[Application exploration of comparative effectiveness research in clinical efficacy optimization of abdominal acupuncture].

The concepts and characteristics of comparative effectiveness research (CER) are analyzed to explore its scientific research methodology in clinical efficacy optimization of abdominal acupuncture. The designs of CER focus on patients, which emphasize assessment of comprehensive efficacy in real medical environment instead of simple efficacy in randomized controlled trial (RCT). Its research strategy involves four categories and three subject, covering acquiring, saving and management, comparison and application of clinical evidence, which has practical application value in comprehensive comparison of advantages and efficacy rules of different acupuncture therapies and acupoint prescriptions. By establishing clinical registration system, oversized-sample data could be acquired from different centers to effectively overcome insufficient sample-induced sampling error. It has important value in system summary and optimization of clinical efficacy of abdominal acupuncture. The CER fully illustrates clinical reality of acupuncture-moxibustion and provides strong support of scientific data for optimization of curative effect. It embodies prescription standardization, manipulation normalization and methodization of syndrome differentiation in clinic of abdominal acupuncture, which is expected to achieve evidence-based optimization of treatment prescription and technique in abdominal acupuncture.

[Comparative study on abdominal acupuncture and western medicine for treatment of menopause depressive disorder].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the therapeutic effects between abdominal acupuncture and Deanxit for treatment of menopause depressive disorder, and to explore the efficacy and safety of abdominal acupuncture. METHODS: Sixty cases were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 30 cases in each. The observation group was treated with abdominal acupuncture at Zhongwan (CV 12), Xiawan (CV 10), Qihai (CV 6) and Guanyuan (CV 4), etc. The control group was treated with oral administration of Deanxit. The patients in both groups were treated for 4 weeks and followed up for another 4 weeks, and they were evaluated by Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) every couple weeks. RESULTS: The total HAMD scores of 2 and 4 weeks treatments and 2 and 4 weeks follow-up were all reduced in both groups (all P < 0.01). The total scores of 2 and 4 weeks follow-up in observation group were lower than those in control group, with significant differences in statistical analysis (both P < 0.05). Compared with the clinical therapeutic effect of both groups after 4 weeks treatment, there was no significant difference (P > 0.05), however, after 4 weeks follow-up, the therapeutic effect in observation group was superior to that in control group, with significant difference in statistical analysis (P < 0.05). The safety indexes before and after treatment of both groups were normal, and the adverse reaction rate in observation group was much lower than that in control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Abdominal acupuncture is an effective and safe method for menopause depressive disorder, it improves the menopause depressive symptoms with persistent action, less symptoms relapse and adverse reactions.

[Multicenter controlled study on abdominal acupuncture for treatment of nerve root type cervical spondylosis].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the therapeutic effect of abdominal acupuncture on nerve root cervical spondylosis. METHODS: Three hundred cases were randomly assigned to a treatment group and a traction control group. The treatment group were treated with abdominal acupuncture at an acupoint prescription, i.e. Zhongwan (CV 12), Guanyuan (CV 4) and others were selected. The control group were treated with suspended traction by a cervical vertebral extraction belt at pillow-jaw sitting position. The short-term and long-term therapeutic effects were observed at the end of therapeutic course and 90 days after the end of treatment, respectively. RESULTS: The total short-term and the long-term therapeutic effects were 97.3% and 92.7% in the treatment group, and 82.0% and 82.0% in the control group, respectively, with significant differences between the two groups (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Abdominal acupuncture has better short-term and long-term therapeutic effects with short therapeutic course.