Abstract Acupuncture and related therapies such as moxibustion and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation are often used to manage cancer-related symptoms, but their effectiveness and safety are controversial. We conducted this overview to summarise the evidence on acupuncture for palliative care of cancer. Our systematic review synthesised the results from clinical trials of patients with any type of cancer. The methodological quality of the 23 systematic...Weiterlesen

Abstract INTRODUCTION Ear acupuncture carried out in primary care by trained midwives, with no specialist training in acupuncture, may be effective in alleviating pregnancy-related lower back and/or posterior pelvic girdle pain (LBPGP). The objective of this study was to assess the effect of ear acupuncture associated with standard obstetric care, in the primary-care setting, on LBPGP experienced by pregnant women. MATERIAL AND METHODS This four-group,...Weiterlesen

Abstract Objective The purpose of the study was to assess the efficacy and safety of using Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) as maintenance therapy considering the survival of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC)patients after first-line conventional platinum-based chemotherapy. Design An open-label, randomized, controlled trial. Setting: Four hospitals in China.  Interventions and main outcome measures: A total of 106 patients were eligible and randomly divided into two...Weiterlesen

Abstract Background Propranolol is recommended as first-line treatment for preventing migraine attacks; acupuncture has not been compared with propranolol in a head-to-head trial. Objective To compare acupuncture with propranolol using indirect treatment comparison meta-analysis. Method We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL). Randomized controlled trials comparing acupuncture or propranolol with sham acupuncture, placebo, waiting-list control or usual care were included. We...Weiterlesen

Abstract BACKGROUND: Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is one of the most debilitating long-term side effects in breast cancer survivors. We conducted a randomized controlled pilot trial to assess the feasibility, safety, and effects of an acupuncture intervention on CIPN in this population. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Women with stage I-III breast cancer with grade 1 or higher CIPN after taxane-containing adjuvant chemotherapy were randomized 1:1 to...Weiterlesen

Abstract Background Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is a distressing symptom that is the most common unpleasant side effect experienced by lung cancer patients and is challenging for clinical care workers to manage. Methods We performed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot trial to evaluate the clinical effect of acupuncture on CRF in lung cancer patients. Twenty-eight patients presenting with CRF were randomly assigned to active acupuncture or...Weiterlesen

Abstract BACKGROUND: Dyspnoea is one of the commonest symptoms of lung cancer. Opioids can reduce dyspnoea. This study investigates acupuncture for relief of breathlessness in lung cancer. METHODS: We performed a single-centre, randomised phase II study of 173 patients with non-small cell lung cancer or mesothelioma with dyspnoea score of ≥4 on visual analogue scale (VAS). Randomisation was to acupuncture alone (A), morphine alone (M)...Weiterlesen

Abstract The increased resting heart rate (HR) in heart transplant patients is associated with enhanced metabolic demand, the potential for fatigue, and lower quality of life. In the present study, we hypothesized that transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) could modulate autonomic balance and reduce resting HR in these patients. A single-arm clinical trial was conducted with patients aged > 18 years, at ambulatorial accompaniment after...Weiterlesen

Abstract Background The effects of acupuncture on in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes remain controversial. And the variation in participant, interventions, outcomes studied, and trial design may relate to the efficacy of adjuvant acupuncture. Methods We searched digital databases for relevant studies, including Embase, PubMed, Cochrane Library and some Chinese databases up to December 2018, for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the effects of acupuncture on...Weiterlesen

Abstract Objective To optimize preliminarily acupuncture regimen for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Methods A total of 80 patients of GERD were taken as the subjects in observation. The reflux disease questionnaire (RDQ) was adopted to assess the relevant indicators. The orthogonal design method was used to observe the effects on GERD in acupuncture regimen with difference combinations among 5 factors and 2 levels at Nèiguān...Weiterlesen