Global trends and performances of infrared imaging technology studies on acupuncture: a bibliometric analysis.

Objectives: To summarize development processes and research hotspots of infrared imaging technology research on acupuncture and to provide new insights for researchers in future studies. Methods: Publications regarding infrared imaging technology in acupuncture from 2008 to 2023 were downloaded from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC). VOSviewer 1.6.19, CiteSpace 6.2.R4, Scimago Graphica, and Microsoft Excel software were used for bibliometric analyses. The main analyses include collaboration analyses between countries, institutions, authors, and journals, as well as analyses on keywords and references. Results: A total of 346 publications were retrieved from 2008 to 2023. The quantity of yearly publications increased steadily, with some fluctuations over the past 15 years. "Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine" and "American Journal of Chinese Medicine" were the top-cited journals in frequency and centrality. China has the largest number of publications, with the Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine being the most prolific institution. Among authors, Litscher Gerhard from Austria (currently Swiss University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Switzerland) in Europe, was the most published and most cited author. The article published by Rojas RF was the most discussed among the cited references. Common keywords included "Acupuncture," "Near infrared spectroscopy," and "Temperature," among others. Explore the relationship between acupoints and temperature through infrared thermography technology (IRT), evaluate pain objectively by functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), and explore acupuncture for functional connectivity between brain regions were the hotspots and frontier trends in this field. Conclusion: This study is the first to use bibliometric methods to explore the hotspots and cutting-edge issues in the application of infrared imaging technology in the field of acupuncture. It offers a fresh perspective on infrared imaging technology research on acupuncture and gives scholars useful data to determine the field's hotspots, present state of affairs, and frontier trends.

Different Acupuncture Therapies for Postherpetic Neuralgia: An Overview of Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is the most common complication of herpes zoster infection and affects patients' quality of life. Acupuncture therapy is regarded as a competitive method of treatment for analgesia. OBJECTIVE: To summarize evidence from systematic reviews (SRs) and evaluate the effectiveness and safety of different acupuncture therapies for treating PHN. METHODS: Eight electronic databases were searched from their inception to August 5, 2022, including 4 international electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science) and 4 Chinese databases (Chinese Biomedical Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, VIP Database and Wanfang Database). Methodological quality was assessed by A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews 2 (AMSTAR 2). The Risk of Bias in Systematic Review (ROBIS) tool was used to assess the risk of bias in SRs. Evidence level was assessed by the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. RESULTS: Totally, 7 SRs were included, including 128 studies and 9,792 patients. In AMSTAR 2, most of the SRs were of low or critically low levels since they had more than 1 critical deficiency. In ROBIS, 1 SR (14.29%) was rated as high risk, and the other 6 (85.71%) were rated as low risk. In the GRADE system, 9 outcomes (28.13%) were valued as high level, 5 (15.63%) as moderate level, 1 (3.13%) as low, and 17 (53.13%) as very low. In the effectiveness of acupuncture therapy, the group "moxibustion vs. original medical treatment" [mean difference (MD)=-1.44, 95% confidence interval (CI): -1.80 to -1.08, I2=99%, P<0.00001] was of the highest heterogeneity and the group "bloodletting vs. original medical treatment" (MD=-2.80, 95% CI: -3.14 to -2.46, I2=0, P<0.00001) was of the lowest heterogeneity. Six SRs have reported the safety of their studies and no serious events were shown in the treatment and control groups. CONCLUSIONS: Acupuncture therapy seems to be effective in treating PHN. Despite the evidence that suggested the advantages of acupuncture therapy in relieving pain and promoting efficacy and safety, the methodological quality was quite low. Further studies should pay more attention to the quality of original studies and evidence for SRs to confirm these findings. (PROSPERO registration No. CRD42022344790).

Electroacupuncture and carbamazepine for patients with trigeminal neuralgia: a randomized, controlled, 2 × 2 factorial trial.

BACKGROUND: Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is difficult to treat due to its severe pain intensity and recurring episodes, which significantly impact quality of life. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to assess the effectiveness of electroacupuncture (EA) in alleviating the pain intensity in TN, and to determine whether EA combined with low-dosage carbamazepine (CBZ) has a synergistic effect. METHODS: A multi-centre, randomized, 2 × 2 factorial trial was conducted. Participants who met the inclusion criteria received active EA or sham EA for 60 min, three times a week for four weeks; CBZ (300 mg per day) or placebo for four weeks. The primary outcome was the change in visual analog scale (VAS) score from baseline to weeks 2, 4, 16, and 28. Secondary outcomes included quality of life and adverse events. RESULTS: A total of 120 participants (75 females and 45 males; mean (SD) age, 58.5 (15.3) years) were included. The main effects of EA and CBZ were significant (P < 0.001), and there was a significant interaction was identified between the interventions (P = 0.041). Participants who received EA (mean difference [MD], -0.3 [95% CI, -0.40 to -0.20] at week 2; -1.6 [-1.70 to -1.50] at week 4; -1.1 [-1.31 to -0.89] at week 16; -0.8 [-1.01 to -0.59] at week 28), CBZ (MD, -0.6 [95% CI, -0.70 to -0.50] at week 2; -0.9 [-1.03 to -0.77] at week 4, -0.2 [-0.41 to 0.01] at week 16, 0.2 [-0.01 to 0.41] at week 28), and the combination of both (MD, -1.8 [95% CI, -1.90 to -1.70] at week 2; -3.7 [-3.83 to -3.57] at week 4, -3.4 [-3.61 to -3.19] at week 16, -2.9 [-3.11 to -2.69] at week 28) had a greater reduction in VAS score over the treatment phase than their respective control groups (sham EA, placebo, and sham EA plus placebo). EA-related adverse events (6/59, 10.17%) were lower than that of CBZ (15/59, 25.42%) during the whole phases. CONCLUSIONS: EA or CBZ alone are effective treatments for TN, while the combination of EA and low-dosage CBZ exerts a greater benefit. These findings in this trial demonstrate that the combination of EA and low-dosage CBZ may be clinically effective under certain circumstances. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT03580317.

Research Trends of Percutaneous Endoscopic Lumbar Discectomy in the Treatment of Lumbar Disc Herniation Over the Past Decade: A Bibliometric Analysis.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the research trends of percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy in treating lumbar disc herniation using bibliometrics over the past ten years. Methods: Relevant publications on the clinical application of percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy in lumbar disc herniation were searched in the Web of Science Core Collection. Subsequently, the characteristics of all these articles were collected. Visualizing data of annual publications, journals, cited journals, authors, cited authors, countries, institutions, keywords, and cited references was performed by using CiteSpace (6.1.R6). Results: A total of 642 publications were extracted between 2013 and 2022. The number of publications peaked in the year 2020. The most prolific journal was World Neurosurgery (81), and Spine (597) as the cited journal was the most popular one. China (393) was the most prolific country, followed by South Korea (100). The institution with the most productivity was Tongji University (35). Yue Zhou (20) was the most prolific author, and Sebastian Ruetten (310) was the most cited author. The keyword "interlaminar" was top of research developments with the highest citation burst (8.69). "Lumbar disc herniation", "surgical technique", and "complication" were popular keywords. The surgical procedures and complications of percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy have been the hot topics of recent research. Conclusion: This study summarized the current situation and development trends of percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy clinical research in the form of visualization, and these findings may help researchers explore new directions in the future.

Research Trends of Acupuncture Therapy on Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Bibliometric Analysis.

Background: Acupuncture has been confirmed as a suitable therapy for treating polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). However, there is no bibliometric analysis of the global use of acupuncture for PCOS. Our study used CiteSpace (5.8.R3) to provide a profile of the current state and trends in this field. Methods: Articles regarding acupuncture therapy for treating PCOS were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection. CiteSpace was used to analyze the number of publications, countries, institutions, journals, authors, cited references, and keywords by using standard bibliometric indicators. Results: A total of 159 publications were considered for the final analysis. The number of publications has slowly increased with fluctuations between years, and the most active countries, institutions, journals, and authors concerning acupuncture therapy for PCOS were identified. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine was the most productive journal, and Fertil Steril was the most cited. China and Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine were considered the most prolific countries and institutions in this field, respectively. Elisabet Stener Victorin became the most influential author and most cited author. Jedel E. published the most cited article. "Polycystic ovary syndrome" was the most frequent keyword, and the top three frontiers mentioned were research method, intervention, and outcome. Conclusion: The current status and trends in clinical research of acupuncture therapy on PCOS patients are revealed according to the results of this bibliometric study, which may facilitate researchers to identify hot topics and new directions for future study in this field.

The effect of acupuncture on condition being studied emotional disorders in patients with postpartum: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: As one of the common postpartum diseases, postpartum emotional disorders (PEDs) mainly include postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder, which significantly affect the patient's quality of life. Acupuncture has been widely used as a popular alternative complementary therapy for the treatment of PEDs. Nevertheless, its effectiveness and safety remain uncertain. Hence, the first systematic review and meta-analysis will be urgently executed to explore the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture in the treatment of PEDs. METHODS: Eight databases will be searched, including the PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, Wanfang Database, and Technology Periodical Database. Only randomized controlled trials of acupuncture for PEDs will be considered. The languages are limited to English and Chinese. All publications were retrieved by 2 researchers independently. Assessment of the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale will be dedicated as a primary outcome, and secondary outcomes include the Hamilton Anxiety Inventory, the Hamilton Depression Inventory, the Orientation to Life Questionnaire (sense of coherence 29-item scale), and adverse effects of acupuncture. The Cochrane Risk of Bias tool will be used to assess the quality of the eligible publications. Additionally, the level of evidence for results will be evaluated by using the Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation method. All data will be analyzed statistically by using RevMan V.5.3 software. RESULTS: This study will provide a high level of the evidence-based basis for the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture in the treatment of PEDs. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study will assess the safety, efficacy, and adverse effects of acupuncture in the treatment of PEDs. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: No ethical approval is required as patient data will not be collected. In addition, the results of this meta-analysis will be disseminated through publication in peer-reviewed scholarly journals or relevant academic conferences. REGISTRATION NUMBER: INPLASY 2021120091.

Efficacy of Electroacupuncture for the Treatment of Postherpetic Neuralgia: Study Protocol for a Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial.

Introduction: Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is a severe complication of herpes zoster (HZ), representing an important burden of disease in the elderly. Electroacupuncture (EA) has become growingly appreciated as a therapy of PHN with the situation that effectiveness of conventional therapy of PHN is less than ideal. Owing to its low price, no side effects, high safety and high patients acceptance, EA has been used in treating PHN more frequently. Therefore, the randomized controlled trial which is to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of EA in patients with PHN and whether EA could be an alternative therapy of medication is needed. Patients and Methods: A total of 88 patients with PHN will be recruited from 2 hospitals and randomized assigned to EA group or Medication group in a 1:1 ratio, utilizing a central randomization system. The trial will involve a 4-week treatment period, and a 4-week follow-up period. All variables will be evaluated at week 0 (baseline), week 2 (treatment), week 4 (treatment), week 8 (follow-up) and week 16 (follow-up). Primary outcomes will be pain intensity. Secondary outcomes will contain quality of life, mood state and sleep quality. All adverse effects will be assessed during the trial. Conclusion: This study will provide significant evidence that whether EA therapy is effective and safe for patients with PHN and whether EA could be an alternative therapy of medication. Ethics and Dissemination: Ethics approval has been obtained from the Ethics Committee of the Hangzhou Third People's Hospital (No. 2021KAO43). Informed consent will be signed before enrolment. Results of this trial will be presented to international journals for publication and be reported in relevant international conferences. Trial Registration Number: This protocol has been registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial registry with the identification code ChiCTR2100054592.

Research Trends of Moxibustion Therapy for Pain Treatment Over the Past Decade: A Bibliometric Analysis.

Background: Accumulate evidence indicated that moxibustion has a positive effect on pain treatment. However, the bibliometric analysis of moxibustion on pain remains uncertain. Herein, this study aimed to explore the current hotspots and the research trends over the past decade to bring a great panorama in this field. Methods: Publications were retrieved from the database Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) related to moxibustion therapy for pain treatment from January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2021. CiteSpace and Excel were applied to analyze the volume of publications, journals, cited journals, dual-map analysis, countries, institutes, authors, references, and keywords with citation bursts. Results: A total of 360 publications were retrieved from 2012 to 2021. The annual number of publications increased steadily with some fluctuations over the past 10 years. "The Evid Based Complement Alternat Med" and "the Gut" were the top-cited journals in frequency and centrality. China and Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine were the most prolific country and institutions, respectively. Among authors, Huangan Wu was the most active author with the highest cited frequency. Jun Xiong, Fanrong Liang and Guixing Xu held the articles with higher centrality. In the ranking of frequency and centrality in cited references, the top one was the article published by Shamseer L and Deng HY, respectively. "Acupuncture" was the keyword with the highest frequency. Pain disease (including rheumatoid arthritis, knee osteoarthritis, herpes zoster), research method (including randomized controlled trial), and risk (including quality of life, economic burden, physical and psychological problems) were the hotspots and frontier trends in this field. Conclusion: This bibliometric study reveals the current status and research trend in the treatment of pain with moxibustion. The formulation with bibliometric analysis further elicits hot spots and frontier issues in this field.

Effectiveness and safety of acupuncture for treating trigeminal neuralgia associated anxiety and depression: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Patients with trigeminal neuralgia (TN) often develop a terrible fear of triggering pain, which may lead to anxiety and depression, exerting a negative effect on their quality of life. This protocol is carried out to comprehensively explore the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture for treating anxiety and depression induced by TN. METHODS: Randomized control trials involving acupuncture for treating patients with anxiety and depression caused by TN will be searched in eight electric databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, Wanfang Database and Technology Periodical Database (VIP). In addition, studies that were reported in Chinese or English will be considered. Studies selection, data extraction and risk of bias assessment of the included studies will be conducted independently by two reviewers. Quality of the included studies will be performed according to the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. Meanwhile, the level of evidence for results will be assessed by using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation method. The primary outcomes will be the Hamilton Anxiety/Depression Scale or Zung Self-Rating Anxiety/Depression Scale, secondary outcomes will be the visual analog score, numerical rating score, SF-36, and adverse events. All analyses will be conducted by using the RevMan software V5.3. RESULTS: A high-quality synthesis of current evidence of acupuncture for TN patients associated with anxiety and depression will be provided in this study. CONCLUSION: This systematic review will offer comprehensive evidence of acupuncture on specific outcomes induced by TN and TN-related anxiety and depression. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO registration number: CRD42020219775.