Effect of acupuncture plus medication on the pulmonary ventilation, IFN-γ level and sleep quality in allergic rhinitis patients / 针灸推拿医学（英文版）

Objective:To observe the effect of warm-unblocking acupuncture plus fluticasone propionate nasal spray on the pulmonary ventilation, level of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and sleep quality in patients with allergic rhinitis (AR). Methods: A total of 112 AR patients were enrolled between January 2013 and August 2018 and were divided into an observation group and a control group by the random number table method, with 56 cases in each group. Patients in the observation group received warm-unblocking acupuncture plus fluticasone propionate nasal spray, and patients in the control group only received fluticasone propionate nasal spray. The nasal symptom score, pulmonary function indexes, the levels of IFN-γ and interleukin (IL)-4 in serum, and sleep quality in the two groups were compared. Results: After treatment, the total effective rate in the observation group was higher than that in the control group (P＜0.05). The nasal symptom score dropped in both groups after treatment (both P＜0.05), and the score in the observation group was lower than that in the control group (P＜0.05). The pulmonary ventilation indexes all increased significantly after treatment in the observation group (all P＜0.05); the forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) to forced vital capacity (FVC) ratio (FEV1/FVC) and the forced expiratory flow at 50%, 75% and 25%-75% of the vital capacity (FEF50%, FEF75%, FEF25%-75%) increased after treatment in the control group (all P＜0.05); the pulmonary ventilation indexes were higher in the observation group than those in the control group (all P＜0.05). The level of IFN-γ increased significantly after treatment in the two groups (both P＜0.05) and the level of IL-4 dropped significantly (both P＜0.05); the observation group had a higher IFN-γ level (P＜0.05) and a lower IL-4 level (P＜0.05) compared with the control group. Regarding the Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI), the scores of subjective sleep quality, habitual sleep efficiency and sleep disturbances and the general PSQI score decreased significantly after treatment in both groups (all P＜0.05), and the scores in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group (all P＜0.05). Conclusion: Warm-unblocking acupuncture plus fluticasone propionate nasal spray can effectively control the clinical symptoms and improve pulmonary function in the treatment of AR; this approach can regulate the levels of IFN-γ and IL-4 towards the normal range in AR patients; it can also improve patient’s sleep quality. This method can produce more significant efficacy than fluticasone propionate nasal spray used alone.

Is there a benefit of first- or second-line crizotinib in locally advanced or metastatic anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive non-small cell lung cancer? a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Crizotinib show a promising efficacy in patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, differences in efficacy for first- and second-line crizotinib are unclear. RESULTS: The pooled overall response rate and progression-free survival were 65% and 9.38 months, respectively. In the subgroup analysis, first-line crizotinib showed a higher trend of overall response rate and longer trend of progression-free survival although there was no statistical difference between first-line and second-line crizotinib (74%, 11.28 months vs. 65%, 8.12 months, respectively; fixed effects model). Moreover, overall response rate between Asians and Caucasians were similar (67% and 66%, respectively; fixed effects model). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A comprehensive search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, WEB OF SCIENCE and the COCHRANE databases from their inception to February 2016 was performed to identify clinical trials in English-language journals. Pooled overall response rate, progression-free survival and differences between first- and second-line crizotinib were estimated. Moreover, overall response rate between Asians and Caucasians were also estimated. CONCLUSIONS: First-line crizotinib may more effective than second-line crizotinib for patients with locally advanced or metastatic ALK-positive NSCLC.

Moxibustion at Baihui (GV 20) for intractable facial paralysis and its impacts on immunoglobulin / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the efficacy of moxibustion at Baihui (GV 20) on intractable facial paraly sis and the impacts on immune globulin IgA, IgG and IgM.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One hundred and twenty cases of intractable facial paralysis that was in compliance with the inclusive criteria were randomized into a moxibustion group and an acupuncture group, 60 cases in each one. In the moxibustion group, moxibustion was applied at Baihui (GV 20). In the acupuncture group, the patients were treated with acupuncture, once a day, the treatment of 15 days made one session in two groups. Before treatment and after 2 sessions treatment, the levels of IgA, IgG and IgM were detected respectively for the patients in two groups and compared.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The difference in the levels of IgA, IgG and IgM was not significant for the patients between two groups (all P > 0.05) before treatment, but the levels of all three indices were increased significantly as compared with the normal reference values (all P < 0.05). Componed before the treatment, the levels of IgA, IgG and IgM were reduced significantly in two groups after treatment, indicating the significant difference (all P < 0.05). In comparison between two groups after the treatment, the levels of IgA, IgG and IgM in the moxibustion group were lower significantly than those in the acupuncture group, presenting the significant difference after treatment (all P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The ottack of intractable facial paralysis is relevant with the abnormal increase of immunoglobulin. Moxibustion at Baihui (GV 20) reduces significantly the levels of IgA, IgG and IgM for the patients with intractable facial paraly sis, which is probably one of the mechanisms in the treatment of intractable facial paralysis.</p>

Effects of electroacupuncture on supplementary analgesia and improvement of adverse reactions induced by dolantin in oocyte retrieval / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effect of electroacupuncture on supplementary analgesia and improvement of adverse reactions induced by dolantin in oocyte retrieval, and to provide scientific and effective evidence for application of electroacupuncture in oocyte retrieval.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One hundred and thirty-four patients undergoing in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) were randomly divied into an observation group and a a control group, 67 cases in each group. They were all received intramuscular injection of 50 mg dolantin at 30 mn before the operation, and then the observation group was treated with acupuncture at Baihui (GV 20), pain point (Extra, right), Sanyangluo (TE 8, right), Zusanli (ST 36, right) and ear uterus point (right ear). Pain point and Sanyangluo (TE 8) were received electroacupuncture stimulation after Deqi until the oocyte retrieval operation was finished, and the oocyte retrieval operation was performed in the control group after 30 min of injection of dolantin. The pain grade and score were observed and the adverse reactions during operation or 1 h and 2 h after the operation were recorded.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The excellent analgesia rate was 97.0% (65/ 67) in the observation group and 92.5% (62/67) in the control group, with significant difference in the analgesia effect (P < 0.05). The pain grade and pain score in the observation group were both superior to those in the control group (both P < 0.05). There were fewer cases with the adverse reactions i.e. vertigo, sweating, nausea in the observation group than that in the control group during operation or 1 h and 2 h after the operation (all P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>In the oocyte retrieval operation, under the guidance of vaginal B ultrasound, electroacupuncture has a good intraoperative supplementary analgesia effect without intraoperative and postoperative adverse reactions induced by dolantin.</p>

Li Wen-Rong's experience on acupuncture at painful locality taken as acupoint / 中国针灸

Doctor Li Wen-Rong, who has been practicing acupuncture for five decades by combination of the meridian theory of TCM and related modern medical science, has still been active in acupuncture clinic, especially in acupuncture manipulation based on the method of acupuncture at painful locality taken as acupoint, Jiaji (EX-B 2) being selected as the main acupoints and Back-shu acupoints of the Bladder Meridian as adjuvant acupoints, except the acupoints on the limbs, and the selected acupoints being relatively concentrated and the needles being inserted in tender points for treatment of relevant nervous system diseases and complicated chronic cases, which has formed her own academic style. In this article, the authors introduce some of her medical records by using acupuncture manipulation based on the method of acupuncture at painful locality taken as acupoint for treatment of facial paralysis, renal colic and rheumatoid arthritis, and the main idea of this article is to summarize and analyze her academic thoughts.