OBJECTIVE: To explore the association between acupuncture during controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) and the live birth rate (LBR) using different propensity score methods. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, eligible women who underwent a COH were divided into acupuncture and non-acupuncture groups. The primary outcome was LBR, as determined by propensity score matching (PSM). LBR was defined as the delivery of one or more living infants that reached a gestational age over 28 weeks after embryo transfer. The propensity score model encompassed 16 confounding variables. To validate the results, sensitivity analyses were conducted using three additional propensity score methods: propensity score adjustment, inverse probability weighting (IPW), and IPW with a "doubly robust" estimator. RESULTS: The primary cohort encompassed 9751 patients (1830 [18.76%] in the acupuncture group and 7921 [81.23%] in the non-acupuncture group). Following 1:1 PSM, a higher LBR was found in the acupuncture cohort (41.4% [755/1824] vs 36.4% [664/1824], with an odds ratio of 1.23 [95% confidence interval, 1.08-1.41]). Three additional propensity score methods produced essentially similar results. The risk of serious adverse events did not significantly differ between the two groups. CONCLUSION This retrospective study revealed an association between acupuncture and an increased LBR among patients undergoing COH, and that acupuncture is a safe and valuable treatment option. Please cite this article as: Zheng XY, Jiang ZY, Li YT, Li CL, Zhu H, Yu Z, Yu SY, Yang LL, Tang SY, Lü XY, Liang FR, Yang J. Association between acupuncture and live birth rates after fresh embryo transfer: A cohort study based on different propensity score methods. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(5):528-536.
Humans ; Female ; Propensity Score ; Embryo Transfer ; Adult ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Retrospective Studies ; Pregnancy ; Live Birth ; Birth Rate ; Cohort Studies

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between polymorphisms of the growth arrest specific 6 (GAS6) gene and severe preeclampsia in a South West Han Chinese population.

METHODSBlood samples from 167 patients with severe preeclampsia and 312 normal pregnant women as controls from Han Chinese in Chengdu area were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphisms.

RESULTSC and T allele frequencies for +1332C/T site were 85.63% and 14.37% in the patient group, respectively, and 78.04% and 21.96% in control group, respectively. The TT genotype and variant T allelic frequencies of the +1332C/T polymorphism were significantly lower in patients with severe preeclampsia than in the control group (both P<0.05), and the odds ratio for the risk of severe preeclampsia was 0.602 (95%CI: 0.401-0.904) in carriers for the variant T allele (χ=6.045, P=0.014). G and A allele frequencies for 834+7G/A site were 72.75% and 27.25% in case group, respectively, and 74.36% and 25.64% in control group, respectively. The genotype and allele frequencies of the 834+7G/A polymorphism in patients with severe preeclampsia and controls showed no significant differences (both P>0.05). In addition, there was no significant association between the polymorphisms and blood pressure levels in the patient or control groups.

CONCLUSIONThe variant GAS6+1332 T allele is associated with a decreased risk for severe preeclampsia in a South West Han Chinese population. On the other hand, the 834+7G/A polymorphism has no effect on the severe preeclampsia.

Adult ; Alleles ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; China ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; ethnology ; genetics ; Genotype ; Humans ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; genetics ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Pre-Eclampsia ; ethnology ; genetics ; pathology ; Pregnancy ; Risk Factors ; Severity of Illness Index ; Young Adult

Objective To observe the efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant chemotherapy combined with conserving-breast surgery in treatment of patients with stage Ⅱ,Ⅲ breast cancer.Methods 85 patients with stage Ⅱ,Ⅲ breast cancer were selected,42 patients in breast-conserving group and 43 patients in modified radical group.Neoadjuvant chemotherapy was used in breast-conserving,while was not used in modified radical group.Efficacy and follow-up results were observed in the two groups.Results After treatment,the CR and PR in the breast-conserving group was 30 cases and the effective rate was 71.4%,which of the modified radical group was 55.8% with 21 patients of CR and PR.After the comparative analysis,the difference was statistically significant(t=4.518,P=0.034).After followed for 12-36 months,the patients in the breast conserving group were all alive and one case of local recurrence.According to breast shape evaluation criteria,34 patients were excellent,accounting for 80.9%;good for the five cases,accounting for 11.9%;bad of two cases,accounting for 4.8% and the excellent rate was 92.9%.According to the patients' own judgment on the breast shape,37 cases were very satisfied,accounting for 88.1%;basic satisfaction for three cases,accounting for 7.1%;dissatisfied 2 cases,accounting for 4.8% and the satisfaction rate was 95.2%.Conclusion Patients with breast cancer of Ⅱ,Ⅲ period before breast-conserving surgery taking chemotherapy can reduce the clinical stage while the postoperative efficacy and breast appearance are good with important clinical value.

Objective:Characteristics of the retroperitoneal tumor blood supply arteries were analyzed to evaluate the safety and effec-tiveness of preoperative interventional embolization for benign and malignant retroperitoneal tumors. Methods:A total of 241 cases were divided into benign retroperitoneal tumor group and malignant retroperitoneal tumor group. Each group was divided into groups A, B, and C according to the long diameter of the tumor tissue. Group A>10.0 cm, 5.0 cm0.05). Significant differences in intraoperative bleeding and intraoperative blood transfusion were found between groups A and B (P<0.05). Main arteries of the abdominal retroperitoneal tumor are the lumbar, internal iliac, and adrenal arteries. The main artery of pelvic retroperitoneal tumor is the internal iliac artery. Conclusion:Preoperative interventional embolization can effec-tively reduce the risk of bleeding during malignant retroperitoneal tumor surgery and improve the perioperative safety of patients. No significant benefit of benign retroperitoneal tumors and no increased risk of bleeding during surgery were observed. Retroperitoneal tumor preoperative embolization should focus on investigating the lumbar, internal iliac, and adrenal arteries.

Objective To investigate the relationship between carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and coronary atherosclerosis plaque through coronary CT angiography (CTA) in asymptomatic individuals.Methods Two hundred and fifty cases with CTA screened were selected in asymptomatic individuals,and according to the inspection result they were divided into no plaque group (detection of no coronary atherosclerosis plaque,180 cases) and plaque group (detection of coronary atherosclerosis plaque,70 cases).All cases were checked carotid IMT with B-ultrasonic.Results ANOVAs analysis showed that age and body mass index (BMI) had significant correlation with coronary atherosclerosis plaque (P ＜ 0.05).x2 test was used to show the smoking and family history of coronary heart disease had significant correlation with coronary atherosclerosis plaque (P ＜ 0.05).Univariate Logistic regression analysis showed that carotid IMT,systolic pressure,diastolic pressure,low density lipoprotein cholesterol,fasting serum glucose and creatinine had significant correlation with coronary atherosclerosis plaque (P ＜ 0.05).Multifactor Logistic regression analysis showed that carotid IMT had correlation with coronary atherosclerosis plaque (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion There is significant relationship between carotid IMT and coronary atherosclerosis plaque in asymptomatic individuals.