BACKGROUND: The use of inserted sham acupuncture as a placebo in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) is controversial, because it may produce specific effects that cause an underestimation of the effect of acupuncture treatment. OBJECTIVE: This systematic survey investigates the magnitude of insert-specific effects of sham acupuncture and whether they affect the estimation of acupuncture treatment effects. SEARCH STRATEGY: PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched to identify acupuncture RCTs from their inception until December 2022. INCLUSION CRITERIA: RCTs that evaluated the effects of acupuncture compared to sham acupuncture and no treatment. DATA EXTRACTION AND ANALYSIS: The total effect measured for an acupuncture treatment group in RCTs were divided into three components, including the natural history and/or regression to the mean effect (controlled for no-treatment group), the placebo effect, and the specific effect of acupuncture. The first two constituted the contextual effect of acupuncture, which is mimicked by a sham acupuncture treatment group. The proportion of acupuncture total effect size was considered to be 1. The proportion of natural history and/or regression to the mean effect (PNE) and proportional contextual effect (PCE) of included RCTs were pooled using meta-analyses with a random-effect model. The proportion of acupuncture placebo effect was the difference between PCE and PNE in RCTs with non-inserted sham acupuncture. The proportion of insert-specific effect of sham acupuncture (PIES) was obtained by subtracting the proportion of acupuncture placebo effect and PNE from PCE in RCTs with inserted sham acupuncture. The impact of PIES on the estimation of acupuncture's treatment effect was evaluated by quantifying the percentage of RCTs that the effect of outcome changed from no statistical difference to statistical difference after removing PIES in the included studies, and the impact of PIES was externally validated in other acupuncture RCTs with an inserted sham acupuncture group that were not used to calculate PIES. RESULTS: This analysis included 32 studies with 5492 patients. The overall PNE was 0.335 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.255-0.415) and the PCE of acupuncture was 0.639 (95% CI, 0.567-0.710) of acupuncture's total effect. The proportional contribution of the placebo effect to acupuncture's total effect was 0.191, and the PIES was 0.189. When we modeled the exclusion of the insert-specific effect of sham acupuncture, the acupuncture treatment effect changed from no difference to a significant difference in 45.45% of the included RCTs, and in 40.91% of the external validated RCTs. CONCLUSION The insert-specific effect of sham acupuncture in RCTs represents 18.90% of acupuncture's total effect and significantly affects the evaluation of the acupuncture treatment effect. More than 40% of RCTs that used inserted sham acupuncture would draw different conclusions if the PIES had been controlled for. Considering the impact of the insert-specific effect of sham acupuncture, caution should be taken when using inserted sham acupuncture placebos in RCTs. Please cite this article as: Luo XC, Liu JL, Yao MH, Chen YM, Fan AY, Liang FR, Zhao JP, Zhao L, Zhou X, Zhong XY, Yang JH, Li B, Zhang Y, Sun X, Li L. Specific effect of inserted sham acupuncture and its impact on the estimation of acupuncture treatment effect in randomized controlled trials: A systematic survey. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(6):630-640.
Acupuncture Therapy/methods* ; Humans ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Placebo Effect ; Placebos ; Treatment Outcome

Psoriasis arthritis (PsA) is a chronic inflammatory musculoskeletal disease intricately linked to psoriasis (PsO), with a multifaceted etiology encompassing genetic, environmental, and immunological factors. Characterized by complex clinical manifestations, PsA often follows a protracted course with a propensity for relapses, potentially culminating in joint deformity and disability. The condition is further complicated by associated comorbidities such as inflammatory bowel disease, uveitis, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic syndrome, which significantly diminish patients′ quality of life. Early detection and screening of PsA are crucial for its management and prevention of adverse outcomes. However, in China, there is a notable deficiency in the recognition and early diagnosis of PsA, with missed or incorrect diagnoses being relatively common. The consensus comprises four overarching statements and sixteen detailed recommendations, with the overarching goal of enhancing the early diagnosis and treatment of PsA by clinical physicians, thereby improving patient outcomes.

Psoriasis arthritis (PsA) is a chronic inflammatory musculoskeletal disease intricately linked to psoriasis (PsO), with a multifaceted etiology encompassing genetic, environmental, and immunological factors. Characterized by complex clinical manifestations, PsA often follows a protracted course with a propensity for relapses, potentially culminating in joint deformity and disability. The condition is further complicated by associated comorbidities such as inflammatory bowel disease, uveitis, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic syndrome, which significantly diminish patients′ quality of life. Early detection and screening of PsA are crucial for its management and prevention of adverse outcomes. However, in China, there is a notable deficiency in the recognition and early diagnosis of PsA, with missed or incorrect diagnoses being relatively common. The consensus comprises four overarching statements and sixteen detailed recommendations, with the overarching goal of enhancing the early diagnosis and treatment of PsA by clinical physicians, thereby improving patient outcomes.

Objective:To explore the impacts of dexmedetomidine combined with dizosin on sciatic nerve-femoral nerve block and blood glucose in diabetes foot patients undergoing surgery.Methods:A total of 120 diabetes foot patients underwent surgery who were admitted to Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University from Jul. 2020 to Aug. 2022 were selected as the research objects. The anesthesia method was sciatic nerve block-femoral nerve block, and were randomly grouped into the control group (60 cases) and the observation group (60 cases). The control group was treated with diazosin, while the observation group was treated with dexmedetomidine combined with diazosin. The effects of sciatic nerve block and femoral nerve block, and blood glucose level were compared between the two groups.Results:The VAS scores at T1, T2 and T3 in the two groups were obviously lower than those at T0, and the VAS scores in the observation group were obviously lower than those in the control group ( P<0.05). The onset time of motor nerve block and sensory nerve block in the observation group was obviously lower than that in the control group ( P<0.05). The maintenance time of motor nerve and sensory nerve in the observation group was obviously higher than that in the control group ( P<0.05). Compared with T0, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and heart rate in T1, T2 and T3 time periods in the two groups were obviously lower, and the observation group were obviously lower than the control group ( P<0.05) ; The observation group had no significant difference compared with the control group in terms of the incidence of adverse reactions. Conclusion:Dexmedetomidine combined with dizosin can effectively relieve pain, improve nerve function block, and maintain the stability of hemodynamics in diabetes foot patients undergoing surgery.

Objective:To explore the differences on clinical characteristics, concomitant diseases and treatment status between psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis (PsA), and provide clues for the early diagnosis and treatment of PsA.Methods:Data were collected by in-person interview of 225 patients with psoriasis and 299 patients with PSA who visited the department of rheumatology and Immunology and Department of Dermatology in People′s Hospital of Peking University from November 2020 to May 2021. After informed consent, the questionnaire was completed on site. The differences of clinical characteristics, concomitant diseases, mental health evaluation and treatment status between patients with arthritis (PsA) and patients with psoriasiswere analyzed and compared. Enumeration data were described by frequency. Chi square test was used to compare categorical variables. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the independent risk factors. P value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results:Dactylitis [ OR(95% CI)=8.439(4.677,15.226), P<0.001], hip pain [ OR(95% CI)=3.442(1.829,6.480), P<0.001], heel pain [ OR(95% CI)=2.621(1.652,4.157), P<0.001] and low back pain [ OR(95% CI)=1.924(1.156,3.203), P=0.012] may be closely related to the progression of PsA ( P<0.05). The three most common concomitant diseases of patients with PsA and psoriasis both were overweight [43.1%(129/299)、29.3%(66/225)], fatty liver [(28.4%(85/299)、23.1%(52/225)]and hypertension[24.1%(72/299、13.3%(30/225)]. The proportion of osteoporosis in PsA group at the age of 30-39 and 40-49 years old was significantly higher than those in psoriasis group (30-39 years old:12.5%(10/80) vs 1.5%(1/65), χ2=6.14, P=0.013; 40~49 years old: 19.2%(15/78) vs 2.0%(1/51), χ2=8.46, P=0.004]. The proportion of hypertension in PsA group was also higher than that in psoriasis group at the age of 40~49 years old[7.0% (21/78) vs 2.7%(6/51), χ2=4.99, P=0.026)]. And the proportion of fatty liver in PsA group was also higher than that in psoriasis group at the age ≥60 years old [(46.0%(23/50) vs 29.1(7/24), χ2=4.99, P=0.025)]. Among 299 PsA patients, 47.1%(141/299) had anxiety tendency, 45.2%(135/299) had sleep disorder and 41.8%(125/299) had depression tendency. Among 225 psoriasis patients, 44.4%(100/225) had anxiety tendency, 40%(90/225) had sleep disorder and 36.9%(83/225) had depression tendency, there was no significant difference in above-mentioned situations between the PsA and psoriasis patients ( P>0.05). Conclusion:More attention should be paid to the management of concomitant diseases and psychological intervention in patients with PsA. When psoriasis patients occur with heel pain, dactylitis, low back pain and hip pain, the risk of development into PsA should be considered.

Objective:To build a performance appraisal system for full-time researchers in specialized children′s hospitals, so as to mobilize their enthusiasm and improve their efficiency of scientific and technological output.Methods:Based on structure-process-result model, the library of indexes was initialized by such means as literature review and talent performance appraisal management experiences. From November 2020 to March 2021, Delphi method was adopted to finalize the appraisal indexes and weight of each index, while the quantifiable standards of the indexes were formulated by brainstorming, hence establishing the performance appraisal model index system for these researchers. Using both the new model and the original performance appraisal system of the hospital respectively, five full-time research staffs of research-oriented children′s hospital were selected for an empirical research on performance appraisal.Results:Fifteen experts carried out two rounds of Delphi research, finalizing a performance appraisal model for these researchers. The model comprises 3 level-1 indexes, 8 level-2 indexes and 23 level-3 indexes. Among them, the weight of scientific research output, scientific research process and scientific research investment of level-1 indexes were 0.507, 0.267 and 0.226, respectively. Empirical research showed that compared with the original appraisal indexes, the results of the new performance appraisal model were more targeted, enabling the research team to identify setbacks.Conclusions:The indexes set in the model built in this study prove more scientific, objective, and more reasonable in weight assignment. Such indexes can positively motivate and encourage the researchers, promoting the clinical-basic research integration, as well as the disciplinary development and research talent cultivation of the hospital.

Objective: To observe the anesthesia and hemodynamic effect of etomidate compound remifentanyl in laparoscopic surgery. Methods: From January 2016 to May 2016, 160 patients with gynecologic laparoscopic surgery in the Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University were selected and randomly divided into observation group and control group according to the digital table, with 80 cases in each group.The observation group received the etomidate compound remifentanyl anesthesia, while the control group received the propofol compound remifentanyl anesthesia.the The anesthesia effect, awakening time, extubation time, pain relief time and systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), heart rate (HR) before and after extubation of the two groups were observed and recorded. Results: The excellent and good rate in the observation group was 98.0%, which was significantly higher than 86.0% in the control group (χ²=4.444, P<0.05). The waking time, extubation time, analgesic time in the observation group were shorter than those in the control group, the differences were no statistically significant(t=1.875, 1.631, 1.761, all P>0.05). At tracheal intubation, the SBP, DBP, HR and other indicators between the two groups had no statistically significant differences(t=1.301, 1.093, 1.097, all P>0.05). After induction of anesthesia, the SBP, DBP in the observation group were higher than those in the control group, the differences were statistically significant(t=6.182, 7.388, all P<0.05), but HR between the two groups had no statistically significant difference(t=1.428, P>0.05). After laparoscopic placement and tracheal extubation, the SBP and DBP in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group, the differences were statistically significant (t=5.781, 5.028, all P<0.05), and the SBP in the observation group was higher than that in the control group after tracheal extubation(t=1.203, 1.039, all P<0.05). Conclusion The anesthesia effect of etomidate compound remifentanyl is superior to propofol compound remifentanyl, the hemodynamic parameters of SBP, DBP, HR are more stable during the period of anesthesia, the curative effect is clear.

We analyzed the influenza surveillance data of Children′s Hospital of Suzhou University from 2016 to 2018 and estimated the hospitalization burden of children under 5 years old due to influenza infection in Suzhou. The results showed that the influenza virus positive rate of 1 451 severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) cases in Children′s Hospital of Suzhou University was 13.6% (95%CI: 11.8%-15.3%; 197 cases), among which the influenza pandemic intensity in 2017-2018 was relatively high, and A/H1N1 was the main pandemic virus. It was estimated that the hospitalization rate of influenza-related SARI in children under 5 years old in Suzhou was 6.9‰ (95%CI: 6.6‰-7.2‰), among which the hospitalization rate of children aged<6 months was higher, up to 11.4‰ (95%CI: 9.9‰-12.8‰).

We analyzed the influenza surveillance data of Children′s Hospital of Suzhou University from 2016 to 2018 and estimated the hospitalization burden of children under 5 years old due to influenza infection in Suzhou. The results showed that the influenza virus positive rate of 1 451 severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) cases in Children′s Hospital of Suzhou University was 13.6% (95%CI :11.8%?15.3%;197 cases), among which the influenza pandemic intensity in 2017?2018 was relatively high, and A/H1N1 was the main pandemic virus. It was estimated that the hospitalization rate of influenza?related SARI in children under 5 years old in Suzhou was 6.9‰ (95%CI : 6.6‰?7.2‰), among which the hospitalization rate of children aged<6 months was higher, up to 11.4‰(95%CI: 9.9‰?12.8‰).

We analyzed the influenza surveillance data of Children′s Hospital of Suzhou University from 2016 to 2018 and estimated the hospitalization burden of children under 5 years old due to influenza infection in Suzhou. The results showed that the influenza virus positive rate of 1 451 severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) cases in Children′s Hospital of Suzhou University was 13.6% (95%CI :11.8%?15.3%;197 cases), among which the influenza pandemic intensity in 2017?2018 was relatively high, and A/H1N1 was the main pandemic virus. It was estimated that the hospitalization rate of influenza?related SARI in children under 5 years old in Suzhou was 6.9‰ (95%CI : 6.6‰?7.2‰), among which the hospitalization rate of children aged<6 months was higher, up to 11.4‰(95%CI: 9.9‰?12.8‰).