Safety and efficacy of acupuncture for varicocele-induced male infertility: a systematic review protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Varicocele (VC) is a common clinical disease in andrology. Among a number of ways for VC treatment, surgery is the most common one, but the measurable benefit of surgical repair was slight. A growing exploration of complementary therapies has been conducted in clinical research on acupuncture for VC, but there is no relevant systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the efficacy and safety of acupuncture for VC. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: All relevant publications published from database inception through August 2022 will be searched in three English-language databases (Embase, CENTRAL, MEDLINE) and four Chinese-language databases (China National Knowledge Infrastructure, China Science and Technology Journal Database, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database and Wanfang Data). Randomised controlled trials in English and Chinese concerned with acupuncture for patients with VC will be included. The input clinical data will be processed by the Review Manager software (RevMan). The literature will be appraised with the Cochrane Collaboration risk of bias tool. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation system (GRADE system) will be used to evaluate the quality of evidence. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study is a secondary study based on clinical studies so it does not relate to any individual patient information or infringe the rights of participants. Hence no ethical approval is required. The results will be reported in peer-reviewed journals or disseminated at relevant conferences. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42022316005.

[Dry eye syndrome of deficient lacrima production treated with the acupoint thread-embedding therapy: a randomized controlled trial].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the therapeutic effects on the relevant symtoms in the patients with dry eye syndrome treated with the acupoint thread-embedding therapy versus topical artificial tears eye drops. METHODS: A total of 88 patients with dry eye syndrome of deficiency lacrima production were randomized into an acupoint thread-embedding therapy group (thread-embedding group) and a control group with topical artificial tears eye drops (medication group), 44 cases in each one. In the thread-embedding group, 3 cases were dropped out. In the thread-embedding group, Ganshu (BL 18), Pishu (BL 20) and Shenshu (BL 23) etc. were selected and the acupoint thread-embedding therapy was operated once every 30 days, totally for two treatments. In the medication group, the topical artificial tears eye drops was used, 4 to 6 times a day, one drop each time, for 8 weeks totally. Separately, before treatment, after 4-week treatment and 8-week treatment as well as in 8 weeks and 12 weeks of the follow-up, the levels of lactoferrin in tears were determined and the scores of the relevant symptoms of ocular surface such as eye dryness, foreign body sensation in the eyes and eye fatigue were evaluated. RESULTS: In the thread-embedding group, after 4-week and 8-week of treatment as well as in 8-week and 12-week follow-up, the scores of eye dryness, foreign body sensation, burning sensation of eye, phengophobia and eye fatigue were reduced significantly as compared with those before treatment (all P<0.05). In the medication group, the relevant symptoms of ocular surface were reduced after 4-week and 8-week treatment as compared with those before treatment (all P<0.05). In the follow-up, the scores of the relevant symptoms of ocular surface in the thread-embedding group were significantly lower than the medication group (all P<0.05). Separately, after 4-week treatment and 8-week treatment as well as in 8 weeks and 12 weeks of the follow-up, the levels of lactoferrin in tears in the thread-embedding group were significantly increased as compared with those before treatment (all P<0.05). The change was not obvious as compared with that before treatment in the medication group (P>0.05). The levels of lactoferrin in tears at each time point after treatment in the thread-embedding group were higher than the medication group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The acupoint thread-embedding therapy effectively improves in the relevant symptoms of ocular surface, such as eye dryness, foreign body sensation, burning sensation of eye, phengophobia and eye fatigue, and increases the level of lactoferrin in tears in the patients with dry eye syndrome of deficiency aqueous production. In the follow-up, the therapeutic effects of the acupoint thread-embedding therapy are significantly better than artificial tears eye drops.

[Efficacy on the range of motion of the lower limbs in patients of post-stroke spasmodic paralysis regulated with multi-directional stimulation technique].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy between the multi-directional stimulation technique and routine needling technique in the range of motion (ROM) of the lower limbs in patients of post-stroke spasmodic paralysis. METHODS: Sixty patients were randomized into a multi-directional stimulation technique group and a routine needling technique group, 30 cases in each one. In the two groups, Biguan (ST 31), Fengshi (GB 31), Yang-lingquan (GB 34), Xiyangguan (GB 33), Zhongfeng (LR 4), Jiexi (ST 41), Qiuxu (GB 40), Kunlun (BL 60) and Xuanzhong (GB 39) on the affected side, scalp acupuncture sites and the acupoints on the upper limb of the affected side were selected. The even needling technique was used in the routine needling technique group and the multi-directional stimulation technique was used in the multi-directional stimulation technique group. The treatment was given once daily, 5 days a week, for 4 weeks totally. Before and after treatment, Fugl-Meyer function and Berg balance were scored. The three-dimensional gait analysis was adopted to analyze ROM of hip, knee and ankle joints. RESULTS: Fugl-Meyer function score and Berg balance score were improved significantly after treatment as compared with those before treatment in the two groups (all P<0.01). The scores in the multi-directional stimulation technique group were all higher than those in the routine needling technique group (P<0.01, P<0.05). The abduction and adduction of hip joints and flexion-extension ROM were all improved after treatment as comparedwith those before treatment in the two groups (all P<0.05). The maximum flexibility and flexion extension ROM of knee joint were improved after treatment as compared with those before treatment in the two groups (all P<0.05), and the changes in extension of knee joint were not apparent (both P>0.05). After treatment, the maximal flexion and the flexion-extension ROM of knee joint in the multi-directional stimulation technique group were improved significantly as compared with those in the routine needling technique group (both P<0.05). The maximal dorsal flexion of ankle joint in the multi-directional stimulation technique group after treatment was increased as compared with that before treatment (P<0.05), and the change was better than that in the routine needling technique group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Acupuncture effectively increases the maximal adduction angle and flexion-extension ROM of hip joint, and reduces abduction of hip joint. The multi-directional stimulation technique contributes to the flexion of knee joint and dorsal flexion of ankle joint and the maintenance of limb balance. The efficacy of it is better than that of routine acupuncture stimulation technique.

[Analysis on therapeutic effect of variable-frequency electroacupuncture combined with herbal-moxa moxibustion for post-zoster neuralgia].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical therapeutic effect of variable-frequency electroacupuncture (EA) combined with herbal-moxa moxibustion for regional neuralgia in herpes zoster (HZ) patients. METHODS: A total of 37 cases of HZ outpatients were randomized into treatment group (18 cases) and medication group (19 cases). For patients of the treatment group, EA (100 Hz for the 1st 10 min, then 2 Hz for 30 min) plus herbal-moxa roll (15 cm in length, containing components of corydalis tuber, astragali radix, myrrh, etc.) moxibustion (till local skin flushing, and the patient's warm feeling penetrated from the skin surface to the deeper subcutaneous tissues, ignited nine times repeatedly) was applied to Jiaji (EX-B 2) and Ashi-point, once daily for 7 days. Patients of the medication group were ordered to take Brufen (0.3 g, b. i. d.), vitamin B 1 (10 mg, t. i. d.) and vitamin E (100 mg, b. i. d). The visual analog scale (VAS) was used to assess the HZ patients' pain reaction before and after the therapy. RESULTS: After one course of treatment, of the 19 and 18 HZ patients in the medication and treatment groups, 1 (5.26%) and 5 (27.77%) were cured, 13 (68.42%) and 12 (66.67%) ameliorated, 5 (26.32%) and 1 (5.56%) invalid, with the total effective rates being 73.68% and 94.44% respectively. The therapeutic effect of the treatment group was significantly superior to that of the medication group (P < 0.05). VAS scores of both groups were decreased considerably following the treatment (P < 0.05), but showed no significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Variable-frequency EA plus herbal-moxa roll moxibustion is effective in relieving neuralgia of HZ patients.