Effects of electroacupuncture on obesity: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the efficacy of electroacupuncture for the treatment of obesity. METHODS: We searched 8 electronic databases for articles published between 2005 and 2021, including only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in the review. The intervention groups received either electroacupuncture alone or electroacupuncture with standard care, whereas the control groups received sham electroacupuncture, standard care, or no treatment. The primary outcome was the body mass index (BMI), and the secondary outcomes were the body weight (BW), waist circumference (WC), hip circumference, waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), body fat mass, body fat percentage, and adverse effects. Continuous outcome data are presented as mean differences (MDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: This systematic review and meta-analysis included 13 RCTs involving 779 participants. Results revealed that the BMI (MD: -0.98; 95% CI: -1.35 to -0.61), BW (MD: -1.89; 95% CI: -2.97 to -0.80), WC (MD: -2.67; 95% CI: -4.52 to -0.82), and WHR (MD: -0.03; 95% CI: -0.06 to -0.01) were significantly improved in the intervention groups compared with those in the control groups. Adverse effects were reported in 5 studies. The most commonly used acupoint in the abdomen was ST25, whereas the most commonly used acupoints in other regions were ST36 and SP6 for the treatment of obesity. ST25 was the most commonly used acupoint connected by electroacupuncture. CONCLUSION: This systematic review and meta-analysis suggested that electroacupuncture is an effective and safe therapy for simple obesity. To increase the reliability of this study, further detailed, long-term studies should be conducted on the effects of electroacupuncture on obesity.

Is acupuncture an effective treatment for temporomandibular disorder?: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Acupuncture is used for treating various disorders, but its effects on temporomandibular disorder (TMD) remain unclear. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture for TMD via a systematic review of randomized clinical trials. METHODS: A total of 11 Korean and worldwide databases were searched to identify acupuncture studies in adults with TMD. A Cochrane risk of bias assessment was performed on all articles; a meta-analysis, which involved the categorization according to the type of control used (inactive control, active control, or add-on), was subsequently performed. The quality of evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation methodology. RESULTS: The qualitative analysis of randomized clinical trials with acupuncture as the intervention included 32 articles, 22 of which were included in the quantitative analysis (471 participants). Acupuncture significantly improved outcomes (effect rate, relative risk [RR]: 7.00, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.91, 25, 62; visual analog scale, standardized mean difference: 0.49, 95% CI: 0.24, 0.73) versus active controls (effect rate, RR: 1.19; 95% CI: 1.12, 1.27). In the analysis of add-ons, acupuncture significantly improved the effect rate and pain intensity (effect rate, RR: 1.36; 95% CI: 1.04, 1.77; visual analog scale, mean difference: -1.23; 95% CI -1.79, -0.67). However, the quality of evidence was determined to range from low to very low. CONCLUSION: Acupuncture in TMD significantly improved outcomes versus active controls and when add-on treatments were applied. However, as the quality of evidence was determined to be low, well-designed clinical trials should be conducted in the future.

Effectiveness of Chuna (or Tuina) Manual Therapy for Temporomandibular Disorder: A Systematic Review.

Background: Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) affects patients' quality of life (QoL) because of the resulting structural and functional impairment and pain. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the evidence regarding the effectiveness, safety and improvement in QoL in patients who underwent Chuna manual therapy (CMT) for TMD. Methods: We searched 11 databases and included randomized controlled trials (RCT) on CMT for TMD published before March 2020. A meta-analysis was conducted, and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) method was used to evaluate the evidence level. We included 12 RCTs that compared CMT and conventional care. Results: CMT showed significantly better patient pain reduction, functional improvement and QoL. A superior result was seen in the use of CMT in conjunction with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) or conventional care. CMT showed no minor or serious adverse events compared with medical treatments. The evidence level was low for all outcomes, except QoL. Conclusions: We found that CMT for TMD resulted in functional improvement, pain reduction and improvement in QoL, with fewer adverse events. However, since the evidence level varied from very low to moderate due to imprecision and the risk of bias with the included studies, we are limited in determining the efficacy of Chuna therapy using these studies. High-quality, well-designed and large-scale RCTs are needed to conclusively determine the clinical efficacy of CMT in TMD.

Thread Embedding Acupuncture for Temporomandibular Disorder: Protocol for a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) affects multiple tissues of the temporomandibular joint complex and manifests as orofacial pain and functional disturbance. While thread embedding acupuncture (TEA) is used for the treatment of TMD in clinical practice, sufficient clinical evidence is lacking. This pilot trial will explore the feasibility of a confirmatory randomized controlled trial (RCT) by considering the efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness of TEA to address pain, function, and quality of life in patients with TMD. Methods: This randomized, assessor-blinded, controlled trial will include two parallel arms. Thirty patients with TMD and temporomandibular joint pain more severe than 40 mm on the 100-mm visual analog scale (VAS) and aged 19-70 years will be recruited and randomly allocated to either TEA or usual care groups. The TEA group will receive treatment at 14 predefined acupoints once weekly for 4 weeks. The usual care group will receive physical therapy consisting of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and infrared therapy. The average VAS score over the last week for temporomandibular pain after four sessions will be assessed as the primary outcome. Furthermore, maximum pain VAS, vertical opening movement, Graded Chronic Pain version 2, Jaw Functional Limitation Scale 20, Patient Global Impression of Change, Korean version of Beck's Depression Index, Short Form-12 Health Survey, EuroQol 5-Dimension 5-level, treatment expectation, rescue medication consumption, adverse events, and medical costs for economic evaluation will be measured and analyzed as secondary outcomes during four follow-up visits and after the termination of all sessions. Conclusion: The results of this trial will help evaluate the feasibility of a confirmatory RCT considering efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness and verify the effect size required to determine an appropriate sample size. Trial Registration Number: KCT0007421.

Bibliometric analysis of research relating to the use of herbal medicine for rheumatoid arthritis between 1991 to 2021.

BACKGROUND: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory autoimmune disease, which is well known for its poor symptoms, and the incidence is increasing worldwide. Although conventional medicines are practiced initially, patients often move or accompany to complementary and alternative medicines for better outcomes. Herbal medications, one of traditional medicinal approach, are widely used in clinical conditions. However, no research has broadly reviewed the current research trends regarding the scope of herbal medicines in RA. The aim of this study was to conduct a bibliometric analysis of applications of herbal medicine for RA from 1991 to the present. METHODS: We retrieved literature on herbal medicine for RA from the Web of Science database from 1991 to 2021. The VOSviewer program was used to analyze keywords, authors, countries, and organizations through visual knowledge mapping to assess the research hotspots and trends. RESULTS: A total of 516 articles were included in the analysis, which showed an increasing trend in the number of publications over time. Four clusters were identified from the keyword analysis: complementary and alternative medicine cluster, mechanism of the pain cluster, control for the pain cluster, and recent research trend cluster. People's Republic of China published 250 articles, which was the greatest number of publications, followed by the United States of America (82 articles) and South Korea (52 articles). Furthermore, Moudgil, KD of the University of Maryland published 15 articles about the mechanism of herbal medicine on autoimmune arthritis and their interaction with various drugs. Lu, AP of the Hong Kong Baptist University published 14 articles about herbal medicine interactions. On an institutional level, the China Academy of Chinese Medical Science published 33 articles, followed by the Hong Kong Baptist University and the University of Maryland with 27 and 20 articles, respectively. Clusters of organizations from the People's Republic of China and the United States of America revealed higher average citations for earlier average publication years. CONCLUSIONS: This bibliometric study identified trends in herbal medicine for RA from 1991 to 2021, which may guide the hot topics and future directions in this research field.

Comparative Effectiveness and Safety of Concomitant Treatment with Chuna Manual Therapy and Usual Care for Whiplash Injuries: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to compare the effectiveness and safety of Chuna manual therapy combined with usual care to those of usual care alone for treating whiplash injuries. DESIGN: A two-arm, parallel, assessor-blinded, multicenter pragmatic randomized clinical trial. SETTING: Three hospitals in Korea. PARTICIPANTS: Overall, 132 participants between 19 and 70 years of age, involved in traffic accidents and treated at three hospitals in Korea, >2 but <13 weeks prior to enrollment, with neck pain consistent with whiplash-associated disorder grades I and II and a numeric rating scale score ≥5 were included. INTERVENTIONS: Participants were equally and randomly allocated to the Chuna manual therapy and usual care (n = 66) or usual care (n = 66) groups and underwent corresponding treatment for three weeks. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was the number of days to achieve a 50% pain reduction. Secondary outcomes included areas under the 50% numeric rating scale reduction curve: pain, disability, quality of life, and safety. RESULTS: The Chuna manual therapy + usual care group (23.31 ± 21.36 days; p = 0.01) required significantly fewer days to achieve 50% pain reduction compared to the usual care group (50.41 ± 48.32 days; p = 0.01). Regarding pain severity, functional index, and quality of life index, Chuna manual therapy and usual care were more effective than usual care alone. Safety was acceptable in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with subacute whiplash injury, Chuna manual therapy showed a rapid rate of recovery, high effectiveness, and safety.

Adaptation and Dissemination of Korean Medicine Clinical Practice Guidelines for Traffic Injuries.

In South Korea, car insurance that includes medical coverage of traditional Korean medicine (TKM) has increased exponentially. Clinical practice guidelines (CPG) for traffic injuries were established in 2016. We aimed to revise and update de novo CPG and distribute the adapted CPG to TKM practitioners and patients. Clinical key questions from previous CPG were identified and updated regarding the grade of recommendation and level of evidence using additional evidence from the literature obtained through a systematic search and the use of the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation methodology. The dissemination and implementation of the updated CPG were conducted at the CPG Center of Korean Medicine. Ultimately, 25 recommendations based on 13 clinical key questions were developed: 2 for diagnosis, 22 for TKM treatments, and 1 for prognosis. After recognition by professional societies and certification by the CPG Center of Korean Medicine, leaflets, card news, and infographics for TKM doctors in South Korea were produced and distributed. These are the only TKM CPG for patients who have experienced traffic injuries. They are expected to contribute to standardized and evidence-based treatment using TKM and similar interventions. Moreover, disseminating the adapted CPG will promote treatment reliability and strengthen insurance coverage.

A bibliometric analysis of research on herbal medicine for obesity over the past 20 years.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to analyze published papers on the use of herbal medicine in obesity research over the past 20 years using bibliometric methods and present an overview of global research trends. METHODS: English articles on herbal medicine for obesity published from 2001 to 2020 were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection database using the search terms "herbal" AND "obesity". Microsoft Office Excel was used to sort and analyze the statistical data. Bibliographic analysis and data visualization were performed using visualization of similarities viewer based on publication year, country of publication, journal, research area, author, affiliated institution, and keywords. RESULTS: A total of 463 English articles were retrieved, and we observed a trend in which the number of publications on herbal medicine for obesity has gradually increased over the past 20 years. The most productive countries and research organizations in this field were Korea and Kyunghee University, respectively. Many papers have been published in research areas, such as pharmacology pharmacy and integrative complementary medicine, and the journals with the most published articles in this field were Journal of Ethnopharmacology and Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. The main research keywords formed 3 clusters, and keywords with the most occurrences were "obesity," "adipose-tissue," and "insulin resistance." CONCLUSION: This study presents an overview of the global research trend of herbal medicine for obesity from the bibliographic analysis. An increased understanding of the recently changing research topics provides a new perspective on future research directions. This study may help guide the research in the field of obesity in the future.

Effects of electroacupuncture for obesity: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Obesity-a public health problem that negatively affects the quality of life-is associated with various diseases, and its prevalence is on the rise. Although drugs and surgical interventions are used to treat obesity, they have adverse effects and limitations. Electroacupuncture is a widely used method for treating obesity in which electrical stimulation is transmitted to the body through acupuncture needles. This systematic review and meta-analysis will evaluate the efficacy of electroacupuncture in treating obesity. METHODS: MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, 3 Korean databases (Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System, ScienceON, and KoreaMed), 1 Japanese database (Citation Information by the National Institute of Informatics), and 1 Chinese database (Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure) will be searched from their inception to December 2021. The primary outcome will be body mass index, and the secondary outcomes will be body weight, waist and hip circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, body fat percentage, body fat mass, and adverse effects. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: This systematic review and meta-analysis will provide evidence for efficacy of electroacupuncture as a treatment method for obesity. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/YU5XR (https://osf.io/yu5xr).

Effects of cupping therapy for obesity: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is a prevalent disease in modern society. Despite the various interventions available in conventional medicine, their success rates are not satisfactory because of the complex mechanisms involved in obesity. Cupping therapy is a traditional Chinese medicinal intervention, and it has become widely used in various clinical settings for the treatment of obesity. This systematic review and meta-analysis will investigate the effects of cupping on obesity. METHODS: Three Korean databases (KoreaMed, Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System, and ScienceON), 1 Japanese database (Citation Information by the National Institute of Informatics), 1 Chinese database (Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure), MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, and The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials will be searched for studies published until March 2021. The primary outcome is body weight. The secondary outcomes will be body mass index, waist-hip ratio, waist circumference, hip circumference, body fat mass, body fat percentage, and adverse events. RESULTS: This systematic review and meta-analysis will evaluate the effects of cupping therapy for obesity. CONCLUSION: The results of this systematic review and meta-analysis will then be discussed in a related journal for clinicians working with obese patients to apply the interventions in this article. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/P8JVM (https://osf.io/p8jvm).

Integrative traditional Chinese medicine for lumbar disc herniation after surgery: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Patients with lumbar disc herniation, who undergo spine surgery, occasionally complain of pain and functional disability. Fortunately, the concept of enhanced recovery after surgery has emerged recently. As a result, patients seek traditional Chinese medicine after spine surgery. This systematic review will thoroughly analyze and synthesize evidence on integrative traditional Chinese medicine therapy for lumbar disc herniation after surgery. METHODS: The following databases will be utilized to search for pertinent studies: the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, Japan Medical Abstracts Society, and 7 Korean databases (the Korean Studies Information Service System, Korean Association of Medical Journal Editors, National Digital Science Library, Database Periodical Information Academic Korean Traditional Knowledge Portal, Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System, and Korean National Assembly Digital Library). The risk of bias of the selected studies will be assessed according to the Cochrane assessment tool for risk of bias. For articles that used the same measurements, a meta-analysis will be conducted to synthesize the results of each trial. Pain severity will be the primary outcome, while the results of functional questionnaires and range of motion, etc, will be the secondary outcomes. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Since this protocol does not include any data from patients, ethics approval is not required. The results of this review will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed journal. REGISTRATION NUMBER: DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/KP47A (https://osf.io/kp47a).

Bibliometric Analysis of Research Trends on Acupuncture for Neck Pain Treatment Over the Past 20 Years.

A bibliometric approach using network analytical methods was applied to explore the research trends on acupuncture for neck pain treatment. Publications related to acupuncture for neck pain treatment from 2000 to 2020 were retrieved from the Web of Science database. The extracted records were analyzed in terms of publication year, research area, journal title, country, organization, authors, and keywords. The research trends on acupuncture for neck pain treatment were visualized using the VOSviewer program. Analyses of 325 articles revealed that the total number of publications has continually increased over the last 20 years. The most represented research area was integrative complementary medicine. The country producing the most articles was the US, followed by China, England, and the Republic of Korea. By assessing the total link strength of organizations and authors, we identified influential organizations and authors who have contributed to research on acupuncture for neck pain treatment. A network analysis based on the cooccurrence of keywords revealed the following two major study designs: clinical study and research methodology. This study examined the research trends on acupuncture for neck pain treatment using bibliometric methods. Our findings provide useful guidelines for researchers in searching for relevant topics.

Traditional Chinese Medicine for Postoperative Care following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVES: This review verifies the clinical effects of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) combined with conventional rehabilitation after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). METHODS: MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, CENTRAL, JMAS, CNKI, and seven Korean databases were searched using predetermined strategies. The risk of bias was assessed using Cochrane Collaboration's tool and a meta-analysis was conducted accordingly. RESULTS: Nineteen randomized controlled trials involving 1283 participants were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. The TCM treatment group showed more significant improvements in pain (MD -0.74, 95% CI [-0.93, -0.54]; I2 = 89%), range of motion (ROM) (SMD 1.19, 95% CI [0.78, 1.59]; I2 = 78%), and knee swelling (SMD -1.72, 95% CI [-2.38, -1.07]; I2 = 76%). The Lysholm score of the TCM treatment group significantly improved (MD 5.62, 95% CI [3.93, 7.32]; I2 = 84%) relative to the control group. The IKDC subjective score (MD 3.40, 95% CI [-0.61, 7.41]; I2 = 97%) and the hospital for special surgery (HSS) score did not improve initially (MD 6.79, 95% CI [-1.27, 14.86]; I2 = 97%) but did so during the subgroup analysis. TCM showed a long-term effect on the IKDC subjective score (MD -0.51, 95% CI [-1.69, 0.67]; I2 = 30%). A longer treatment period of 12 weeks showed more improvement (MD 5.96, 95% CI [0.69, 11.22]; I2 95%). CONCLUSION: TCM can be used as an adjuvant therapy to conventional rehabilitation for relieving pain, improving ROM and oedema, and facilitating better function of the knee joint after ACLR. However, this recommendation should be cautiously applied in clinical practice owing to the low quality of the included studies.

Chuna Manual Therapy vs Usual Care for Patients With Nonspecific Chronic Neck Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: The incidence rate of neck pain is increasing worldwide, and the disease is associated with a high social burden. Manual therapy has been widely applied in the treatment of neck pain, but a high-quality, pragmatic randomized clinical trial for this treatment has not been conducted to date. Objective: This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of Chuna manual therapy with that of usual care for patients with chronic neck pain. Design, Setting, and Participants: A multicenter, assessor-blinded, pragmatic, randomized clinical trial was conducted between October 18, 2017, and June 28, 2019. This intention-to-treat analysis included 108 patients with chronic neck pain persisting for at least 3 months; patients were recruited from 5 hospitals in Korea. Interventions: Ten sessions (2 sessions per week for 5 weeks) of Chuna manual therapy or usual care (electrotherapy and oral medication) were conducted. Main Outcomes and Measures: The main outcome was the difference in visual analog scale (VAS) score for chronic neck pain between baseline and 5 weeks after randomization. Results: This randomized clinical trial recruited 108 patients (mean [SD] age, 38.4 [9.3] years; 73 women [67.6%]). Fifty-four patients were allocated to the Chuna therapy group, and 54 received usual care. At 5 weeks after randomization, manual therapy showed statistically superior results compared with usual care in terms of pain (difference in chronic neck pain VAS, 16.8 mm; 95% CI, 10.1-23.5 mm), function (difference in Neck Disability Index, 8.6%; 95% CI, 4.2%-13.1%), and quality of life (difference in the European Quality of Life-5 Dimension 5 Levels (EQ-5D-5L) scores, -0.07 points; 95% CI, -0.11 to -0.02 points). Regarding the 1-year cumulative values measured using area under the curve analyses, superior outcomes were attained in the manual therapy group in terms of the numerical rating scale for chronic neck pain (1.3 points; 95% CI, 0.5-2.0 points), Neck Disability Index (6.7%; 95% CI, 2.5%-10.9%), Neck Pain Questionnaire (7.4%; 95% CI, 2.3%-12.6%), and EQ-5D-5L scores (-0.03 points; -0.07 to 0.00 points). Conclusions and Relevance: In this randomized clinical trial, for patients with chronic neck pain, Chuna manual therapy was more effective than usual care in terms of pain and functional recovery at 5 weeks and 1 year after randomization. These results support the need to consider recommending manual therapies as primary care treatments for chronic neck pain. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03294785.

Pharmacopuncture for lumbar herniated intervertebral disc: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate the effectiveness of pharmacopuncture treatment for lumbar herniated intervertebral disc (LHIVD). METHODS: Databases including Korean and Chinese ones were searched to identify all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that evaluated the effect of pharmacopuncture on LHIVD. Outcome measurements included pain scale and functional index of the lower back and lower limb. The risk of bias of studies was assessed using Cochrane's Risk of Bias tool, and a meta-analysis was conducted. RESULTS: Sixteen studies were included in the systematic review, and the quality assessment showed equivocal results. The meta-analysis revealed that pharmacopuncture has a significant effect on pain relief and functional status compared to the control intervention.

Multicentre randomised controlled clinical trial of electroacupuncture with usual care for patients with non-acute pain after back surgery.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness and safety between electroacupuncture (EA) combined with usual care (UC) and UC alone for pain reduction and functional improvement in patients with non-acute low back pain (LBP) after back surgery. METHODS: In this multicentre, randomised, assessor-blinded active-controlled trial, 108 participants were equally randomised to either the EA with UC or the UC alone. Participants in the EA with UC group received EA treatment and UC treatment twice a week for 4 weeks; those allocated to the UC group received only UC. The primary outcome was the VAS pain intensity score. The secondary outcomes were functional improvement (Oswestry Disability Index [ODI]) and the quality of life (EuroQol-5-dimension questionnaire [EQ-5D]). The outcomes were measured at Week 5. RESULTS: Significant reductions were observed in the VAS (mean difference [MD] -8.15; P=0.0311) and ODI scores (MD -3.98; P=0.0460) between two groups after 4 weeks of treatment. No meaningful differences were found in the EQ-5D scores and incidence of adverse events (AEs) between the groups. The reported AEs did not have a causal relationship with EA treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The results showed that EA with UC treatment was more effective than UC alone and relatively safe in patients with non-acute LBP after back surgery. EA with UC treatment may be considered as an effective, integrated, conservative treatment for patients with non-acute LBP after back surgery. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: KCT0001939.

Effects of acupuncture on anthropometric and serum metabolic parameters in premenopausal overweight and obese women: a randomized, patient- and assessor-blind, sham-controlled clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the effect of acupuncture on obesity-related parameters with regard to metabolomics. METHODS: This two-arm parallel, patient- and assessor-blind, sham-controlled randomized clinical trial included 120 obese participants. Participants were randomized into two groups. The treatment group received a combined intervention of manual acupuncture (MA) plus electroacupuncture (EA), while the control group received a combination of sham acupuncture interventions consisting of sham MA plus sham EA for 6 weeks. The serum lipid levels were measured as the primary outcome measure and anthropometric parameters and serum metabolic profiles including amino acids and carnitines were measured as secondary outcome measures. RESULTS: The serum lipid levels and anthropometric measurements did not significantly differ between groups, while body weight, body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference were improved within each group and the level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol increased over time in the treatment group. There were no significant differences in amino acid levels between groups, while certain carnitine (C2, C4, C6, and l-carnitine) levels were significantly increased (p < 0.05) in the treatment group compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: In summary, 6 weeks of acupuncture treatment did not affect anthropometric and serum metabolic parameters, with the exception of certain carnitines, when compared to sham acupuncture. The observation of increased carnitine levels in the acupuncture group could result in potential long-term benefits to obese individuals. Additional studies are needed to investigate the long-term effects of acupuncture on lipid metabolism and the underlying mechanism of action. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: This study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02066090).

Effects of moxibustion for obesity: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is a chronic disease associated with lethal health conditions. Moxibustion, a frequently used treatment in traditional Chinese medicine, is effective and safe for the treatment of obesity. However, the evidence has not been systematically collected and combined to date. This systematic review and meta-analysis will analyze the effects of moxibustion on obesity. METHODS: The following databases will be searched: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, 1 Chinese database (Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure), 1 Japanese database (Citation Information by the National Institute of Informatics), and 3 Korean databases (Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System, ScienceON, and KoreaMed). The quality of the included studies will be assessed according to the Cochrane Assessment Tool for Risk of Bias. Data from the included studies will be synthesized for meta-analysis. The primary outcome will be body weight, and the secondary outcomes will be body mass index, waist-hip ratio, waist circumference, hip circumference, and effective rate. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Ethical approval is not necessary for this study because it will not include any patient information. The results of this systematic review and meta-analysis will be publicly available and published in a peer-reviewed journal. REGISTRATION NUMBER: DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/NTKDF (https://osf.io/ntkdf).

Healthcare utilisation and costs for temporomandibular disorders: a descriptive, cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) requires long-term management and can be a financial burden for patients. Here, we investigated the treatment received by people diagnosed with TMD and its relevant costs. DESIGN: A descriptive, cross-sectional study. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: We performed secondary data analysis of health insurance claims data provided by the Health Insurance Assessment and Review (HIRA) of the Republic of Korea. We reviewed the records of 10 041 patients who were diagnosed with TMD and who utilised outpatient healthcare service at least once between January and December 2017. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Data on use of medical services, hospitalisations, sociodemographic factors, treatment and medication were retrieved and analysed. Cost was defined as the cost of care incurred by a health insurance beneficiary at a care facility. RESULTS: We reported the characteristics as medians, frequencies and percentages and found that most TMD patients were outpatients, women (58.9%) and in their 20s (46.4%). For visit type, 85.9% of all patients had an outpatient dental medical visit, with most visiting dental clinics and dental hospitals. Western medicine (WM; 9.8%) was prescribed more often, followed by Korean medicine (KM; 8.2%). The median expense per patient was highest among those in their 20s (58.00, 23.90, 53.40, 65.90 US$ for overall, WM, dental medicine (DM) and KM, respectively). Consultation fees accounted for the greatest percentage (42.8%) of DM and WM care expenses, while injection/non-surgical intervention fees accounted for the greatest percentage of KM care expenses. The most commonly used treatments for TMD were temporomandibular joint stimulation therapy (51.1%) and acupuncture (19.9%), considered as the most basic care for TMD. Psychosomatic agents (86.4%) were the most commonly used medications in outpatients. CONCLUSIONS: While people with TMD most commonly received temporomandibular stimulation therapy, the costs and duration of treatment varied significantly for these patients.

The effects of acupuncture on occipital neuralgia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Occipital neuralgia is one of the main causes of occipital pain. This systematic review aims to assess the level of evidence in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the effects of acupuncture on occipital neuralgia. METHODS: We searched 11 databases and a journal archive from their inception up to December 2019 for relevant RCTs. We did not place any specific restrictions on patients diagnosed with occipital neuralgia, such as age or gender. We included studies that used an acupuncture intervention group, with or without the control group treatment, and that set a control group receiving active, interventional treatment such as medication. For outcomes, we used visual analogue scale (VAS) and effective rate. RESULTS: We included a total of 11 RCTs. All VAS scores (mean difference [MD] -2.35, 95% confidence interval [CI] -2.84, - 1.86) and effective rate values (odds ratio [OR] 4.96, 95% CI 2.24, 10.96) showed significant differences in effect between acupuncture treatment alone and the control group treatment. Similarly, combined acupuncture treatment with control group treatment also showed significant effects in effective rate (OR 6.68, 95% CI 1.11, 40.37). We performed a subgroup analysis on studies that used acupuncture only as the intervention and reported the effective rate, and found that all acupuncture subgroups showed significant effects compared to the control group treatments. None of the studies reported severe adverse effects. CONCLUSIONS: Although acupuncture only and combined acupuncture treatments showed significant effects compared to medication, the results of this study are inconclusive. Studies with rigorous study design and larger sample sizes are needed to confirm the role of acupuncture in this field. TRIAL REGISTRATION: International prospective register for systematic review (PROSPERO) number CRD42019128050.