Effect of acupuncture on tic disorder: a randomized controlled clinical trial based on energy metabolomics and infrared thermography.

BACKGROUND: Acupuncture is a method for treating tic disorder. However, there is a lack of sufficient clinical objective basis in regards of its treatment efficacy. Indeed, there are structural abnormalities present in energy metabolism and infrared thermography in children with tic disorder. Therefore, this study proposes a clinical trial scheme to explore the possible mechanism of acupuncture in treating tic disorder. METHODS: This randomized controlled trial will recruit a total of 90 children, in which they will be divided into non-intervention group and intervention group. The non-intervention group consists of 30 healthy children while the intervention group consists of 60 children with tic disorder. The intervention group will be randomly allocated into either the treatment group or the control group, with 30 children randomly assigned in each group. Children either received acupuncture treatment and behavioral therapy (treatment group) or sham acupuncture treatment and behavioral therapy (control group), 3 treatment sessions per week for a period of 12 weeks, with a total of 36 treatment sessions. Outcome measures include YGTSS, urinary and fecal metabolomics, infrared thermography of body surface including governor vessel. For the intervention group, these outcome measures will be collected at the baseline and 90th day prior to intervention. Whereas for the non-intervention group, outcome measures (excluding YGTSS) will be collected at the baseline. DISCUSSION: The main outcome will be to observe the changes of the severity of tic condition, the secondary outcome will be to observe the changes of structural characteristic of infrared thermography of body surface/acupoints along the governor vessel and to evaluate the changes of urinary and fecal metabolomics at the end of the treatment, so as to analyze the relationship between them and to provide further knowledge in understanding the possible mechanism of acupuncture in improving the clinical symptoms via regulating and restoring the body metabolomics network, which in future it can develop as a set of clinical guideline (diagnosis, treatment, assessment, prognosis) in treating tic disorder. ChiCTR2300075188(Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, http://www.chictr.org.cn , registered on 29 August 2023).

Research on the development methodology for clinical practice guidelines for organic integration of traditional Chinese and Western medicine.

Integrated traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Western medicine (WM) is a new medical science grounded in the knowledge bases of both TCM and WM, which then forms a unique modern medical system in China. Integrated TCM and WM has a long history in China, and has made important achievements in the process of clinical diagnosis and treatment. However, the methodological defects in currently published clinical practice guidelines limit its development. The organic integration of TCM and WM is a deeper integration of TCM and WM. To realize the progression of "integration" to "organic integration", a targeted and standardized guideline development methodology is needed. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to establish a standardized development procedure for clinical practice guidelines for the organic integration of TCM and WM to promote the systematic integration of TCM and WM research results into clinical practice guidelines in order to achieve optimal results as the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

[Effect of acupuncture combined with rehabilitation training on cognitive function and amino acid metabolism in children with cerebral palsy].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of acupuncture combined with rehabilitation training on cognitive function and amino acid metabolism in children with cerebral palsy. METHODS: Twenty children with cerebral palsy (cerebral palsy group) were randomly divided into an acupuncture and rehabilitation group (11 cases) and a rehabilitation group (9 cases), and 10 healthy children were included as the normal group. The rehabilitation group was treated with rehabilitation training, 30 min each time; on the basis of rehabilitation training, the acupuncture and rehabilitation group was treated with acupuncture at Sishenzhen, Zhisanzhen, Naosanzhen, Niesanzhen, Dazhui (GV 14), Shenzhu (GV 12), Mingmen (GV 4), etc. The Sishenzhen (left and right points) and the ipsilateral Niesanzhen were respectively connected with a group of electrodes, intermittent wave, frequency of 2 Hz for 30 min. Both groups were treated once every other day, three times a week, totaling for 3 months. The Gesell developmental diagnostic scale (GESELL) was used to evaluate the developmental quotient (DQ) scores before and after treatment, and the blood samples of children with cerebral palsy before and after treatment and normal children were collected for amino acid metabolomics. RESULTS: Compared before treatment, the DQ scores of adaptation, fine motor and social in the acupuncture and rehabilitation group was increased after treatment (P<0.05), and the DQ score of fine motor in the rehabilitation group was increased after treatment (P<0.05). Compared with the normal group, the serum L-glutamate, L-ornithine, L-tyrosine, L-methionine and L-arginine in the cerebral palsy group were down-regulated, and L-histidine, L-citrulline, 5-hydroxylysine and L-glutamine were up-regulated before treatment. The functional pathways mapped by different metabolites between the cerebral palsy group and the normal group included arginine biosynthesis, arginine and proline metabolism, etc. Compared with the cerebral palsy group, the serum L-histidine was decreased, and L-citrulline showed decreasing trend in the acupuncture and rehabilitation group after treatment. CONCLUSION: Acupuncture combined with rehabilitation training could improve cognitive function in children with cerebral palsy, and the effect may be related to the down-regulation of L-histidine and L-citrulline metabolism.

Effect of "Tonifying Kidney and Invigorating Brain" acupuncture in children with spastic cerebral palsy analyzed by multi-modality MRI combined with dynamic electroencephalogram.

INTRODUCTION: Cerebral palsy is the most common motor disability of childhood. Spastic cerebral palsy accounts for 60% to 70% of cases. Research has shown that acupuncture can improve the quality of life of children with cerebral palsy, but the mechanism of action remains unclear. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of acupuncture for treatment of children with spastic cerebral palsy and to assess the value of multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ambulatory electroencephalogram (EEG) for evaluation of treatment effect. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This randomized controlled trial will enroll a total of 72 children with CP from 2 hospitals-Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine and Nanjing State Hospital of Pediatric-with 36 participants from each hospital. Patients will be randomly assigned (1:1 ratio) to receive "Tonifying Kidney and Invigorating Brain" acupuncture treatment plus standardized physical rehabilitation treatment (treatment group) or only standardized physical rehabilitation (control group). All participants will receive 3 treatment sessions per week for 3 consecutive months; they will then be followed up for another 3 months. The primary outcome measures will include multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ambulatory electroencephalogram (EEG), and Gesell Developmental Diagnostic Schedules. The secondary outcome measures will include Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS), Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM), Functional Independence Measure (WeeFIM), and Modified Ashworth Scale score. Outcome measures (including primary and secondary outcome measures) were collected at the baseline, 3 months and 6 months prior to the intervention.Ethics and dissemination PATIENTS CONSENT:: Obtained. ETHICS APPROVAL: The central independent ethics committee of Jiangsu Province Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine approved the protocol (2017NL-115-02). SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS: Routine blood tests and liver and kidney function tests will be conducted to exclude patients with severe heart, liver, or kidney diseases. The same examinations will be performed again at the end of the study to detect any possible side effects. Possible acupuncture-related adverse events (e.g., fainting, needle stick injury, local infection, subcutaneous hematoma, and low-grade fever) will be documented. Serious adverse events will be reported to the principal investigator immediately. All unexpected and unintended responses, even those not necessarily related to the acupuncture intervention, will be documented as adverse events. CASE DROPOUT MANAGEMENT: Participants have a right to withdraw from the study at any time if they feel uncomfortable upon receiving the treatments or being diagnosed with serious complications or diseases. They will then be referred to the preferred department for further treatment and management. If cases of dropout, the researcher need to contact the participant to reason the problem out, collect and record all the necessary assessments on the last visit as well as the date of last visit. All data available until the date of withdrawal will be stored for further statistical analysis. DISCUSSION: This research is being conducted to assess the value of acupuncture as an intervention for rehabilitation of children with spastic cerebral palsy and also to evaluate the usefulness of multimodal MRI and ambulatory EEG for identifying changes in brain function. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial is registered with Chinese Clinical Trials Register, ChiCTR 1900024546 (registered 15 July 2019; retrospective registration, http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=35763).

Electroacupuncture Relieves Irritable Bowel Syndrome by Regulating IL-18 and Gut Microbial Dysbiosis in a Trinitrobenzene Sulfonic Acid-Induced Post-Inflammatory Animal Model.

Post inflammatory irritable bowel syndrome (PI-IBS), a subset of IBS, is characterized by symptoms of visceral pain, bloating, and changed bowel habits that occur post initial episode of intestinal infection. Gut microbial dysbiosis or inflammation plays a key role in the pathogenesis of abdominal hypersensitivity of PI-IBS. Electroacupuncture (EA) stimulation results in an alleviated PI-IBS-associated symptom. This study investigated the effect of EA on IL-18 and gut microbial dysbiosis in one visceral hypersensitive rat models with PI-IBS. A trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced visceral hypersensitivity rat model was developed. EA stimulation was applied to the ST25 and ST36 acupoints. Animals were assessed using abdominal withdrawal reflex (AWR) scores to determine the development of colonic visceral hypersensitivity. The 16S rRNA was used to correlate microbial diversity. IL-18 expression in colon was quantified by quantitative real-time PCR and western blotting. We identified that model rats had an increased visceral hypersensitivity to colorectal distention at different distention pressures compared with the normal group. Sensitivity to colorectal distention decreased after EA stimulation. The composition of the fecal microbiota was different between groups. Specifically, in the model group Empedobacter, Psychrobacter, Enterococcus, Butyricimonas, Vampirovibrio, Kurthia, Intestinimonas, Neisseria, Falsiporphyromonas, Bilophila, Fusobacterium, Alistipes, Veillonella, Flavonifractor, Clostridium XlVa were more abundant affected genera, whereas Lactobacillus was enriched in normal rats. EA stimulation was correlated with significant decrease in the phyla of Fusobacteria. The mRNA and protein levels of IL-18 were higher in the model group. Meanwhile, EA stimulation attenuated this response. In a word, our findings suggest that PI-IBS is associated with significant increase in IL-18 levels as well as an alteration in microbiome diversity. These changes can be reversed with EA treatment. EA stimulation has a positive effect in alleviating symptoms of visceral hypersensitivity and protecting the gastrointestinal tract.

[Professor SHENG Can-ruo's academic thoughts and acupoint selection experience for hot flashes].

Professor SHENG Can-ruo is a well-known national veteran doctor with over 70 years of clinical experience. He has unique academic thoughts and clinical experience for common diseases and some difficult and complicated diseases. This paper mainly introduces professor SHENG 's syndrome-differentiation thought and experience of acupoint selection for hot flashes. It is emphasized that common hot flashes, such as hot flashes and night sweats, are different between yin and yang. While regulating yin and yang, more attention should be paid to ying-wei harmony, which is not only suitable for women's perimenopausal syndrome, but also for a series of clinical diseases caused by refractory drugs such as endocrine therapy after breast cancer surgery. At the same time of acupoint selection based on syndrome differentiation, a more rational prescriptions should be made according to the duration of the disease and the experience acupoints to improve the clinical efficacy.