Revealing characteristics and rules of acupoint sensitization phenomena: based on knee osteoarthritis / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the characteristics and rules of acupoint sensitization phenomena based on knee osteoarthritis (KOA), one of the clinical dominant diseases of acupuncture-moxibustion.@*METHODS@#In combination with literature and expert experiences, the acupoints with the highest use frequency in treatment of KOA were screened, e.g. Heding (EX-LE 2), Liangqiu (ST 34), Mingmen (GV 4), Neixiyan (EX-LE 4), Ququan (LR 8) and Dubi (ST 35). In 814 patients with KOA and 217 healthy subjects, the acupoint temperature, mechanic pain threshold and pressure pain threshold were detected separately. Using machine learning method, the sensitization was judged at each acupoint.@*RESULTS@#Compared with healthy subjects, the acupoint temperature was increased and the mechanic pain threshold and pressure pain threshold were reduced in KOA patients (P<0.05). Besides, the cut-off value was presented to distinguish whether the acupoint was sensitized or not. The results of machine learning showed that the highest prediction accuracy of acupoint sensitization was 86.7% (Shenshu [BL 23]) and the lowest one was 73.9% (Heding [EX LE 2]). The prediction accuracy at the third clinical stage trial was higher, the highest was 93.3% (Ququan [LR 8]) in KOA patients.@*CONCLUSION@#It is confirmed that the acupoint sensitization reflects the characteristics of disease and is correlative with the conditions of illness, which may provide the reference for the auxiliary diagnosis and condition assessment of KOA.

Application status and thinking of acupuncture and moxibustion therapy for assisted reproductive field in the United States / 中国针灸

The application status of acupuncture and moxibustion therapy for assisted reproductive field in the United States was analyzed, and the existing problems and future development directions were discussed. According to the survey on the 456 websites of assisted reproductive clinic in the United States mentioned in the report of U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 111 clinics among 456 assisted reproductive clinics recommend and used acupuncture and moxibustion therapy, accounting for 24.3%. Acupuncture and moxibustion therapy had obvious effect, good safety and low cost, and the assisted reproductive institutions in the United States had a high degree of application and recognition to acupuncture and moxibustion therapy. However, some problems, such as immature treatment scheme, unclear mechanism and imperfect insurance policies, still existed. In the future, the advantages of Chinese traditional acupuncture and moxibustion should combine with international modern assisted reproductive technology, and multi-center and large-sample clinical randomized controlled trials and basic experimental research on the mechanism of acupuncture and moxibustion for assisted reproduction should be carried out.

Effect and Mechanism of Traditional Chinese Medicine on Prevention and Treatment of Pathological Scar / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Pathological scar is a kind of skin fibrotic disease caused by abnormal wound healing, including hypertrophic scar and keloid. Pathological scar may lead to aesthetic flaws, limb dysfunction and local discomfort in patients. Due to the complexity of the wound healing process, the formation of scar is affected by many factors. In addition to traditional surgical, laser, cryostatic and hormone injection methods for the treatment of pathological scar, there are new therapies, such as mesenchymal stem cell therapy, fat transplantation, interferon, and botulinum toxin. They are widely used in clinical practice, but with such problems as high prices and many side effect. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has a long history in treating pathological scar. In recent years, in vivo and in vitro studies have shown that TCM has effect IN reducing inflammation, inhibiting fibroblast proliferation, regulating fibroblast activation and migration, inducing fibroblast apoptosis and autophagy, promoting the degradation of extracellular matrix (ECM) and reducing angiogenesis in general. Besides, TCM has also a certain regulatory role in the signaling pathways, such as transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)/Smads, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin (PI3K/Akt/mTOR) and sonic hedgehog (Shh). There are still some contradictions in relevant studies, and specific mechanisms remain to be further improved. This paper summarizes the study content, findings and relevant mechanisms of different TCM based on in vivo and in vitro experiments, analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of TCM in the prevention and treatment of pathological scar, and its prospects in clinical application, so as to provide basis and ideas for future scar studies.

Discussion on contents and methods of quality control for acupuncture registry study / 中国针灸

To explore the basic principles and methods of quality control of clinical registry research in the field of acupuncture. This study drawed on the data quality control methods of clinical trials in the United States and combined clinical practice experience, based on the "International Patient Registry Platform of Acupuncture and Moxibustion", and the registry study of acupuncture treatment for early-onset ovarian insufficiency as a model. The principles of accuracy, authenticity, consistency and completeness were followed. A remote and on-site quality control method with remote quality control as the main and on-site quality control as the supplement is formed, with a view to providing ideas and reference for the quality control of registry research.