OBJECTIVETo find out the dominant diseases in the clinic of modern acupuncture.

METHODSBy means of bibliometrics, clinical acupuncture study literatures from 1978 to 2004, searched from CBM database, were sorted and counted to show the different clinical utilizing quantities and developing trends of different disease groups in the acupuncture clinic.

RESULTSObviously dominant type: nervous system diseases; mature type: motor system diseases; developing type: 3 kind of diseases including psychosis; premature type: diseases related with surgery; steady type: 3 kind of diseases including digestive system diseases (diseases of liver and gallbladder are not included); pre-developing diseases: 5 kind of diseases including otorhinolaryngologic diseases.

CONCLUSIONAmong all these types, obvious advantage type and mature type are the most distinguishing. Developing type has the most significant ascending trend. Premature type has relatively strong developing potentiality.