Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies最新文献

Importance: As average life expectancy increases, the role of beauty in quality of life (QOL) becomes more important. Invasive rejuvenation methods, such as cosmetic surgery and botulinum toxin injections, do not address the underlying causes of facial aging, are expensive, and carry inherent risks. Acupuncture, as a holistic alternative, may offer a safer method for facial rejuvenation by addressing the overall health of the body.

Objective: This study will evaluate the efficacy and safety of facial and body acupuncture in reducing frown lines in women aged 30-59 in Mashhad, Iran.

Design, setting, and population: A total of 72 participants will be randomly allocated to intervention and control groups.

Exposures: The intervention group will receive 12 sessions of face and body acupuncture over six weeks, while the control group will receive no treatment.

Main outcomes and measures: The primary outcome will be the Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale (GAIS) assessed using standardized photographs. Secondary outcomes include the Subject Satisfaction Scale (SSS) and the QOL scores.

Results: Outcomes will be measured at three time points: baseline (week 0), posttreatment (week 7), and follow-up (week 12).

Conclusions and relevance: The results of this trial will provide robust evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of acupuncture in reducing frown lines.

Importance: Sexual dysfunction in individuals suffering from depression may be both a symptom of the disorder and a side effect of antidepressants. To date, and to our knowledge, no randomized controlled trials have demonstrated the effectiveness of acupressure on sexual function in women of reproductive age who take antidepressants.

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the effect of acupressure on sexual function in women of reproductive age taking Selective Serotonin Reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).

Methods: A randomized clinical trial with a control group. In total, 115 women taking antidepressants and suffering from sexual dysfunction were recruited from Shahid Rajaee Hospital in Yasuj, Iran. They were enrolled based on the inclusion criteria and were randomly assigned to either the acupressure (intervention) or control group. Pressure was applied to subjects in the intervention group at the PC6 and SP6 acupoints, and at placebo points P1 and P2 in the control group. Treatments were administered in a sitting position, twice weekly, for two months. Sexual function was assessed using the Female Sexual Function Index at baseline and after the eight-week intervention period.

Results: The acupressure group showed significant improvements in desire, orgasm intensity, satisfaction, and total sexual function score compared with the control group (p< 0.05).

Conclusions and relevance: This study provides important evidence for supporting the use of acupressure at these specific points to improve sexual function in women taking SSRIs. Acupressure may be a practical and effective intervention for mitigating antidepressant-induced sexual function.

Importance: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a common degenerative joint disease in aging populations. Knee OA is difficult to cure and requires ongoing management. Thread embedding acupuncture (TEA) is a popular Korean medical treatment for knee OA. However, clinical evidence of its effectiveness and safety is insufficient.

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of TEA compared with acupuncture for knee OA.

Design, setting, and population: A two-group, two-arm, parallel, single-center, randomized, controlled, and assessor-blinded pilot trial will be conducted. A total of sixty patients aged between 40 and 85 years old will be recruited.

Exposures: The TEA group will receive four sessions of TEA treatment over 4 weeks. The acupuncture group will receive eight sessions of acupuncture treatment over 4 weeks. A follow-up assessment will be conducted in week 8 for both groups.

Main outcomes and measures: Assessments will be performed at baseline, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks. The primary outcome will be the mean change in the visual analog scale between the two groups at 4 weeks. The secondary outcomes will be the mean change in the Korean Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index, knee range of motion, EuroQol 5-Dimension, patient global impression of change, and dosage of rescue medication. Statistical analysis will be conducted and the level of significance will be achieved in each variables.

Results: The results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal.

Conclusions and relevance: This study provides a rationale for the effectiveness and safety of TEA for knee OA by comparing TEA treatment with acupuncture.

Importance: Auricular acupuncture (AA) regulates the function of systems or organs by stimulating specific regions of the body via efferent pathways in the central areas through the auricle. This case aims to investigate the causes of facial contractions observed during AA.

Case presentation: A female patient, diagnosed with depression and refusing medication, was referred for AA. She presented to our clinic with a complaint of right-sided facial contraction triggered by high-intensity sound during AA.

Conclusions and relevance: After evaluation, a decrease in acoustic reflex thresholds of 0.5 and 1 kHz, along with right-sided facial contractions at the same sound frequencies, were detected. This case offers a new perspective on the neural pathways and connections through the auricle.

In the previous article, the author demonstrated the close relationship between bloodletting practices in medieval Europe and acupuncture in Traditional Chinese Medicine. This study aimed to explore how acupuncture-based treatment was applied in medieval Europe. The author hypothesizes that the physical stimulation of acupuncture points associated with bloodletting was one of the main methods of pain management at that time. The study examined the indications for phlebotomy as depicted in the original illustration from Practica Medicinalis written by the 15th-century Archbishop of Prague, Sigismundus Albicus, supplemented by two other European medieval medical manuscripts. A total of 76 distinct symptoms (corresponding to 25 bloodletting acupuncture points) from the Practica Medicinalis illustration were assembled into four groups: 1) Pain and inflammation symptoms; 2) Symptoms commonly associated with pain and inflammation; 3) General symptoms affecting various organs and functions; and 4) Conditions unrelated to pain or inflammation. Among the 76 symptoms and 25 acupuncture points, only nine symptoms and a single bloodletting point were not associated with the treatment of pain or inflammation. This suggests that acupuncture-based therapy was an effective method for managing pain and inflammation in the Middle Ages and that such treatment could still be valuable from a modern clinical perspective.

Importance: Labor pain presents significant challenges during childbirth, necessitating effective pain management strategies. Auriculotherapy, a non-pharmacological intervention targeting specific ear points, has been explored as a potential solution for alleviating labor pain.

Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy of auriculotherapy in reducing labor pain intensity and improving maternal satisfaction.

Data resources: The electronic databases PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Cochrane Library were searched from inception until December 2023 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating auriculotherapy as an intervention for labor pain management.

Study selection: Two authors independently conducted literature selection based on predefined criteria (i.e., RCTs assessing auriculotherapy for labor pain management).

Data extraction and synthesis: Data extraction was performed independently by two authors, and a random-effects model was used for meta-analysis. The pooled mean difference (MD), with a 95% confidence interval (CI), was calculated to estimate the effect size.

Main outcome(s) and measure(s): The primary outcome was labor pain intensity measured on the visual analog scale.

Results: Meta-analysis of five RCTs involving 451 patients revealed a significant reduction in labor pain following auriculotherapy compared with no treatment (MD, -1.78; 95% CI, -2.62 to -0.93). However, significant heterogeneity was observed among the included studies (I², 87%; p < 0.01).

Conclusions and relevance: Despite the observed heterogeneity, this meta-analysis suggests that auriculotherapy holds promise as a non-pharmacological intervention for alleviating labor pain. Further investigation is warranted to refine auriculotherapy protocols and assess its long-term effects, thereby enhancing its potential as a viable option for labor pain management.

Importance: Acupoint autohemotherapy (AA), a therapeutic technique involving the subcutaneous injection of autologous blood into acupoints, has been empirically validated as safe and effective for treating asthma by alleviating symptoms and decreasing acute attacks, though its mechanism is not well understood.

Objective: The role of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in AA-induced suppression of asthmatic airway inflammation is examined.

Methods: Twenty rats were assigned randomly to four groups, namely the Control, OVA, OVA + AA, and (OVA + Snpp) + AA. Rats in the OVA + AA and (OVA + Snpp) + AA received autologous blood injections into acupoints (BL13 and BL23) following OVA challenge. Rats in the (OVA + Snpp) + AA were concurrently subjected to intraperitoneal injections of Snpp, a inhibitor of HO-1. Airway inflammation was evaluated through HE staining, while the concentrations of cytokines in BALF were quantified using ELISA. The mRNA and protein levels of RORγt (Th17-specific transcription factor), Foxp3 (Treg-specific transcription factor), and HO-1 in lung tissue were assessed through qRT-PCR and WB.

Results: HE staining indicated that airway inflammation was alleviated in the OVA + AA. The OVA + AA displayed significantly lower counts of total cells and eosinophils in the BALF compared to both the OVA and (OVA + Snpp) + AA. The ELISA demonstrated a significant decrease in levels of pro-inflamatory cytokines (IL-4, IL-17A), and an increase in levels of anti-inflamatory cytokines (IFN-γ, IL-10), in the OVA + AA when compared to both OVA and (OVA + Snpp) + AA. The qRT-PCR and WB analyses revealed an upregulation of HO-1 and Foxp3 expression, and a downregulation of RORγt expression, in the OVA + AA when compared to OVA and (OVA + Snpp) + AA.

Conclusions and relevance: The involvement of HO-1 in the underlying mechanism responsible for the anti-inflammatory effects of AA is evident.

Importance: Orthognathic surgery is utilized to rectify facial deformities, but it can lead to neurosensory alterations. Electroacupuncture has been shown to enhance sensitivity and motor functions in patients post-surgery. However, its application in traumatic facial injuries remains inadequately researched.

Objective: To investigate the effects of electroacupuncture on sensitivity and orofacial function in patients undergoing orthognathic surgery.

Design, setting, and population: A randomized clinical trial involving patients undergoing bimaxillary orthognathic surgery and genioplasty who are randomly allocated to either a physiotherapy (PT) or physiotherapy plus electroacupuncture group (PTEA).

Exposures: Participants will be allocated to their respective therapies for a duration of six weeks. The PT group will receive a 50-minute physical therapy session along with 30 minutes of simulated procedure. The PTEA group will receive 50 minutes of physical therapy followed by 30 minutes of electroacupuncture.

Main outcomes and measures: Before treatment, sensitivity will be assessed using the SMILE Sensitivity Test-BAURU kit, edema will be evaluated using the MD Anderson Cancer Center Head and Neck Lymphedema protocol, range of motion will be measured using a digital caliper, and muscle pain and fatigue will be gauged using numerical scales. The chewing function will be evaluated using the Chewing Quality Assessment Questionnaire.

Results: All assessments will be repeated at three and six months following the initiation of treatment.

Conclusions and relevance: This study may provide reliable and high-quality clinical evidence regarding the impact of electroacupuncture on restoring altered sensation and motor function in patients undergoing orthognathic surgery.

Importance: Stroke is a leading cause of disability worldwide and is often accompanied by complications such as spasticity. Static stretching (SS) is a common physiotherapy intervention for reducing spasticity, whereas dry needling (DN) is a novel approach. However, the combined effects of DN and SS on spasticity have not been thoroughly investigated. Given the pivotal effect of spasticity on daily activities, mitigating spasticity can significantly contribute to restoring patient independence.

Objective: This study will explore the impact of DN plus SS on spasticity, alpha motor neuron excitability, overall function, and quality of life in patients with chronic stroke.

Design, setting, and population: A double-blind, randomized, sham-controlled trial will be conducted in patients with post-stroke spasticity in the plantar flexor muscles. Twentyeight participants will be randomly assigned to either an intervention or control group. The intervention group will receive DN (60s × 3 days/week; 1 week) plus SS (20 min × 5 days/ week; 1 week). The control group will undergo sham DN (60s × 3 days/week; 1 week) and SS (20 min × 5 days/week; 1 week).

Exposures: DN plus SS or sham DN plus SS.

Main outcomes and measures: Both groups will be assessed at baseline, immediately post-treatment, and after 1 week of follow-up. Outcome measures will include the Modified Modified Ashworth Scale, H-reflex latency, Hmax/Mmax ratio, active and passive ankle dorsiflexion range of motion, timed up and go test, and the EuroQol questionnaire.

Results: Results from this randomized, sham-controlled study will provide evidence for the effectiveness of DN in combination with SS for spasticity.

Conclusions and relevance: The additional impact of DN in conjunction with SS, a widely used method for reducing muscle tone, remains unclear and warrants investigation. This study, with a high level of evidence, aims to address this knowledge gap.

Importance: We compile and analyze ancient literature related to Baihui (GV20) moxibustion and summarize the development of its ancient clinical application.

Observations: The Chinese Medical Classic (5th edition) was used as the search source to screen and organize articles related to Baihui moxibustion to establish a database. We created indexing norms according to study characteristics and indexed books, dynasties, literary styles, disease key words, matching acupoints, combinations, moxibustion amounts, and moxa cone sizes. SPSS version 24.0 software was used to calculate the index results. A total of 320 articles that met the requirements were finally included and were attributed to 99 ancient books, spanning from the Western Han Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty. A total of 45 keywords were used for disease evidence: the most frequent occurrences were internal medicine (primary category), limb meridians (secondary category), and head diseases (specific patterns).

Conclusions and relevance: Baihui moxibustion has been updated and developed in the literature over the ages, and the method of Baihui moxibustion is diverse. The main treatment rule of Baihui moxibustion considers the whole body and close treatment of partial diseases. Baihui moxibustion also has the rule of following meridian indications, with treatment based on syndrome differentiation and compatible application. Baihui moxibustion alone has a relatively strong effect of raising yang and lifting the sunken, which can treat the sinking of qi and deficiency.