Effect of combination of acupuncture and psychological intervention on attention, response inhibition and cerebral blood flow in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the clinical curative effect on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and explore the relevant mechanism of acupuncture in treatment.@*METHODS@#A total of 100 ADHD children were randomized into an observation group (50 cases, 2 cases dropped off) and a control group (50 cases, 1 case dropped off). In the control group, the routine psychological intervention was used. In the observation group, on the base of the treatment as the control group, acupuncture was applied to Taichong (LR 3), Neiguan (PC 6), Shenmen (HT 7), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Baihui (GV 20), Sishencong (EX-HN 1), etc., once daily, for 3 months. The Cambridge neuropsychological tests automated battery (CANTAB) was adopted to evaluate attention and response inhibition in two groups before and after treatment. Digi-Lite color transcranial Doppler was used to measure cerebral arterial blood velocity. The therapeutic effect was compared between the two groups.@*RESULTS@#Regarding evaluation of attention, the mean delay time in the observation group after treatment was shorter than that before treatment and that in the control group separately (@*CONCLUSION@#Acupuncture combined with psychological intervention may improve attention and response inhibition in ADHD children, which is possibly related to the regulation of cerebral blood flow.

Effect of maternal immune level at different pregnancy stages on cow's milk protein allergy in infants / 中国当代儿科杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To study the association between maternal Th1/Th2 immune level at different pregnancy stages and cow's milk protein allergy (CMPA) in infants.@*METHODS@#The healthy women with a singleton pregnancy, as well as their offspring, who attended Yidu Central Hospital of Weifang and Qingzhou Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital from July 2016 to December 2018 were enrolled. The maternal levels of interleukin-2 (IL-2), interferon gamma (IFN-γ), interleukin-4 (IL-4), and interleukin-10 (IL-10) at the second and third trimesters of pregnancy were measured. A CMPA questionnaire survey was conducted within one year after birth. Food avoidance and cow's milk oral challenge tests were performed in infants suspected of CMPA. The 48 infants who met the diagnostic criteria for CMPA were included in the observation group, and the remaining 977 normal infants were included in the control group. A univariate analysis was performed on the infants with CMPA. A Poisson regression analysis was used to determine the association between maternal Th1/Th2 immune factors at different pregnancy stages and CMPA.@*RESULTS@#The detection rate of CMPA was 4.68%. The clinical manifestations included the symptoms of the digestive system, skin, and respiratory system and other symptoms. The univariate analysis showed that compared with the control group, the observation group had significantly higher incidence rates of maternal food allergy and maternal history of allergic diseases (P<0.05) and a significantly lower breastfeeding rate (P<0.05). The observation group had significantly lower maternal levels of IL-2 (second and third trimesters) and IFN-γ (third trimester) than the control group (P<0.05). Maternal low IFN-γ at the third trimester and maternal low IL-2 at the second and third trimesters were significantly associated with CMPA in infants (P<0.05). After correction of the factors of breastfeeding, maternal food allergy, and maternal history of allergic diseases, it was found that maternal low IL-2 and IFN-γ at the third trimester were still significantly associated with CMPA in infants (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#The maternal decrease in Th1 level at the third trimester of pregnancy may lead to the change in fetal immunity and thus increase the risk of CMPA in offspring.

Acupuncture combined with medication improves endocrine hormone levels and ovarian reserve function in poor ovarian response patients undergoing in vitro fertilization-embryo transplantation / 针刺研究

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical effect of acupuncture plus medication in the treatment of poor ovarian response (POR) patients and to explore its mechanisms in assisting pregnancy. METHODS: A total of 100 volunteer POR women undergoing in vitro fertilization-embryo transplantation (IVF-ET) were recruited in the present study. On the 1st cycle of IVF-ET, these POR women received microstimulation of ovulation program (oral administration of Clomiphene, muscular injection of Menotrophin, Chorionic Gonadotrophin triggering, etc.). Before receiving the 2nd period of IVF-ET, these patients were equally and randomly divided into control, medication (Climen, composed of estradiol valerate and cyproterone acetate), acupuncture and acupuncture+medication (combined treatment) groups according to the random number table. Patients of the medication group were asked to orally take Climen (1 tablet/d for 21 days) beginning from the 3rd day of the menstruation, which was repeated for 3 menstrual cycles. Patients of the acupuncture group received manual acupuncture stimulation of Guanyuan (CV4), and bilateral Taixi (KI3), Sanyinjiao (SP6) of and Tai-chong (LR3) from day 8 to 15 of menstruation (follicular phase), once daily for 3 menstrual cycles. On the 2nd day of menstruation of the 1st and 2nd IVF-ET cycle, the ovarian reserve function was detected, including measurement of serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and estradiol (E2) contents by using radioimmunoassay, and serum anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) level by using ELISA, and the antral follicles count (AFC) of the ovaries by using a color Doppler ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus. At the end of ovulation induction, the assisted pregnancy indexes and outcomes were detected, including administration of dosage and days of gonadotropin (Gn), the diameter of dominant oocyte, level of E2 on the trigger day, the numbers of ultrasound-guided-retrieved oocyte and the cultivated high-quality embryo (grade 1 and 2). RESULTS: After the treatment, the contents of serum FSH, LH and E2 in the medication, acupuncture and combined treatment groups were significantly reduced (P0.05). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture combined with medication improves the level of endocrinal hormones and ovarian reservation function in POR women undergoing IVF-ET, benefiting the ovary environment of pregnancy.