Association of elevated plasma CCL5 levels with high risk for tic disorders in children.

Abnormal levels of some peripheral cytokines have been reported in children patients with tic disorders (TDs), but none of these cytokines can be a biomarker for this disease. Our aim was to systemically profile differentially expressed cytokines (DECs) in the blood of TD patients, examine their associations with TD development, and identify from them potential biomarkers for the prediction and management of the risk for TDs. In this study, a cytokine array capable of measuring 105 cytokines was used to screen for DECs in the plasma from 53 comorbidity-free and drug-naïve TD patients and 37 age-matched healthy controls. DECs were verified by ELISA and their associations with TD development were evaluated by binary logistic regression analysis. Elevation of a set of cytokines was observed in TD patients compared with controls, including previously uncharacterized cytokines in tic disorders, CCL5, Serpin E1, Thrombospondin-1, MIF, PDGF-AA, and PDGF-AB/BB. Further analysis of DECs revealed a significant association of elevated CCL5 with TD development (p = 0.005) and a significant ROC curve for CCL5 as a risk factor [AUC, 0.801 (95% CI: 0.707-0.895), p < 0.0001]. Conclusion: This study identifies associations of a set of circulating cytokines, particularly CCL5 with TD development, and provides evidence that high blood CCL5 has potential to be a risk factor for TD development. Clinical Trial Registration: identifier ChiCTR-2000029616.

The Efficacy of Acupuncture on Tic Disorders in Children: A Retrospective and Propensity Score-Matched Study.

Background : Acupuncture has been considered as a complementary or alternative therapy for children with tic disorders (TD), but its efficacy remains largely unknown. This study retrospectively examined the efficacy of acupuncture treatment for TD in children over the course of 12 weeks. Methods: Data were collected from Traditional Chinese Medicine clinics in a public pediatric hospital in Shanghai between June 2020 and March 2021. A total of 250 patients with TD were included in the study, with 122 patients exposed to acupuncture therapy combined with conventional treatment (observation group), and 128 patients exposed to conventional treatment alone (control group). Propensity score matching analyses were used to balance baseline characteristics, resulting in 78 matched patients for each group. Reductions in the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (YGTSS) total score were analyzed in the two groups after 12 weeks of treatment. Results: The two groups reached equilibrium in terms of baseline demographic characteristics and YGTSS total score after the propensity score matching (P > 0.05). Compared to the control group, the reduction in the YGTSS total score after 12 weeks of treatment was greater for the observation group (OR = 2.94, 95% CI: 1.03, 8.39, P = 0.04), and this association was stronger for patients who had significant vocal tics (ß = 0.29, 95% CI: 0.88, 2.68, P = 0.001). The clinical efficacy for the observation group was significantly better than the control group. Conclusions: We provided preliminary evidence supporting the therapeutic effect of acupuncture for TD in children. Hence, our findings indicate that acupuncture could be an adjuvant treatment efficacious for TD in children, especially for vocal tics.

[Clinical study of the treatment of infant cerebral palsy with warm-reinforcing needling combined with rehabilitation training].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the therapeutic effect of warm-reinforcing needling combined with modern rehabilitation training for infant cerebral palsy (CP). METHODS: Forty cases of cerebral palsy children were randomly divided into rehabilitation (Rehab, n=19) and acupuncture (Acup) + Rehab (n=21) groups. Body acupoints used were Baihui (GV 20), Zusanli (ST 36), Quchi (LI 11), Huantiao (GB 30), Yinlingquan (GB 34), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), etc., and scalp-acupoints Zhisanzhen (the cross-point between the anterior hairline and the median line of the head, 3 cun bilateral to the crossing point), Naosanzhen [Nao-hu (GV 17), 1.5 cun bilateral to GV17], Balance Zone, Motor Zone, etc. . The treatment was conducted once every other day, with 3 months being a therapeutic course, 2 courses altogether. Rehabilitation training included physical training (PT), occupational therapy (OT) training, and speech training (ST), 5 times a week, with 3 months being a therapeutic course, 2 courses altogether. Gross motor function measure (GMFM) and comprehensive function (CF, including cognition, speech, motor, self-care and social-adaptable abilities) were evaluated. RESULTS: After the treatment, of the 19 and 21 cases in Rehab and Acup+ Rehab groups, 12 (63.16%) and 18 (85.71%) experienced marked improvement, 7 (36.84%) and 3 (14.29%) failed, with the effective rates being 63.16% and 85.71% respectively. The therapeutic effect of Acup+ Rehab group was markedly superior to that of Rehab group (P < 0.05). Self-comparison of two groups showed that the scores of CF and GMFM increased significantly in comparison with pre-treatment (P < 0.01), and the scores of F and GMFM of Acup + Rehab group were obviously higher than those of Rehab group (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Rehabilitation training combined with acupuncture can apparently improve CP children's motor and comprehensive functions, and the therapeutic effect of AcupWarm-reinf Rehab is evidently superior to that of simple rehabilitation training therapy.