ABSTRACT
Objective:To observe the therapeutic effect of warm needling moxibustion for erectile dysfunction (ED). Methods:A total of 46 eligible ED patients were randomized into a treatment group (n=24) and a control group (n=22). The treatment group was intervened by warm needling moxibustion while the control group by conventional acupuncture treatment, for a total of 4 courses. The therapeutic effect was evaluated by the international index of erectile function 5 (IIEF-5). Results:After 4 courses of treatment, the overall effective rate was 91.3% in the treatment group (23 completed), versus 75.0% in the control group (20 completed), with a significant difference (P Conclusion:Warm needling moxibustion can produce a more significant efficacy than conventional acupuncture in the treatment of ED.
ABSTRACT
Objective: To summarize and critically assess the evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of acupuncture in treating dry eye syndrome (DES) according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement and the Cochrane Collaboration recommendations. Methods: A search of PubMed, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, ClinicalTrials.gov and Embase was made from their inception to August 2016, as well as Chinese, Japanese, and Korean databases. Two reviewers independently selected RCTs and assessed the methodological quality. Meta-analysis and the level of evidence were processed by RevMan 5.3 and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. Results: After selection, 8 trials were subjected to our systematic review. The methodological quality was low generally. The 3-10 weeks follow-up showed that acupuncture improved the tear film break-up time (BUT) (MD=1.33, 95%CI=1.01-1.66, 619 participants). The mean difference of Schirmer's test was 1.73 mm (95%CI=1.28-2.18, 618 participants) between the acupuncture group and the control group. The subjective variables exhibited no significant differences. Conclusion: The low methodological quality of the trials does not suggest drawing firm conclusions on the value of acupuncture therapy for DES. Acupuncture treatment may have some effects on the tear film BUT and Schirmer's test, but not on the subjective symptoms. Well-planned large-scale high-quality RCTs are needed to make it clear whether acupuncture is effective in treating DES.
ABSTRACT
Objective:To observe the clinical efficacy of warm needling moxibustion plus functional exercises in treating knee osteoarthritis (KOA).Methods:Totally 108 eligible KOA patients were intervened by warm needling moxibustionplus functional exercises. The warm needling moxibustion was given 3 times a week, successively for 4 weeks. The visual analogue scale (VAS) was adopted to evaluate the pain intensity of the knee joint. After 4-week treatment, the change of VAS score, range of motion (ROM) of knee, and Lysholm score were observed, and the clinical efficacy was also estimated. Results:After treatment, the VAS score dropped obviously, and the ROM and Lysholm score increased markedly; the total effective rate was 83.3%. Conclusion:Warm needling moxibustionplus functional exercises is effective in treating KOA, as it can relieve the knee joint pain and improve the joint motion.