventions, and patient characteristics among others. Methods A comprehensive search of the registered COVID-19 trials has been performed on platforms including ClinicalTrials.gov, WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (WHO ICTRP), Chinese Clinical Trials Registry (CHiCTR), Australian Clinical Trials Registry, Britain’s National Research Register (BNRR), Current Control Trials (CCT), and Glaxo Smith Kline Register. Trials registered at the first 8 weeks of the COVID-19 outbreak are included, without language restrictions. For each study, the registration information, study design, and administrator information are collected and summarized. Results A total of 220 registered trials were evaluated as of February 27, 2020. Hospital-initiated trials were the majority and account for 80% of the sample. Among the trials, pilot studies and phase 4 trials are more common and represent 35% and 19.1% of the sample, respectively. The median sample size of the registered trials is 100, with interquartile range 60–240. Further, 45.9% of the trials mentioned information on a data monitoring committee. 54.5% of the trials did not specify the disease severity among patients they intend to recruit. Four types of interventions are most common in the experimental groups across the registered studies: antiviral drugs, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), biological agents, and hormone drugs. Among them, the TCM and biological agents are frequently used in pilot study and correspond to a variety of primary endpoints. In contrast, trials with antiviral drugs have more targeted primary outcomes such as “COVID-19 nucleic acid test” and “28-day mortality.” Conclusions We provide an evidence mapping and analysis of registered COVID-19 clinical trials in China. In particular, it is critical for ongoing and future studies to refine their research hypothesis and better identify their intervention therapies and the corresponding primary outcomes. It is also imperative for multiple public health divisions and research institutions to work together for integrative clinical data capture and sharing, with a common objective of improving future studies that evaluate COVID-19 interventions.

ObjectiveTo assess the efficacy and safety of Aβ-targeting agents for mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease.MethodsThe MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PsycINFO, ClinicalTrials.gov and the WHO’s International Clinical Trials Registry Platform search portal were searched from their inception to April 2020. We generated pooled estimates using random effects meta-analyses.ResultsNineteen randomised controlled trials, of which 17 had a low risk of bias, included 12 903 participants. The meta-analysis showed no difference in the cognitive subscale of Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS-Cog) between anti-Aβ drugs and placebo (mean difference (MD): 0.20, 95% CI −0.40 to 0.81; I2=99.8%; minimal important difference 3.1–3.8 points, moderate-certainty evidence). For ADAS-Cog, results suggested that one drug that increases Aβ clearance may differ in effect (MD: −0.96, 95% CI −0.99 to −0.92) from drugs that reduce Aβ production (MD: 0.78, 95% CI 0.25 to 1.32) (interaction pDiscussionFrom current evidence, anti-Aβ interventions are unlikely to have an important impact on slowing cognitive or functional decline. Although the subgroup analysis suggested possible benefits from Aβ clearance drugs, the analysis has limited credibility, and a benefit from drugs that increase clearance, if real, is very small.Trial registration numberPROSPERO registration number CRD42019126272.

Objective. To explore the methods for improving the reporting quality of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) on acupuncture through evaluating the reporting quality in RCTs of acupuncture for acute herpes zoster by the CONSORT statement and STRICTA guidelines. Methods. English and Chinese databases were searched from database creation until October 2018 and updated to July 2019. The basic characteristics and methodological quality of the literatures included were evaluated based on the CONSORT statement and the STRICTA guidelines. Descriptive statistical analysis was used in this study. The agreement between the two researchers of all items was calculated by Cohen’s kappa statistics. Results. A total of 40 RCTs were included. Based on the CONSORT statement, items “Background,” “Randomised” in the title or abstract,” “Statistical methods,” and “Outcomes and estimation” were good reporting, with positive rates >80%. However, the quality of reporting in items “Sample size,” “Allocation concealment,” “Implementation,” “Blinding,” “Flow chart,” “Intent-to-treat analysis,” “Ancillary analyses,” and “Clinical Trials Register” was very poor, with positive rates 80%. The reporting quality of items “Numbers of needles inserted,” “Depth of insertion,” “Responses elicited,” and “Practitioner background” was lower, with positive rates Conclusion. The reporting quality of RCTs in acupuncture for acute HZ is generally inadequate. It is necessary that researchers and journal editors learn and raise the adoption of the CONSORT statement and STRICTA guidelines to enhance the reporting quality of the RCTs in acupuncture.

Additional file 1. Standard Protocol Items: Recommendations for Interventional Trials (SPIRIT) Checklist.

Additional file 1 : Figure S1. Screening process. Figure S2. Number of new trials registered in global registry platforms by different types of test drugs. Table S1 Description of primary drugs in experimental and control group.

Additional file 2. Standards for Reporting Interventions in Clinical Trials of Acupuncture (STRICTA).

Background Opioid dependence is an increasing public health problem all over the world. Patients with opioid dependence have to receive methadone maintenance therapy (MMT) as replacement therapy for years or even for their entire life. Acupuncture as a kind of therapy has been used to treat substance dependence for many years. Jin’s three-needle acupuncture (JTN), a type of acupuncture technique, has been applied to treat various diseases for several decades. However, JTN as an acupuncture technique has not been used to treat patients receiving MMT. Therefore, we designed a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture as adjunctive therapy for patients receiving MMT. Methods/design This study is a parallel-arm, randomized controlled trial that aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture as adjunctive therapy for patients receiving MMT. A total of 140 eligible participants who range in age from 18 to 60 years and fulfil the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-V), for opiate dependence will be enrolled into this study. All eligible participants will be randomly assigned to the acupuncture group or routine group in a 1:1 allocation ratio. Participants who are enrolled in the acupuncture group will receive MMT and JTN treatment for 30 min per session. Meanwhile, those who are assigned to the routine arm will receive MMT only. All 18 sessions of JTN treatment will be delivered over 6 weeks (3 per week) and followed by a 4-week follow-up period. The primary outcome measure will be the visual analogue scale (VAS) for drug craving and the daily consumption of methadone (DCOM). Secondary outcome measures will include the urine test for opioid use, the 36-item Short Form Survey (SF-36), the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II) and Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI). VAS, DCOM, BAI, BDI-II and the urine test for opioid use will be evaluated at baseline, the second week, the fourth week, the sixth week and the tenth week. SF-36 and PSQI will be assessed at baseline, the fourth week, the sixth week and the tenth week. Discussion The results of this trial will provide evidence on the efficacy and safety of acupuncture as adjunctive therapy for patients receiving MMT. Trial registration Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR1900026357. Registered on 2 October 2019.

Background: Postpartum subinvolution of the uterus is a more common condition after cesarean section. Auricular acupressure (AA) is widely used for the treatment of postpartum diseases. However, few studies have explored the effects of AA as a treatment of uterine involution following cesarean section to date. This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of AA for uterine involution after cesarean section. Methods: A total of 109 women who underwent cesarean section participated in this study. They were randomly allocated to either real AA or sham AA in a 1:1 ratio by a computer program. For 3 days, the real AA and sham AA groups received treatment 3 times daily. A series of assessments at 42 days after cesarean section, namely on the uterine size, the incidence of hydrometra, the first anal exsufflation time, bleeding volume at 6 hours, bleeding volume at 6–24 hours along with other general assessments were carried out. Results: A total of 89 women completed the study. The uterine size at 42 days after a cesarean section was 6.3 cm smaller in the real AA group than in the sham AA group (P

Objectives To evaluate the completeness of reporting of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of acupuncture for post-stroke rehabilitation in order to provide information to facilitate transparent and more complete reporting of acupuncture RCTs in this field. Methods Multiple databases were searched from their inception through September 2015. Quality of reporting for included papers was assessed against a subset of criteria adapted from the Consolidated Standards for Reporting Trials (CONSORT) 2010 statement and the Standards for Reporting Interventions in Controlled Trials of Acupuncture (STRICTA) guidelines. Each item was scored 1 if it was reported, or 0 if it was not clearly stated. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed. Cohen's κ-statistics were calculated to assess agreement between the two reviewers. Results A total of 87 RCTs were included in the full text. Based on CONSORT, good reporting was evident for items “Randomised’ in the title or abstract’, ‘Participants’, ‘Statistical methods’, ‘Recruitment’, ‘Baseline data’, and ‘Outcomes and estimation’, with positive rates >80%. However, the quality of reporting for the items ‘Trial design’, ‘Outcomes’, ‘Sample size’, ‘Allocation concealment’, ‘Implementation’, ‘Blinding’, ‘Flow chart’, ‘Intent-to-treat analysis’, and ‘Ancillary analyses’ was very poor with positive rates Conclusions The reporting quality of RCTs in acupuncture for post-stroke rehabilitation is unsatisfactory and needs improvement.

// Liming Lu 1 , Leiyu Shi 2 , Jingchun Zeng 3 and Zehuai Wen 1, 4 1 The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China 2 Department of Health Policy and Management, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA 3 Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China 4 National Center for Design Measurement and Evaluation in Clinical Research, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China Correspondence to: Zehuai Wen, email: wenzh@gzucm.edu.cn Keywords: aspirin, breast cancer, dose-response Meta-analysis Received: January 17, 2017 Accepted: February 20, 2017 Published: March 17, 2017 ABSTRACT Background: Previous meta-analyses on the relationship between aspirin use and breast cancer risk have drawn inconsistent results. In addition, the threshold effect of different doses, frequencies and durations of aspirin use in preventing breast cancer have yet to be established. Results: The search yielded 13 prospective cohort studies (N=857,831 participants) that reported an average of 7.6 cases/1,000 person-years of breast cancer during a follow-up period of from 4.4 to 14 years. With a random effects model, a borderline significant inverse association was observed between overall aspirin use and breast cancer risk, with a summarized RR = 0.94 ( P = 0.051, 95% CI 0.87-1.01). The linear regression model was a better fit for the dose-response relationship, which displayed a potential relationship between the frequency of aspirin use and breast cancer risk (RR = 0.97, 0.95 and 0.90 for 5, 10 and 20 times/week aspirin use, respectively). It was also a better fit for the duration of aspirin use and breast cancer risk (RR = 0.86, 0.73 and 0.54 for 5, 10 and 20 years of aspirin use). Methods: We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE and CENTRAL databases through early October 2016 for relevant prospective cohort studies of aspirin use and breast cancer risk. Meta-analysis of relative risks (RR) estimates associated with aspirin intake were presented by fixed or random effects models. The dose-response meta-analysis was performed by linear trend regression and restricted cubic spline regression. Conclusion: Our study confirmed a dose-response relationship between aspirin use and breast cancer risk. For clinical prevention, long term (>5 years) consistent use (2-7 times/week) of aspirin appears to be more effective in achieving a protective effect against breast cancer.

Exercise may effectively reduce side effects caused by chemotherapy. However, no meta-analyses of exercise during or postchemotherapy for cancer patients have been definitely performed to guide clinical practice.To evaluate and summarize available scientific evidence to provide recommendations of an exercise intervention for cancer patients undergo chemotherapy.A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed with databases searching of MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, and Embase from their inception to October 15, 2017. Literature was selected to identify randomized controlled trials of exercise during or postchemotherapy for cancer patients. Risk-of-bias assessment was performed by two reviewers independently. Data were analyzed using the Cochrane Collaboration's RevMan 5.3 (Review Man, Copenhagen, Denmark).A total of 10 trials with 838 participants were included in our study. Exercise could have a beneficial effect in cancer patients undergo chemotherapy in the outcome of physical fitness (MD: 0.16, 95% CI: 0.08-0.25, p .01 and MD: 2.46, 95% CI: 1.44-3.47, p .01) and depression (MD: -1.36, 95% CI: -2.68 to -0.04, p = .04), but not in FACT-G, FACT-B, anxiety, weight, and BMI (all p .05). Exercise sequence (during or postchemotherapy) did not influence the effect of exercise for cancer patients undergo chemotherapy. In total, six studies were assessed as an overall low risk of bias. Subgroup analyses and sensitivity analyses reached results similar to those of the meta-analyses, which reflected our results were reliable and robust.Exercise seems to have a beneficial effect on physical fitness and depression, but not on quality of life, anxiety, weight, and BMI. More specific and detailed description of the implementation of exercise programs should be proposed in the future.

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma, also called malignant hepatoma, is a primary malignancy of the liver. Despite regular surveillance conducted in high‐risk populations, most people with hepatocellular carcinoma are diagnosed at an advanced stage. Consequently, only a minority of people with the disease are suitable for surgical resection when diagnosed. OBJECTIVES: To compare the beneficial and harmful effects of transcatheter arterial chemoembolisation (TACE) followed by three‐dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3‐DCRT) versus TACE alone in adults with primary hepatocellular carcinoma, considered unsuitable for surgical resection. SEARCH METHODS: We searched The Cochrane Hepato‐Biliary Group Controlled Trials Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, LILACS, Science Citation Index Expanded, and Conference Proceedings Citation Index – Science up to 31 May 2018. We checked reference lists for all included studies and related reviews for further relevant articles. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included all randomised clinical trials comparing TACE followed by 3‐DCRT versus TACE alone in people with primary hepatocellular carcinoma. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: We used standard methodological procedures as suggested by Cochrane. We presented the results of the fixed‐effect model in the absence of statistical heterogeneity. Otherwise, we reported the results from the random‐effects model meta‐analysis. We assessed risk of bias of the included trials using bias risk domains and presented the review results incorporating the methodological quality of the trials using GRADE. Our main conclusions were based on the analysis up to three years' follow‐up. MAIN RESULTS: We identified eight randomised clinical trials (632 participants) that fulfilled our inclusion criteria. All eight trials were at high risk of bias, and we rated the evidence as low to very low certainty. The mean age ranged from 16 years to 78 years. The proportion of men ranged from 60% to 75% and the proportion of people with stage III primary hepatocellular carcinoma ranged from 22% to 85%. The median follow‐up duration was 12 months (2 months to 38 months). TACE followed by 3‐DCRT compared with TACE alone may have reduced all‐cause mortality at three years' follow‐up (risk ratio (RR) 0.80, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.73 to 0.88; 552 participants; 7 trials; low‐certainty evidence). TACE followed by 3‐DCRT compared with TACE alone may reduce the proportion of participants without tumour response (complete response plus partial response) (RR 0.49, 95% CI 0.39 to 0.61; 632 participants; 8 trials; low‐certainty evidence). Data, from one trial on health‐related quality of life, favoured the TACE followed by 3‐DCRT group, but the provided data were ill‐defined (very low‐certainty evidence). None of the trials reported serious adverse events. The results on non‐serious adverse events were as follows: TACE followed by 3‐DCRT compared with TACE alone showed no difference in the results for proportion of participants with leukopenia (RR 1.12, 95% CI 0.92 to 1.34; 438 participants; 5 trials; very low‐certainty evidence) and serum transaminases elevation (RR 1.67, 95% CI 0.66 to 4.27; 280 participants; 4 trials; very low‐certainty evidence). However, the proportion of participants with total bilirubin elevation was larger in the TACE followed by 3‐DCRT group than in the TACE alone group (RR 2.69, 95% CI 1.34 to 5.40; 172 participants; 2 trials; very low‐certainty evidence). The rate of participants with serum alpha‐fetoprotein (AFP) without decline or normalisation was significantly lower in the TACE followed by 3‐DCRT group than in the TACE group, but these data were from one trial only (Chi² = 7.24, P = 0.007; very low‐certainty evidence). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: TACE followed by 3‐DCRT may be associated with lower all‐cause mortality and increased tumour response, despite the increased toxicity expressed by a higher rise of total bilirubin. Our review findings should be considered with caution because of the methodological weaknesses in the included trials, resulting in low‐ to very low‐certainty evidence. Data on serious adverse events and health‐related quality of life are lacking. We are also very much uncertain in the results of the reported non‐serious adverse events. High‐quality trials are needed to assess further the role of TACE followed by 3‐DCRT for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background Herpes zoster (HZ), is a painful skin rash disease with cutaneous symptoms and acute zoster-associated pain (ZAP). Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), as the most frequent sequela of HZ, can persist a long time. Both HZ and PHN may significantly impact the quality of life and made great economical afford to affected patients. Its optimal treatment on HZ and PHN is still an urgent problem. In China, thermotherapy, including moxibustion and fire needle, is widely used because they can quickly promote the recovery of shingles and reduce the occurrence of PHN. Thermotherapy can also reduce pain intensity, relieve anxiety, and improve quality of life of PHN. Based on the current literatures, the effect and safety of thermotherapy will be systematically evaluated to provide appropriate complementary therapies for HZ and PHN. Methods Studies search for eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that use thermotherapy including fire needle and moxibustion for HZ or PHN from the following databases: PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), China Biology Medicine Database (CBM), Technology Periodical database (VIP), and Wanfang database. Language restrictions for retrieving literature are English and Chinese. Their data extraction will be done by 2 researchers. Mean difference (MD) or relative risk (RR) with fixed or random effect model in terms of 95% confidence interval (CI) will be adopted for the data synthesis. To evaluate the risk of bias, the Cochrane's risk of bias assessment tool will be utilized. The sensitivity or subgroup analysis will also be conducted when meeting high heterogeneity (I2 > 50%). Results This meta-analysis will provide an authentic synthesis of the thermotherapy's effect on HZ and PHN, including incidence of postherpetic neuralgia and adverse events. Discussion The findings of the review offer updated evidence and identify whether thermotherapy can be an effective treatment for HZ and PHN for clinicians. Registration number INPLASY2020110009.

Background : Since the outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), acupuncture has been widely used in the treatment of COVID-19. The research community has responded rapidly and have already been published many research articles about this topic. Methods : We searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library as well as CNKI, Wanfang and VIP from 1 January 2020 to 31 July 2021. The dates of publication, language of publication, methodological characteristics and the key findings were analyzed separately. The data were presented by bar graphs, structured tables and figures. Results : In this scoping review, 16 research articles were included: 7 case reports, 6 observational studies, 1 review, 1 RCT and 1 nonrandomized clinical trial. The majority of the articles (81.3%) were published by Chinese scholars whereas 12.5% articles were from scholars in United States and 6.3% articles were from scholars in Iran. Included studies uncovered that acupuncture can alleviate the symptoms of COVID-19 patients, shorten the hospitalization days, and is effective for the elderly. There are no side effects reported. The most frequently acupoints were used are LI4, PC6, ST36 and KI3. Finally, there are many obstacles in implementing acupuncture therapy in treating COVID-19 patients. Conclusion : Acupuncture has a good effect in the treatment of COVID-19, but still lacks high-quality evidence support. Coupled with the difficulties that acupuncturists faced in the process of treatment, the promotion of acupuncture treatment of COVID-19 still faces many obstacles.

Background: Cancer pain (CP) is one of the common complications of cancer. During the treatment, oral medication, radiotherapy and chemotherapy bring certain adverse reactions to patients with CP; a safe way to treat this disease is necessary. Acupuncture and related therapies for CP with few side effects have been gradually accepted. But at present the evidence is insufficient, the related research is not thorough enough. The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture and related therapies for CP. Methods: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) guidelines were used to design this protocol. The final study will also be conducted under the PRISMA guidelines for systematic reviews and meta-analysis. An electronic search will be conducted in Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases through January 2020. The search will be conducted in English. Risk of bias will be assessed by the Cochrane Collaboration tool and the collected evidence will be nar-ratively synthesized. We will also perform a meta-analysis to pool estimates from studies considered to be homogenous. Subgroup analyses will be based on intervention or overall bias. The strength of evidence will be evaluated by the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation scale. Results: This systematic review will summarize high quality clinical evidence to assess and appraise the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture and related therapies for CP patients. Conclusion: The meta-analysis will assess evidence from randomized controlled trials of acupuncture and related therapies and CP types. INPLASY registration number: INPLASY202040129.

Introduction: Herpes zoster (HZ) is currently treated primarily with antiviral drugs, yet this treatment has been debated. Acupuncture is becoming a more important treatment in this protocol. For example, pain intensity is lower among HZ patients who receive acupuncture plus moxibustion than among those who receive pharmacotherapy. There are many types of acupuncture interventions, including electroacupuncture, moxibustion, bloodletting. In this study, a network meta-analysis (NMA) is used to rank various interventions of acupuncture. Methods and analysis: Electronic searches of abstracts and titles will be performed in MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, CBM, CNKI, CQVIP, and Wanfang Data databases, from inception to December 31, 2019. Published and unpublished controlled trials with different acupuncture interventions will be selected, trials of antiviral drugs as the control group. All patients of HZ will be included, except for those diagnosed with PHN, immunocompromised patients, or those with complications. The effective therapy rate and the incidence of PHN are primary outcomes. The NMA will be analyzed with Stata 13.0 and GeMTC 0.14.3. Discussion: The NMA will be established to compare various interventions of acupuncture for the therapy of HZ, that could resolve the limitations of previous methodologies with this protocol. It will be possible to determine the best acupuncture intervention for more primary outcomes of therapy, including subgroup analysis of patients with aged ≥50 years and those of aged

To observe the effect difference between fire needle combined with chemotherapy and fire needle on quality of life in patients with chemotherapy of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).With randomized controlled method, a total of 60 patients with chemotherapy of NSCLC were divided into an observation group (fire-needle plus chemotherapy group) and a control group (chemotherapy group), 30 cases in each one. The observation group was treated with fire needle atThe effective rate was 20.0% (6/30) and the stability rate was 73.3% (22/30) in the observation group, which were insignificantly higher than 16.7% (5/30) and 63.3% (19/30) in the control group, respectively (bothFire needle can improve quality of life in patients of NSCLC chemotherapy.

Objectives To investigate the quality of reporting for randomised controlled trials of acupuncture for neurological disorders conducted in China before and after the implementation of the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) and Standards for Reporting Interventions in Controlled Trials of Acupuncture (STRICTA) guidelines. Methods The quality of reporting for included papers was assessed against a subset of criteria adapted from CONSORT and STRICTA. CONSORT and STRICTA were developed in 1996 and 2001, respectively. Thus, for the date of publication we selected 2-year periods, at 5-yearly intervals: 1994–1995; 1999–2000; 2004–2005 and 2009–2010. These selections cover the periods before the publication dates of both guidelines (1996, 2001) and at least 3 years afterwards, and provide reasonably up-to-date data. We calculated the total score for each guideline and compared reported differences during different date ranges. Results For CONSORT items (maximum score 8), there was evidence of a slight improvement in reporting between 1994–1995 and 1999–2000 combined (2.5±0.6) and 2004–2005 and 2009–2010 combined (3.0±0.9) (difference 0.5, 95% CI 0.2 to 0.8). For STRICTA items (maximum score 17), there was evidence of a slight improvement in reporting between 1994–1995 and 1999–2000 combined (8.9±1.8) and 2004–2005 and 2009–2010 combined (10.3±1.6) (difference 1.4, 95% CI 0.9 to 1.9). Conclusions The quality of reporting for studies of acupuncture for neurological disorders has generally improved since the implementation of STRICTA and CONSORT guidelines.

Genetic alterations in K-ras and p53 are thought to be critical in pancreatic cancer development and progression. However, K-ras and p53 expression in pancreatic adenocarcinoma have not been systematically examined in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Data Portal. Information regarding K-ras and p53 alterations, mRNA expression data, and protein/protein phosphorylation abundance was retrieved from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) databases, and analyses were performed by the cBioPortal for Cancer Genomics. The mutual exclusivity analysis showed that events in K-ras and p53 were likely to co-occur in pancreatic adenocarcinoma (Log odds ratio = 1.599, P = 0.006). The graphical summary of the mutations showed that there were hotspots for protein activation. In the network analysis, no solid association between K-ras and p53 was observed in pancreatic adenocarcinoma. In the survival analysis, neither K-ras nor p53 were associated with both survival events. As in the data mining study in the TCGA databases, our study provides a new perspective to understand the genetic features of K-ras and p53 in pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Background Inequalities in demographic, socio-economic and health status for China labor force place them at greater health risks, and marginalized them in the utilization of healthcare services. This paper identifies the inequalities which limit the utilization of health services among China labor force, and provides a reference point for health policy. Methods Data were collected from 23,505 participants aged 15 to 65, from the 2014 China Labor Force Dynamic Survey (a nationwide cross-sectional survey covering 29 provinces with a multi-stage cluster, and stratified, probability sampling strategy) conducted by Sun Yat-sen University. Logistic regression models were used to study the effects of demographic (age, gender, marital status, type of hukou and migration status), socio-economic (education, social class and insurance) and health status (self-perceived general health and several chronic illnesses) variables on the utilization of health services (two-week visiting and hospitalization during the past 12 months). Goodness of fit was assessed using Hosmer-Lemeshow test. Discrimination ability was assessed based on the area under the receiver operating curve (AUC). Results Migrants with more than 1 (OR 2.80, 95% CI 1.01 ~ 7.82) or none chronic illnesses (OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.01 ~ 7.82) are more likely to be two week visiting to the clinic than non-migrants; migrants with none chronic illnesses (OR 0.61, 95% CI 0.45 ~ 0.82) are less likely to be in hospitalization during the past 12 months than non-migrants. Female, elder, hukou of non-agriculture, higher education level, higher social class, purchasing more insurance and poorer self-perceived health were predictors for more utilization of health service. More insurance benefited more two-week visiting (OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.06 ~ 1.17) and hospitalization during the past 12 months (OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.07 ~ 1.18) for individuals with none chronic illness but not ≥1 chronic illnesses. All models achieved good calibration (Hosmer-Lemeshow test’s P range of 0.258-0.987) and discrimination (AUC range of 0.626-0.725). Conclusions This study has shown that there are inequalities of demographic, socio-economic and health status in the utilization of health services for China labor force. Prudent health policy with equitable utilization of health services eliminating mentioned inequalities should be a priority in shaping China’s healthcare system reform.