Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of umbilicus application with Chinese medicine in treating children’s chronic diarrhea due to food intolerance and the value of healthy diet education. Methods:Eighty kids with chronic diarrhea due to food intolerance were recruited from multiple centers and divided by using the random number table into a treatment group of 40 cases and a control group of 40 cases. For both groups, based on the level of serum food-specific immunoglobulin G (Ig-G), the patients were given unified diet following the healthy diet guidance: safe, alternate, and forbidden, while the treatment group was additionally given umbilicus application with Chinese medicine. The therapeutic efficacy and symptom score of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) were observed and compared respectively after 1-week, 2-week, 4-week, and 12-week treatment. Results:The diarrhea symptoms and coupled symptoms scores dropped significantly in the two groups after treatment ( all P<0.05), and the inter-group comparisons also showed statistical significances (P<0.05). The total effective rate was 97.5% in the treatment group versus 77.5% in the control group, and the inter-group difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusion:The healthy diet guidance based on the food intolerance test is effective in helping treat diarrhea, while umbilicus application with Chinese medicine works better in treating diarrhea for kids with chronic diarrhea due to food intolerance and can significantly enhance the therapeutic efficacy.

Objective: To seek the optimal acupuncture time for primary dysmenorrhea and provide clinical basis for optimal acupuncture treatment protocol. Methods:A total of 90 eligible cases were randomly allocated into three groups, 30 cases in each group. Points Guanyuan (CV 4), bilateral Zusanli (ST 36) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6) were selected for patients in all three groups, with a different treatment duration: 15 min in group A, 30 min in group B and 45 min in group C. Then the clinical efficacy in each group was evaluated by pain symptom scoring. Results:As for the pain symptom scores, there were statistically significant intra-group differences between before and after treatment in three groups (allP<0.05); coupled with statistically significant inter-group differences between group B and the other two groups (bothP<0.05). As for clinical efficacy, there were statistical differences between group B and the other two groups (bothP<0.05), indicating that 30 min of acupuncture is the optimal duration in the treatment of dysmenorrhea. Conclusion:With the same needling manipulation, 30 min of acupuncture treatment achieves a better efficacy for primary dysmenorrhea.

Objective:To observe the clinical efficacy of warm needling moxibustion plus functional exercises in treating knee osteoarthritis (KOA).Methods:Totally 108 eligible KOA patients were intervened by warm needling moxibustionplus functional exercises. The warm needling moxibustion was given 3 times a week, successively for 4 weeks. The visual analogue scale (VAS) was adopted to evaluate the pain intensity of the knee joint. After 4-week treatment, the change of VAS score, range of motion (ROM) of knee, and Lysholm score were observed, and the clinical efficacy was also estimated. Results:After treatment, the VAS score dropped obviously, and the ROM and Lysholm score increased markedly; the total effective rate was 83.3%. Conclusion:Warm needling moxibustionplus functional exercises is effective in treating KOA, as it can relieve the knee joint pain and improve the joint motion.

Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of acupuncture plus motor therapy for postapoplectic spastic hemiplegia and provide reference for rehabilitation care of patients with spastic hemiplegia after stroke. Methods:A total of 87 cases with postapoplectic spastic hemiplegia were randomly allocated into a treatment group and a control group. Patients in both groups received basic treatments to control blood pressure, blood sugar, blood fat and improve circulation. The 43 cases in the treatment group received acupuncture combined with motor therapy, whereas the 44 cases in the control group received motor therapy alone (same as the treatment group). The treatment was conducted once a day, for a total of 3 sessions. One session consisted of 10 times and there was a 1-day interval between two sessions. Then the changes in modified Ashworth scale (MAS) score and Fugl-Meyer assessment scale (FMA) score and clinical efficacy were observed. Results:After treatment, the MAS scores were significantly decreased in both groups, showing intra-group statistical differences (P<0.01). The MAS score in the treatment group was significantly lower than that in the control group, showing a between-group statistical difference (P<0.01). The total effective rate was 69.8% in the treatment group, versus 45.5% in the control group, showing a between-group statistical difference (P<0.05). After treatment, the FMA scores were significantly increased in both groups, showing intra-group statistical differences (P<0.01); and the FMA score in the treatment group was significantly higher than that in the control group, showing a between-group statistical difference (P<0.05). Conclusion:Acupuncture combined with motor therapy is better than motor therapy alone in alleviating postapoplectic limb spasticity, improving the limb motor function and increasing the activities of daily living (ADL).

Objective: To explore the clinical effects of electroacupuncture (EA) at Zusanli (ST 36) and Fenglong (ST 40) in treating senile dementia. Methods:A total of74 patients were randomly divided into an EA group and a medication group based upon the random digital table, 37 cases in each group. EA at Zusanli (ST 36) and Fenglong (ST 40) was given in the EA group, once every day, for six treatments per week. Donepezil Hydrochloride Tablets were given to the medication group, 5 mg per time and once a day in the former four weeks, 10 mg per time and once a day after 4 weeks, oral administration before sleep at night. The courses of the treatment were 12 weeks in both groups. The scores of mini-mental state examination (MMSE) and Barthel index (BI) were observed before and after the treatment, for processing the comparative analysis of the clinical effects after the course of the treatment. Results:The total effective rate was 86.5% in the EA group and 70.3% in the medication group. The therapeutic effect was better in the EA group than that in the medication group, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P<0.05). MMSE and BI scores after the treatment in the two groups were all elevated than those of the same groups before the treatment (P<0.05,P<0.01). The improving situation was obviously better in the EA group than that in the medication group, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusion:EA at Zusanli (ST 36) and Fenglong (ST 40) is affirmative in the therapeutic effect for senile dementia and can also improve the cognitive function and enhance the patients’ quality of life .

Ovulatory dysfunction refers to absent ovulation or luteal insufficiency. It is commonly seen in women with irregular menstruation or menstrual cycles, especially in those with oligomenorrhea or amenorrhea. Ovulatory dysfunction is considered the single-most frequent cause of female infertility. Clinically, the two major causes of ovulatory dysfunction are polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and luteinized unruptured follicle syndrome (LUFS). Acupuncture-moxibustion improves ovulation and helps with infertility. Through a systematic review and analysis on relevant literatures in Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture-moxibustion Databankover the last decade, this paper summarized the characteristics and pattern of acupuncture-moxibustion points for improving ovulation in order to provide an optimal acupuncture-moxibustion protocol in this regard.

Objective: To categorize and summarize the clinical and mechanism studies of the past 30 years on the treatment of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) with moxibustion, moxibustion plus medication, and acupuncture plus medication, etc., and to analyze the current problems. Methods: The clinical and laboratory studies related to the treatment of HT with acupuncture-moxibustion therapies published before June 2015 were retrieved from MEDLINE, Excerpta Medica Database (EMBASE), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Academic Journal Full-text Database (Wanfang) and Chongqing VIP Database (CQVIP). Results:Moxibustion, moxibustion plus medication, and acupuncture plus medication can produce certain therapeutic effects in treating HT. Conclusion:The research on the treatment of HT with acupuncture-moxibustion therapies is rather limited in the amount and content. In the future, standardization should be fortified, specific moxibustion research needs deepening, and the action mechanism of moxibustion should be emphasized.

Obesity often results when regular caloric intake exceeds the energy expenditure. Hypothalamus is the center that regulates feeding and energy balance inside the body, especially the lateral hypothalamic area (LHA) and ventromedial nucleus (VMN). Acupuncture-moxibustion has achieved significant progress in treating simple obesity, and the relevant studies have revealed the central action mechanism underlying the treatment. By reviewing the literatures associated with the mechanism studies on acupuncture-moxibustion for simple obesity, this article is going to provide clinical and scientific guidance for the treatment of simple obesity with acupuncture-moxibustion.

Objective: To analyze and review the clinical efficacy of acupuncture (including electroacupuncture) alone for allergic rhinitis (AR) and to compare its efficacy with antihistamines and Chinese patent medicineBi Yan Kang Tablet. Methods: The search strategy, inclusion and exclusion criteria were made according to the principle of evidence-based medicine. We performed a systematic search on China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Academic Journal Full-text Database (Wanfang), Chongqing VIP Database (CQVIP), Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), PubMed, Excerpta Medica Database (EMBASE), Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of acupuncture for allergic rhinitis between January 1990 and December 2015. The quality was evaluated by Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions Version 5.1, and the meta-analysis was conducted by RevMan 5.3 version. Results: Twenty eligible RCTs were included into the meta-analysis after selection. Compared with antihistamines, the meta-analysis showed RR=1.24>1, 95%CI[1.15, 1.33],P<0.00001, indicating that acupuncture achieved a better total effective rate for AR than antihistamines; MD=–0.93<0, 95%CI[–1.22, –0.63],P<0.00001, indicating that acupuncture is better than antihistamines in decreasing the total nasal symptom score (TNSS) in AR patients; and MD=1.46>0, 95%CI[–10.84, 13.75],P=0.82, indicating that there was no statistical difference between acupuncture and antihistamines in regulating immunoglobulin E (IgE) in AR patients. Compared withBi Yan Kang Tablet, the meta-analysis has shown RR=1.50>1, 95%CI[1.30, 1.73],P<0.00001, indicating that acupuncture achieved a better total effective rate for AR than Chinese patent medicineBi Yan KangTablet. Conclusion: Acupuncture alone can achieve a better total effective rate for AR than antihistamines andBi Yan Kang Tablet. It is also better than antihistamines in improving clinical symptom scores; however, whether acupuncture is better thanBi Yan KangTablet needs further proof. As far as current data are concerned, there was no statistical difference between acupuncture and antihistamines in improving serum IgE; further study is needed in this regard. The risk of bias due to absent randomization methods or blinding implementation decreased the evidence level of the overall conclusion.

Objective:To observe the clinical efficacy of brain-benefiting and collateral-unblocking needling technique for chronic alcoholic gastritis complicated with depression. Methods:A total of 92 cases with chronic alcoholic gastritis complicated with depression were included in this trial. They were randomly allocated into an observation group (n=46) and a control group (n=46) by random number (envelope) method. Patients in the observation group received the brain-benefiting and collateral-unblocking needling technique. Scalp points included Shenting (GV 24), Xinhui (GV 22), Qianding (GV 23), Baihui (GV 20), Chengguang (BL 6), Tongtian (BL 7) and Luoque (BL 8). Body points included Neiguan (PC 6), Zusanli (ST 36), Zhongwan (CV 12), Gongsun (SP 4), Shenmen (HT 7), Daling (PC 7), Qimen (LR 14), Xinshu (BL 15) and Taichong (LR 3). The control group only received the same body acupuncture as the observation group. The treatment was conducted once a day, 30 min for each treatment, and 10 times made up a course of treatment. The efficacy was observed after 3 courses of treatment, and there was a 2-d interval between two courses. Results:After 3 courses of treatment, the clinical symptoms and gastroscopic features were significantly improved in the observation group than that in the control group. The clinical efficacy, self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) and self-rating depression scale (SDS) were significantly better than those in the control group (allP<0.05). Conclusion:The brain-benefiting and collateral-unblocking needling technique can significantly improve clinical symptoms in patients with chronic alcoholic gastritis complicated with depression and substantially alleviate their gastroscopic features, anxiety and depression.