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Microglia cells are activated after ischemic stroke, and polarized phenotypes of M1 and M2. Some drugs, such as fingolimod, 3-N-butylphthalide, curcumin, sildenafil, exendin-4, celastrol, omega-3 fatty acids, malibatol A, salidroside, etc., can transfer the polarization from M1 to M2, and may benefit the outcome of ischemic stroke.
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<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture in patients with post-stroke dysphagia by an update meta-analysis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Potentially eligible RCTs aimed to evaluate the effects of acupuncture vs. non-acupuncture treatments, such as rehabilitation training or routine medication on the swallowing difficulty after stroke were searched from PubMed, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and other database from the earliest record to June 2016. Patient demographics, regimens for acupuncture, type of controls, methods of randomization, and measurements of the clinical symptoms of dysphagia were retrieved. The relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of effective rate of dysphagia was calculated after intervention performed following admission. Subgroup analyses and a metaregression analysis were performed to describe the heterogeneity.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Twenty-nine RCTs comprising 2,190 patients were included. The included studies had a medium quality grade based on the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) and Standards for Reporting Interventions in Clinical Trials of Acupuncture (STRICTA) checklist. Acupuncture therapy provided a higher effective rate compared with nonacupuncture treatments [RR=1.33, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.25 to 1.43]. Subgroup and meta-regression analyses suggested that acupuncture intensity and measurement method were main sources of heterogeneity and resulted in a significant difference for pooled effect size. No severe adverse events were documented in these RCTs.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Our meta-analysis provides a new evidence supporting the efficacy and safety of acupuncture in treatment to post-stroke dysphagia in short-term compared with rehabilitation or medication. More high-quality and large-scale research studies are needed.</p>
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<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To assess the relative standardization of acupuncture protocols for radiation-induced xerostomia.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A literature search was carried out up to November 10, 2012 in the databases PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE and China National Knowledge Infrastruction with the terms: radiation-induced xerostomia, acupuncture, acupuncture treatment, and acupuncture therapy. Five ancient Chinese classic acupuncture works were also reviewed with the keywords "dry mouth, thirst, dry tongue, dry eyes and dry lips" to search the effective acupuncture points for dry mouth-associated symptoms in ancient China.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Twenty-two full-text articles relevant to acupuncture treatment for radiation-induced xerostomia were included and a total of 48 acupuncture points were searched in the 5 ancient Chinese classic acupuncture works, in which the most commonly used points were Chengjiang (CV24), Shuigou (GV 26), Duiduan (GV 27), Jinjin (EX-HN 12), and Yuye (EX-HN 13) on head and neck, Sanjian (LI 3), Shangyang (LI 1), Shaoshang (LU 11), Shaoze (SI 1), Xialian (LI 8) on hand, Fuliu (KI 7), Dazhong (KI 4), Zuqiaoyin (GB 44), Taichong (LR 3), Zhaohai (KI 6) on foot, Burong (ST 19), Zhangmen (LR 13), Tiantu (CV 22), Qimen (LR 14) on abdomen, Feishu (BL 13), Danshu (BL 19), Xiaochaogshu (BL 27), Ganshu (BL 18) on back, Shenmen (TF 4), Shen (CO10, Kidney), Yidan (CO11, Pancreas) and Pi (CO13, Spleen) on ear.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>There were considerable heterogeneities in the current acupuncture treatment protocols for radiation-induced xerostomia. Based on the results of the review and the personal perspectives, the authors provide a recommendation for manual acupuncture protocols in treating radiationinduced xerostomia patients with head and neck cancer.</p>
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Humans , Acupuncture Points , Acupuncture Therapy , Reference Standards , Radiation Injuries , Reference Standards , Xerostomia , TherapeuticsABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the clinical efficacy of acupuncture at Hegu (LI 4) on central facial nerve paralysis after ischemic stroke, and explore dose-effect relationship among different stimulation intensities of acupuncture at Hegu (LI 4) as well as its optimal treatment plan.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>According to different acupuncture stimulation intensities which were based on treatment time and needle insertion direction, fifty patients were randomly divided into a Hegu 1 group, a Hegu 2 group, a Hegu 3 group, a Hegu 4 group and a control group, ten cases in each one. Different stimulation intensities of acupuncture at Hegu (LI 4) combined with facial paralysis acupoints, including Yingxiang (LI 20), Dicang (ST 4), Jiache (ST 6) and Quanliao (SI 18), were applied in Hegu 1 to 4 groups; meanwhile acupuncture at stroke acupoints, including Neiguan (PC 6), Shuigou (GV 26) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6), and medication treatment were adopted. Except acupuncture at Hegu (LI 4), the treatment of the control group was identical as Hegu groups. The treatment duration lasted for 14 days. The House-Brackmann facial never grading systems (H-B), Toronto facial grading system (TFGS), degrees of facial never paralysis (DFNP), facial disability index (FDI) and clinical efficacy were compared among groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) Compared before the treatment, H-B, TFGS, DFNP and physical function score in FDI were all improved significantly in the Hegu 1 to 4 groups (all P < 0.05), but social function score in FDI was not obviously improved (all P > 0.05); all the scores in the control group were not evidently changed (all P > 0.05). (2) Compared with the control group, differences of H-B before and after treatment in the Hegu 1 to 4 groups, differences of TFGS in the Hegu 2 group and differences of DFNP in the Hegu 1 and Hegu 2 group were significantly improved (all P < 0.05). The differences of any scale among Hegu 1 to 4 groups were not significant (all P > 0.05), in which the most evident change was found in Hegu 2 group. (3) The total effective rate was 90.0% (9/10), 100.0% (10/10), 90.0% (9/10) and 80.0% (8/10) in Hegu 1 to 4 groups, which were significantly higher than 60.0% (6/10) in the control group (all P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Acupuncture at Hegu (LI 4) has affirmative clinical efficacy on central facial nerve paralysis after ischemic stroke, in which oblique insertion along the opposite direction of meridian for 5 s of twirling manipulation has the best clinical effect.</p>
Subject(s)
Adult , Aged , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Acupuncture Points , Acupuncture Therapy , Facial Paralysis , Therapeutics , StrokeABSTRACT
The present situation of the study on the specificity of meridian points effectiveness through checking up the relevant literatures on the study of this subject published in recent 10 years from the databases such as CNKI and SCI are summarized in the paper. It is indicated in the summarization that the effectiveness of meridian points is specific and the meridian points bring their role into play probably through the biological mechanism in the body. But, it is still limitative in systematic, complete and scientific study on such conclusion. In future, the relevant study is required by adopting adequately modern scientific technology and facility, strict and scientific experiment designs as well as assessment method and taking extensive diseases or disease models as the carriers.