Sphenopalatine ganglion stimulation: a comprehensive evaluation across diseases in randomized controlled trials.

Background: Current literature extensively covers the use of sphenopalatine ganglion stimulation (SPGs) in treating a broad spectrum of medical conditions, such as allergic rhinitis, cluster headaches, and strokes. Nevertheless, a discernible gap in the systematic organization and analysis of these studies is evident. This paper aims to bridge this gap by conducting a comprehensive review and analysis of existing literature on SPGs across various medical conditions. Methods: This study meticulously constructed a comprehensive database through systematic computerized searches conducted on PubMed, Embase, CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, and CBM up to May 2022. The inclusion criteria encompassed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in either Chinese or English, focusing on the therapeutic applications of SPGs for various medical conditions. Both qualitative and quantitative outcome indicators were considered eligible for inclusion. Results: This comprehensive study reviewed 36 publications, comprising 10 high-quality, 23 medium-quality, and three low-quality articles. The study investigated various diseases, including allergic rhinitis (AR), ischemic strokes (IS), cluster headache (CH), primary trigeminal neuralgia (PTN), pediatric chronic secretory otitis (PCSO), refractory facial paralysis (RFP), chronic tension-type headache (CTTH), as well as the analysis of low-frequency sphenopalatine ganglion stimulation (LF-SPGs) in chronic cluster headache (CCH) and the impact of SPGs on Normal nasal cavity function (NNCF). SPGs demonstrate efficacy in the treatment of AR. Regarding the improvement of rhinoconjunctivitis quality of life questionnaire (RQLQ) scores, SPGs are considered the optimal intervention according to the SUCRA ranking. Concerning the improvement in Total Nasal Symptom Score (TNSS), Conventional Acupuncture Combined with Tradiational Chinese Medicine (CA-TCM) holds a significant advantage in the SUCRA ranking and is deemed the best intervention. In terms of increasing Effective Rate (ER), SPGs outperformed both conventional acupuncture (CA) and Western Medicine (WM; P < 0.05). In the context of SPGs treatment for IS, the results indicate a significant improvement in the 3-month outcomes, as evaluated by the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) in the context of Cerebral Cortical Infarction (CCI; P < 0.05). In the treatment of CH with SPGs, the treatment has been shown to have a statistically significant effect on the relief and disappearance of headaches (P < 0.05). The impact of SPGs on NNCF reveals statistically significant improvements (P < 0.05) in nasal airway resistance (NAR), nasal cavity volume (NCV), exhaled nitric oxide (eNO), substance P (SP), vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and neuropeptide Y (NPY). SPGs treatments for PCSO, RFP, and CTTH, when compared to control groups, yielded statistically significant results (P < 0.05). Conclusion: SPGs demonstrate significant effectiveness in the treatment of AR, IS, and CH. Effective management of CCH may require addressing both autonomic dysregulation and deeper neural pathways. However, additional high-quality research is essential to clarify its effects on NNCF, PTN, PCSO, RFP, and CTTH. Systematic Review Registration: PROSPERO, identifier CRD42021252073, https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=312429.

[Professor YANG Jun's experience in treatment of refractory facial paralysis based on acupuncture manipulation].

To summarize professor YANG Jun's experience in treatment of refractory facial paralysis by different acupuncture manipulation. Professor YANG Jun believes that refractory facial paralysis has prolonged course, qi and blood deficiency and collaterals injury after a long illness, and it is difficult to obtain obvious curative effect with routine acupuncture. Aimed at the etiology, pathogenesis and characteristics of disease, professor YANG Jun adopts 3 kinds of acupuncture manipulations, such as "penetration needling with long needle" "pulling technique exert after needle stuck" "contralateral-balance needling on the healthy side", to relieve deviation.

[Bibliometric analysis of refractory facial paralysis based on CNKI database].

The current development situation and the hotspot of the relevant research on refractory facial paralysis are explored. The articles on refractory facial paralysis are retrieved from CNKI database. The bibliographic items co-occurrence matrix builder (BICOMB) 2.0 is adopted to extract and analyze statistically literature characteristics and generate the high-frequency keywords matrix. The graphical clustering toolkit (gCLUTO) 1.0 is used to cluster the high-frequency keywords. A total of 750 articles are included, mostly published in Journal of Clinical Acupuncture and Moxibustion (63 articles), Chinese Acupuncture & Moxibustion (54 articles) and Shanghai Journal of Acupuncture and Moxibustion (27 articles) separately. The number of published articles by the active first authors are accounted for 10.1% of the total. When the high-frequency keywords are clustered into 4 categories, the topics with good cluster effect including the inheritance of the experiences of famous doctors in the comprehensive treatment of refractory facial paralysis, the comprehensive treatment measures with the a quite high curative effect on refractory facial paralysis based on heat-sensitive moxibustion and those based on the intervention by enhancing acupoint stimulation effect, as well as the study on the comprehensive treatment measures. General speaking, the regimen of acupuncture and moxibustion is a hotspot in the study on refractory facial paralysis. Research fellows give the consideration on the inheritance of the experiences of famous doctors, adopt the comprehensive treatment methods and enhance the actions of "warming" and "promoting" in the regimen by focusing on the pathogenesis. Such an idea has certain enlightening role to the study on the treatment of refractory diseases.

Professor / 中国针灸

To summarize professor

Bibliometric analysis of refractory facial paralysis based on CNKI database / 中国针灸

The current development situation and the hotspot of the relevant research on refractory facial paralysis are explored. The articles on refractory facial paralysis are retrieved from CNKI database. The bibliographic items co-occurrence matrix builder (BICOMB) 2.0 is adopted to extract and analyze statistically literature characteristics and generate the high-frequency keywords matrix. The graphical clustering toolkit (gCLUTO) 1.0 is used to cluster the high-frequency keywords. A total of 750 articles are included, mostly published in

[Professor ZHANG Ren's experience of stage treatment for refractory facial paralysis].

To introduce professor ZHANG Ren's experience that different stages of refractory facial paralysis should be treated with different acupuncture methods.In early stage of facial paralysis,identifcation is important. Electroacupuncture is applied to connect Qianzheng (Extra) with Cuanzhu (BL 2), Sibai (ST 2) and Jiachengjiang (Extra), by observing the twitches of facial muscles, it is determined whether it is easy to develop into refractory facial paralysis, in order to actively take preventive treatment. In the recovery stage of refractory facial paralysis, comprehensive therapy including acupuncture, acupoint injection, quick cupping and auricular point pressure are adopted, and penetration needling is applied at three points of mouth, three points of cheek and three points of forehead.In the sequelae stage of refractory facial paralysis，on the basis of comprehensive therapy, targeted treatment is adopted according to different sequelae.

Professor 's experience of stage treatment for refractory facial paralysis / 中国针灸

To introduce professor s experience that different stages of refractory facial paralysis should be treated with different acupuncture methods.In early stage of facial paralysis,identifcation is important. Electroacupuncture is applied to connect Qianzheng (Extra) with Cuanzhu (BL 2), Sibai (ST 2) and Jiachengjiang (Extra), by observing the twitches of facial muscles, it is determined whether it is easy to develop into refractory facial paralysis, in order to actively take preventive treatment. In the recovery stage of refractory facial paralysis, comprehensive therapy including acupuncture, acupoint injection, quick cupping and auricular point pressure are adopted, and penetration needling is applied at three points of mouth, three points of cheek and three points of forehead.In the sequelae stage of refractory facial paralysis，on the basis of comprehensive therapy, targeted treatment is adopted according to different sequelae.