Liang Fanrong

Effect of acupuncture at Neiguan (PC 6) on cardiac function using echocardiography in myocardial ischemia rats induced by isoproterenol

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of acupuncture at Neiguan (PC 6) on cardiac function using echocardiography in rat models of myocardial ischemia (MI) induced by isoproterenol (ISO). METHODS Twenty-seven Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to normal, model, and acupuncture groups. The model and acupuncture groups were given injections of ISO (85 mg/kg) to establish the MI model. After model establishment, the acupuncture group was treated with acupuncture at Neiguan (PC 6) for 30 min. Echocardiography was used to monitor diastolic and systolic function for 30 min starting from the time after the acupuncture needles were removed. Changes in the length of left ventricular internal diameter at end-diastole (LVIDd), length of left ventricular internal diameter at end-systole (LVIDs), the ratio of mitral peak velocity at early diastole and atrial contraction (E/A), ejection fraction (EF), fractional shortening (FS), and stroke volume (SV) were measured. RESULTS Compared with the model group at 0 and 15 min after needles were removed, the means of LVIDd and LVIDs were significantly lower (P < 0.01) and E/A, EF, FS, and SV significantly higher (P < 0.01) in the acupuncture group. In the acupuncture group, the means of LVIDd and LVIDs 15 min after the needles were removed were significantly higher (P < 0.01) than those at 0 min. The means of E/A, EF, FS, and SV significantly decreased (P < 0.01) from 0 to 15 min in the acupuncture group. CONCLUSION These findings indicate that acupuncture at Neiguan (PC 6) can affect cardiac function by increasing left ventricular diastolic and systolic function in MI rat models, but the effect only lasts for 15 min.

Effect of acupuncture plus conventional treatment on brain activity in ischemic stroke patients: a regional homogeneity analysis

Abstract Objective To determine differences in cerebral activity evoked by acupuncture and conventional stroke treatment, and identify the treatment targets. Methods In total, 21 patients were randomly divided into two groups. Group A (11 patients) received both acupuncture and conventional treatment, while Group B (10 patients) received conventional treatment only. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was performed on each participant before and after treatment. Regional homogeneity (ReHo) analysis was performed to investigate the potential mechanism of acupuncture treatment by comparing differences in cerebral activity between treatments. Results Group A showed higher ReHo in the frontal lobe (BA6, BA46), supra-marginal gyrus (BA40), middle temporal gyrus (BA21), cerebellum, and insula. Group B showed higher ReHo in the frontal lobe (BA6) and parietal lobe (BA3, BA7). Conclusion Acupuncture and conventional treatment triggered relatively different clinical efficacy and brain responses. Acupuncture treatment more significantly improved the symptoms of stroke patients. More marked changes in sensory, emotional, and motor areas (including the frontal lobe, middle temporal gyrus, cerebellum, and insula) might reflect the specific acupuncture mechanism.

Study flow chart.

Patients aged 15-24 present to OYH triage with a history of deliberate self harm, suicidal ideation or suicide attempt but are NOT accepted into the service Research assistant reviews triage notes and contacts those who meet the study criteria & obtains consent

Research Advance and Prospects of Evidence-Based Acupuncture Science in China

提要针灸学属于传统经验医学, 循证医学是新兴的医学方法学, 是经验医学的发展。 自上个世纪90 年代以来, 中国从事针灸学研究的工作者已开始吸收和借鉴循证医学的方法和原理, 用于指导针灸临床研究与医疗实践, 现在国内已有越来越多的针灸临床工作者采用和遵循循证医学的原则和方法。 从目前Cochrane图书馆发表的与针灸有关的系统评价来看, 以往认为有效的针灸疗法却没有足够的证据表明有效, 这与目前国内RCT质量不高直接有关。 今后, 发展并形成针灸临床研究专业化队伍和针灸临床研究中心, 才能从根本上提高针灸临床研究和评价的水平。 同时, 发展中国循证针灸学, 应结合中国针灸学的自身特点, 如重视古籍中的原始研究证据, 开展高质量的随机对照试验, 重视非随机研究的系统评价等等。SummaryAcupuncture is a traditional empirical medicine, and evidence-based medicine(EBM) is a new medical method and development of the empirical medicine. Since 1990s, Chinese acupuncture workers began to absorb and use the methods and principles of EBM to guide acupuncture clinical research and practice. Now more and more domestic acupuncture clinicians use and follow the methods and principles of EBM. On the systemic review of acupuncture-associated articles in Cochrane library, previously effective acupuncture therapy lacks adequate evidences, which may be related to the low quality of randomized controlled trials(RCTs). In the future, only developing specialized team of acupuncture clinical research and clinical research center can radically elevate the levels of acupuncture clinical research and evaluation. Meanwhile, developing China’s evidence-based acupuncture should base itself on the characteristics of acupuncture, such as emphasis on original research in ancient books, high-quality single RCTs and systemic review of non-randomized researches.