[Theoretic analysis on twirling acupuncture manipulation for reinforcing and reducing in treatment of hypertension by academician SHI Xue-min].

The paper explains academician SHI Xue-min's understanding on hypertension and the concrete application of twirling acupuncture technique for reinforcing and reducing in treatment of hypertension, and explores the theoretic basis of the first and second definitions of twirling acupuncture technique for reinforcing and reducing proposed by the academician SHI Xue-min. It is believed that the dysfunction of the sea of qi and the disharmony of the liver and spleen are the etiologies of hypertension, thus, the treatment principles are suggested as "activating blood circulation, dispersing wind, smoothing liver qi and strengthening spleen functions". Renying (ST 9) is selected as the main acupoint, while Hegu (LI 4), Taichong (LR 3), Quchi (LI 11) and Zusanli (ST 36) are used as the adjuvant acupoints. The twirling acupuncture technique is applied to achieve reinforcing or reducing. Four elements are determined to the successful application of this needling technique, i.e. direction of exertion, strength of exertion, manipulation duration of twirling needle, and the interval duration between two treatments of acupuncture. Eventually, the specification on acupuncture treatment for hypertension can be effectively promoted.

Study on quantitative diagnosis model of TCM syndromes of post-stroke depression based on combination of disease and syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Post-stroke depression (PSD) is one of the most common stroke complications with high morbidity. Researchers have done much clinical research on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) treatment, but very little research on diagnosis. Based on the thought of combination of disease and syndrome, this study will establish a unified and objective quantitative diagnosis model of TCM syndromes of PSD, so as to improve the clinical diagnosis and treatment of PSD. OBJECTIVE: First: To establish a unified and objective quantitative diagnosis model of TCM syndromes in PSD under different disease courses, and identify the corresponding main, secondary, and concurrent symptoms, which are based on the weighting factor of each TCM symptom. Second: To find out the relationship between different stages of PSD and TCM syndromes. Clarify the main syndrome types of PSD under different stages of disease. Reveal the evolution and progression mechanism of TCM syndromes of PSD. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This is a retrospective study of PSD TCM diagnosis. Three hundred patients who were hospitalized in the First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of TCM with complete cases from January 2014 to January 2019 are planned to be recruited. The study will mainly collect the diagnostic information from the cases, find the related indicators of TCM and Western medicine in PSD, and clarify the relationship between different disease stages and TCM syndromes. Finally, the PSD TCM syndrome quantitative diagnosis model will be established based on the operation principle of Back Propagation (BP) artificial neural network. CONCLUSION: To collect sufficient medical records and establish models to speed up the process of TCM diagnosis.

Acupuncture methods for diabetic peripheral neuropathy: A protocol for a Bayesian network meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Many clinical trials and systematic reviews have suggested that acupuncture (include moxibustion) could be effective in the treatment of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN). However, clinical practices vary greatly leads to different choices which are mainly based on personal experience. The aim of this Bayesian network meta-analysis is to compare the efficacy of different acupuncture methods for DPN. METHODS: Randomized controlled trials on acupuncture treatment of DPN published before January of 2021 will be searched in 9 databases including Medline, Web of Science, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Excerpta Medica Database, Sinomed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, WanFang, and China Science and Technology Journal Database. The methodological assessment performed using the risk of bias assessment tool of Cochrane, and the level of evidence quality for the main results will be evaluated by a recommended grading, evaluation, formulation, and evaluation system approach. Bayesian network meta-analysis will be conducted using STATA V.14.0 and WinBUGS V.1.4.3. RESULTS: The primary outcome involves: clinical efficacy. The secondary outcomes include: motor nerve conduction velocity, sensory nerve conduction velocity, Toronto clinical scoring system, Michigan neuropathy screening instrument, the modified Toronto Clinical Neuropathy Scale, the Utah early neuropathy scale, or the neuropathy disability score, and adverse reactions. CONCLUSION: To find the most effective acupuncture therapy for the treatment of DPN supported by evidence-based medicine.

[Professor WU Lian-zhong's clinical experience for treating post-stroke distal limb dyskinesia].

Professor WU Lian-zhong's experience for treating post-stroke distal limb dyskinesia is introduced from the aspects of syndrome differentiation principles, clinical acupoint selection and acupuncture manipulation. Professor WU proposes the original syndrome differentiation system of "ten factors" for stroke, and emphasizes the importance of spirit differentiation and syndrome differentiation. The syndrome differentiation focus on the three yang meridians and kidney meridian, as such, Quchi (LI 11), Shousanli (LI 10), Waiguan (TE 5), Hegu (LI 4), Zhongzhu (TE 3), Sidu (TE 9), Zusanli (ST 36), Fenglong (ST 40), Tengyue point, Taichong (LR 3), Xiangu (ST 43), Zulinqi (GB 41), Dazhong (KI 4), Genjian point, Zhaohai (KI 6), Fuliu (KI 7) and Taixi (KI 3) are selected. In addition, professor WU develops clear quantitative standards for acupuncture manipulation.

Efficacy and safety of acupuncture for posterior circulation ischemic vertigo: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Posterior circulation ischemic vertigo (PCIV) is one of the most complaint symptoms in clinical, and is associated with high risk of recurrence. Current studies show that acupuncture has therapeutic effect on releasing symptom as well as improving the blood flow of posterior circulation. In this review, we aim to assess the efficacy and safety of acupuncture for PCIV. METHODS: Literature of clinical randomized control trials regarding acupuncture for PCIV published before August of 2020 will be searched in databases, including 5 English databases and 4 Chinese databases. For the included studies, methodological quality will be assessed according to Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool, and evidence quality will be evaluated with Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation guidelines. Data analysis will be performed using Review Manager Software. RESULTS: The primary outcomes involve changes of PCIV symptoms and blood flow velocity of vertebrobasilar. The secondary outcomes include Barthel Index, National Institute of Health Stroke Scale, clinical effectiveness, and adverse reactions. CONCLUSION: Based on current clinical studies, this systematic review and meta-analysis will provide evidence-based basis for the efficacy and safety of acupuncture in treating PCIV. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The protocol for this review has been registered in the INPLASY network (Registration number: INPLASY202070116).

Acupuncture lowering blood pressure for secondary prevention of stroke: a study protocol for a multicenter randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Stroke is the prime cause of morbidity and mortality in the general population, and hypertension will increase the recurrence and mortality of stroke. We report a protocol of a pragmatic randomized controlled trial (RCT) using blood pressure (BP)-lowering acupuncture add-on treatment to treat patients with hypertension and stroke. METHODS: This is a large-scale, multicenter, subject-, assessor- and analyst-blinded, pragmatic RCT. A total of 480 patients with hypertension and ischemic stroke will be randomly assigned to two groups: an experimental group and a control group. The experimental group will receive "HuoXueSanFeng" acupuncture combined with one antihypertensive medication in addition to routine ischemic stroke treatment. The control group will only receive one antihypertensive medication and basic treatments for ischemic stroke. HuoXueSanFeng acupuncture will be given for six sessions weekly for the first 6 weeks and three times weekly for the next 6 weeks. A 9-month follow-up will, thereafter, be conducted. Antihypertensive medication will be adjusted based on BP levels. The primary outcome will be the recurrence of stroke. The secondary outcomes including 24-h ambulatory BP, the TCM syndrome score, the Short Form 36-item Health Survey (SF-36), the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), as well as the Barthel Index (BI) scale will be assessed at baseline, 6 weeks and 12 weeks post initiating treatments; cardiac ultrasound, carotid artery ultrasound, transcranial Doppler, and lower extremity ultrasound will be evaluated at baseline and 12 weeks after treatment. The safety of acupuncture will also be assessed. DISCUSSION: We aim to determine the clinical effects of controlling BP for secondary prevention of stroke with acupuncture add-on treatment. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, ID: NCT02967484 . Registered on 13 February 2017; last updated on 27 June 2017.