BACKGROUND: The effects of acupuncture have varied in different randomized controlled trials (RCTs), and there are many factors that influence treatment effect of acupuncture in different outcomes, with conflicting results. OBJECTIVE: To identify factors and their impact on the treatment effect of acupuncture in different outcomes. METHODS: Acupuncture RCTs were searched from 7 databases including Medline (PubMed), Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database, VIP Database, and China Biology Medicine disc between January 1st, 2015 and December 31st, 2019. Eligible studies must compare acupuncture to no acupuncture, sham acupuncture, or waiting lists, and report at least 1 patient-important outcome. A multi-level meta-regression was conducted using a 3-level robust mixed model and univariate analyses were performed for all independent variables, even those excluded from the multivariable model due to collinearities. We used thresholds of 0.2 and 0.4 for the difference of standardized mean differences (SMDs), categorising them as small (<0.2), moderate (0.2-0.4), or large (>0.4) effects. RESULTS: The pain construct analysis involved 211 effect estimates from 153 studies and 14 independent variables. High-frequency acupuncture treatment sessions produced larger effects compared to low-frequency sessions [large magnitude, the difference of adjusted SMDs 0.46, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.07 to 0.84; P=0.02]. The non-pain symptoms construct analysis comprised 323 effect estimates from 231 studies and 15 independent variables. Penetrating acupuncture showed moderately larger effects when compared to non-penetrating acupuncture (0.30, 95% CI 0.06 to 0.53; P=0.01). The function construct analysis included 495 effect estimates from 274 studies and 14 independent variables. Penetrating acupuncture and the flexible acupuncture regimen showed moderately larger effects, compared to non-penetrating acupuncture and fixed regimen, respectively (0.40, 95% CI 0 to 0.80; P=0.05; 0.29, 95% CI 0.06 to 0.53; P=0.01). CONCLUSIONS High-frequency acupuncture sessions appear to be a more effective approach to managing painful symptoms. Penetrating acupuncture demonstrated greater effect in relieving non-painful symptoms. Both penetrating acupuncture type and flexible acupuncture regimen were linked to significant treatment effects in function outcomes. Future studies should consider the factors that are significantly associated with the effects of acupuncture in patient-important outcomes.
Humans ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Acupuncture Therapy/methods* ; Pain ; Pain Management ; China

Objective:To evaluate the incidence of malnutrition in hospitalized patients with liver cirrhosis using the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) criteria, and to identify the risk factors of malnutrition.Methods:A total of 305 inpatients with liver cirrhosis were included from the Department of Gastroenterology of the People's Hospital of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture between January 1, 2023 to September 30, 2023. The patient characteristics, clinical indicators, complications, unplanned readmission within 90 days and death outcomes were collected. Malnutrition was diagnosed according to the GLIM criteria, the differences in various indicators were compared between the malnutrition group and the well-nourished group, and the influencing factors of malnutrition were analyzed. The relationship between malnutrition and short-term prognosis was also discussed.Results:Among the enrolled patients, 188 (61.6%) were diagnosed with malnutrition per GLIM criteria, of whom 18 were with Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) Grade A liver function, 108 Grade B, and 62 Grade C. Compared with the well-nourished group, the malnutrition group showed prolonged length of hospital stay ( P<0.001), lower body mass index P=0.003), lower levels of red blood cell count, hemoglobin, serum albumin, serum albumin/globulin ratio, and serum calcium ( P<0.001), higher level of aspartate aminotransferase ( P=0.025), and increased levels of C-reactive protein, total bilirubin, international normalized ratio, plasma prothrombin time and model for end-stage liver disease score ( P<0.001). The proportion of patients with ascites, esophageal gastric varices, upper gastrointestinal bleeding, hepatic encephalopathy and unplanned readmission within 90 days were significantly increased ( P<0.001) in malnutrition group, and the mortality within 90 days was also higher ( P=0.042). Logistic regression analysis identified lower body mass index level ( OR=0.910, P=0.038), ascites ( OR=0.065, P<0.001) and upper gastrointestinal bleeding ( OR=0.184, P=0.001) as the influencing factors of malnutrition in liver cirrhosis patients. Conclusions:The prevalent malnutrition in patients with liver cirrhosis may affect the short-term prognosis. Lower body mass index, ascites and upper gastrointestinal bleeding are influencing factors for malnutrition in liver cirrhosis patients. Therefore, patients with liver cirrhosis should be screened for malnutrition to allow timely nutritional intervention measures.

Objective: Self-determination theory (SDT) deems that people have three causality orientations: autonomy orientation, control orientation, and impersonal orientation. Previous studies suggested that lower autonomy orientation or higher control and impersonal orientations may be associated with more addictive behaviors. Our study aimed to investigate if these associations exist in Internet gaming disorder (IGD), and if sensation seeking, anxiety, and depression could influence the associations between causality orientations and IGD symptoms. Methods: A total of 1,400 college students completed the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale, General Causality Orientation Scale, Brief Sensation Seeking Scale, Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale, and Patient Health Questionnaire. Correlation, multiple linear regressions, structural equation model (SEM) analyses, and moderation analyses were conducted to explore the associations. Results: The control and impersonal orientations were positively associated with IGD symptoms, while the autonomy orientation was negatively associated with them. Moreover, SEM analyses showed that the autonomy-IGD relationship was totally mediated by anxiety and depression, the impersonal-IGD relationship was partially mediated by anxiety, and the control-IGD relationship was partially mediated by depression. Finally, the effects of causality orientations on IGD were moderated by sensation seeking. Conclusion Overall, autonomy orientation is linked to fewer gaming problems, whereas control and impersonal orientations are associated with more gaming problems. Moreover, the relationships between causality orientations and IGD symptoms are mediated by anxiety and depression and moderated by sensation seeking. Our findings inform theory on the motivations of gaming behaviors and may shed light on the prevention and intervention of IGD from the perspective of SDT.

Objective: Self-determination theory (SDT) deems that people have three causality orientations: autonomy orientation, control orientation, and impersonal orientation. Previous studies suggested that lower autonomy orientation or higher control and impersonal orientations may be associated with more addictive behaviors. Our study aimed to investigate if these associations exist in Internet gaming disorder (IGD), and if sensation seeking, anxiety, and depression could influence the associations between causality orientations and IGD symptoms. Methods: A total of 1,400 college students completed the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale, General Causality Orientation Scale, Brief Sensation Seeking Scale, Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale, and Patient Health Questionnaire. Correlation, multiple linear regressions, structural equation model (SEM) analyses, and moderation analyses were conducted to explore the associations. Results: The control and impersonal orientations were positively associated with IGD symptoms, while the autonomy orientation was negatively associated with them. Moreover, SEM analyses showed that the autonomy-IGD relationship was totally mediated by anxiety and depression, the impersonal-IGD relationship was partially mediated by anxiety, and the control-IGD relationship was partially mediated by depression. Finally, the effects of causality orientations on IGD were moderated by sensation seeking. Conclusion Overall, autonomy orientation is linked to fewer gaming problems, whereas control and impersonal orientations are associated with more gaming problems. Moreover, the relationships between causality orientations and IGD symptoms are mediated by anxiety and depression and moderated by sensation seeking. Our findings inform theory on the motivations of gaming behaviors and may shed light on the prevention and intervention of IGD from the perspective of SDT.

Objective: Self-determination theory (SDT) deems that people have three causality orientations: autonomy orientation, control orientation, and impersonal orientation. Previous studies suggested that lower autonomy orientation or higher control and impersonal orientations may be associated with more addictive behaviors. Our study aimed to investigate if these associations exist in Internet gaming disorder (IGD), and if sensation seeking, anxiety, and depression could influence the associations between causality orientations and IGD symptoms. Methods: A total of 1,400 college students completed the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale, General Causality Orientation Scale, Brief Sensation Seeking Scale, Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale, and Patient Health Questionnaire. Correlation, multiple linear regressions, structural equation model (SEM) analyses, and moderation analyses were conducted to explore the associations. Results: The control and impersonal orientations were positively associated with IGD symptoms, while the autonomy orientation was negatively associated with them. Moreover, SEM analyses showed that the autonomy-IGD relationship was totally mediated by anxiety and depression, the impersonal-IGD relationship was partially mediated by anxiety, and the control-IGD relationship was partially mediated by depression. Finally, the effects of causality orientations on IGD were moderated by sensation seeking. Conclusion Overall, autonomy orientation is linked to fewer gaming problems, whereas control and impersonal orientations are associated with more gaming problems. Moreover, the relationships between causality orientations and IGD symptoms are mediated by anxiety and depression and moderated by sensation seeking. Our findings inform theory on the motivations of gaming behaviors and may shed light on the prevention and intervention of IGD from the perspective of SDT.

Objective: Self-determination theory (SDT) deems that people have three causality orientations: autonomy orientation, control orientation, and impersonal orientation. Previous studies suggested that lower autonomy orientation or higher control and impersonal orientations may be associated with more addictive behaviors. Our study aimed to investigate if these associations exist in Internet gaming disorder (IGD), and if sensation seeking, anxiety, and depression could influence the associations between causality orientations and IGD symptoms. Methods: A total of 1,400 college students completed the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale, General Causality Orientation Scale, Brief Sensation Seeking Scale, Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale, and Patient Health Questionnaire. Correlation, multiple linear regressions, structural equation model (SEM) analyses, and moderation analyses were conducted to explore the associations. Results: The control and impersonal orientations were positively associated with IGD symptoms, while the autonomy orientation was negatively associated with them. Moreover, SEM analyses showed that the autonomy-IGD relationship was totally mediated by anxiety and depression, the impersonal-IGD relationship was partially mediated by anxiety, and the control-IGD relationship was partially mediated by depression. Finally, the effects of causality orientations on IGD were moderated by sensation seeking. Conclusion Overall, autonomy orientation is linked to fewer gaming problems, whereas control and impersonal orientations are associated with more gaming problems. Moreover, the relationships between causality orientations and IGD symptoms are mediated by anxiety and depression and moderated by sensation seeking. Our findings inform theory on the motivations of gaming behaviors and may shed light on the prevention and intervention of IGD from the perspective of SDT.

Objective: Self-determination theory (SDT) deems that people have three causality orientations: autonomy orientation, control orientation, and impersonal orientation. Previous studies suggested that lower autonomy orientation or higher control and impersonal orientations may be associated with more addictive behaviors. Our study aimed to investigate if these associations exist in Internet gaming disorder (IGD), and if sensation seeking, anxiety, and depression could influence the associations between causality orientations and IGD symptoms. Methods: A total of 1,400 college students completed the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale, General Causality Orientation Scale, Brief Sensation Seeking Scale, Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale, and Patient Health Questionnaire. Correlation, multiple linear regressions, structural equation model (SEM) analyses, and moderation analyses were conducted to explore the associations. Results: The control and impersonal orientations were positively associated with IGD symptoms, while the autonomy orientation was negatively associated with them. Moreover, SEM analyses showed that the autonomy-IGD relationship was totally mediated by anxiety and depression, the impersonal-IGD relationship was partially mediated by anxiety, and the control-IGD relationship was partially mediated by depression. Finally, the effects of causality orientations on IGD were moderated by sensation seeking. Conclusion Overall, autonomy orientation is linked to fewer gaming problems, whereas control and impersonal orientations are associated with more gaming problems. Moreover, the relationships between causality orientations and IGD symptoms are mediated by anxiety and depression and moderated by sensation seeking. Our findings inform theory on the motivations of gaming behaviors and may shed light on the prevention and intervention of IGD from the perspective of SDT.

ObjectiveTo achieve high-dimensional prediction of class imbalanced of adverse drug reaction（ADR） of traditional Chinese medicine（TCM） and to classify and identify risk factors affecting the occurrence of ADR based on the post-marketing safety data of TCM monitored centrally in real world hospitals. MethodThe ensemble clustering resampling combined with regularized Group Lasso regression was used to perform high-dimensional balancing of ADR class-imbalanced data， and then to integrate the balanced datasets to achieve ADR prediction and the risk factor identification by category. ResultA practical example study of the proposed method on a monitoring data of TCM injection performed that the accuracy of the ADR prediction， the prediction sensitivity， the prediction specificity and the area under receiver operating characteristic curve（AUC） were all above 0.8 on the test set. Meanwhile， 40 risk factors affecting the occurrence of ADR were screened out from total 600 high-dimensional variables. And the effect of risk factors on the occurrence of ADR was identified by classification weighting. The important risk factors were classified as follows：past history， medication information， name of combined drugs， disease status， number of combined drugs and personal data. ConclusionIn the real world data of rare ADR with a large amount of clinical variables， this paper realized accurate ADR prediction on high-dimensional and class imbalanced condition， and classified and identified the key risk factors and their clinical significance of categories， so as to provide risk early warning for clinical rational drug use and combined drug use， as well as scientific basis for reevaluation of safety of post-marketing TCM.

This paper makes an interpretation of the collection Acupuncture: how to improve the evidence base published by BMJ & BMJ Open. Studies show that the quality of randomized controlled trial (RCT) of acupuncture is low, and multivariable Meta-regression analysis fails to confirm most factors commonly believed to influence the effect of acupuncture. The methodological challenges in design and conduct of RCT in acupuncture were analyzed, and a consensus on how to design high-quality acupuncture RCT was developed. The number of acupuncture systematic reviews was huge but the evidence was underused in clinical practice and health policy, and a large number of western clinical practice guidelines recommended acupuncture therapy, but the usefulness of recommendations needed to be improved. In view of the problems in clinical research on acupuncture mentioned in this collection, combined with the analysis of the purpose of clinical research on acupuncture, perspectives, study types, as well as the relationship between evidence and clinical decision-making, a five-stage study paradigm of clinical research on acupuncture is proposed.
Acupuncture Therapy ; Acupuncture ; Research Design ; Consensus

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the report quality of Chinese and English randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of acupuncture based on the CONSORT statement and STRICTA checklist. METHODS: The Chinese and English RCTs of acupuncture published from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2019 were searched in 7 databases including PubMed. The report quality of the included RCTs was evaluated with the CONSORT 2010 statement and STRICTA checklist. RESULTS: A total of 506 Chinese RCTs and 76 English RCTs were included. According to the CONSORT statement, in Chinese RCTs, the items with report rate less than 50% accounted for 78.38% of all items, and the report rate of 25 items, such as background and reason, study design, outcome index, and sample size, was less than 10%. In English RCTs, the items with report rate less than 50% accounted for 35.14% of all items, and 5 items had a report rate of less than 10%. The difference of the report rate of 15 items, such as background, reason and study design, was more than 50% between Chinese and English RCTs. The report rate of all items of STRICTA checklist was relatively high in both Chinese and English RCTs. In Chinese RCTs, the items with report rate less than 50% accounted for 29.41% of all items, which included acupuncture rationale and depth of insertion. In English RCTs, only two items had a report rate less than 50%, which were acupuncture rationale, setting and context of treatment. The report rate of five items, including needle retention time, frequency and duration of treatment sessions, details of other interventions administered to the acupuncture group, setting and context of treatment, and precise description of the control or comparator in Chinese RCTs, were higher than in English RCTs. CONCLUSION The report quality of Chinese acupuncture RCT needs to be improved urgently, and corresponding measures should be taken to further standardize the writing and reporting of acupuncture clinical research.
Humans ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Checklist ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic/standards*