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In this Issue

In this Issue Highlights 1,2,3 doi:10.1136/acupmed-2016-011256 David John Carr This issue of Acupuncture in with oxaliplatin-induced peripheral response to acupuncture within the Medicine includes a relatively rare neuropathy. central nervous system using func- look at the technique of laser acu- Four of the remaining articles in tional magnetic resonance imaging, puncture (LA) courtesy of two ori- this issue follow a neuropsychiatric thus expanding the existing evidence ginal reports. Although the primary theme. Among them, the editor’s base in support of differential effects focus of the journal is on needle acu- choice article for this issue is another of needling in men versus women. puncture, i.e. manual and electroacu- systematic review, by Deng and Elsewhere in this issue, you will find puncture (EA), current editorial Wang, that evaluated the effectiveness original articles detailing a novel policy allows consideration of reports of EA for treatment of the amnestic acupuncture-related technique com- of related, non-penetrating techni- subtype of mild cognitive impairment bining needling with vibrational stimu- ques, such as LA, moxibustion and (AMCI), which is a precursor to lation (called vibro-acupuncture) and transcutaneous electrical acupuncture dementia. Although the quality of the the effects of EA on skeletal muscle point stimulation (TEAS), that are of available evidence is relatively poor, mass and glucose transporter 4 levels “significant clinical or academic inter- there appears to be a beneficial effect in rats undergoing resistance training. est” (www.aim.bmj.com/site/about/ of EA on clinical outcomes when These are followed by clinical observa- guidelines.xhtml). The comprehen- used as an alternative or adjunctive tions of the effects of EA on levels of sive and detailed open access system- treatment to conventional therapy oestradiol, luteinising hormone and atic review by Glazov et al. certainly (nimodipine), which warrants further follicle-stimulating hormone in subfer- satisfies these criteria, presenting a investigation through further, higher tile women with diminished ovarian thorough evaluation of the efficacy quality randomised controlled trials reserve, and the effects of manual acu- of LA and non-acupuncture type low (RCTs). Secondly, Liu et al. present puncture on trigger finger. level laser therapy (LLLT) for lower their pilot RCT of acupuncture for Twitter Follow David Carr at back pain, one of the most prevalent patients experiencing a first episode @IntegratedOBGYN symptoms encountered in clinical of acute ischaemic stroke and Competing interests None declared. practice and a common indication for demonstrate the feasibility of their Provenance and peer review Not acupuncture and related techniques. methodology, treatment protocol and commissioned; internally peer reviewed. Their meta-analysis identified three primary outcome measure, namely key factors associated with therapeutic change in the National Institutes of REFERENCES benefit, specifically higher dose laser Health stroke scale (NIHSS) score 1 Glazov G, Yelland M, Emery J. interventions (>3J/point), shorter over a four-week period. A recent Low-dose laser acupuncture for durations of low back pain (<30 systematic review of 17 other trials non-specific chronic low back pain: a double blind randomised controlled months) and, arguably most interesting highlighted a significant risk of bias trial. Acupunct Med 2014;32:116–23. for our readers, a non-acupuncture ap- and a need to explore characteristics 2 Vados L, Ferreira A, Zhao S, et al. proach to LLLT. Regarding the latter of the treatment including duration, Effectiveness of acupuncture combined observation, the authors noted that LA acupuncture point selection and with rehabilitation for treatment of acute trials overall have tended to use low neurophysiological dose. A or subacute stroke: a systematic review. doses of laser, which was indeed the follow-up RCT recruiting the full Acupunct Med 2015;33:180–7. case in their most recent trial, which sample size calculated by Liu et al. 3 Dias M, Vellarde GC, Olej B, et al. failed to demonstrate significant would be a welcome addition to the Effects of electroacupuncture on benefit of verum LA over sham. The literature and might help clarify the stress-related symptoms in medical second laser paper of this issue is a role of acupuncture as an adjunct to students: a randomised prospective cohort study by stroke rehabilitation. Thirdly, Guo placebo-controlled study. Acupunct Med Hsieh et al. showing positive effects of et al. present a non-randomised trial 2014;32:4–11 . LA in gastrointestinal cancer patients of EA with or without cognitive 4 Klausenitz C, Hesse T, Hacker H, et al. behavioural therapy for subsyndro- Auricular acupuncture for pre-exam mal depression, a precursor to clin- anxiety in medical students: a prospective ical depression, in undergraduate New York University School of Medicine, observational pilot investigation. New York, NY, USA; UCL Institute for Women’s students, thereby extending the exist- Acupunct Med 2016;34:90–4. Health, University College London, London, UK; ing literature on EA for stress and 5 Lund I, Lundeberg T. Is it all about sex? Institute of Medical and Biomedical Education, pre-examination anxiety in this par- Acupuncture for the treatment of pain St George’s, University of London, London, UK ticular population. Finally, Yeo et al. from a biological and gender Correspondence to Dr David Carr, NYU School of provide novel insights into potential perspective. Acupunct Med Medicine, 550 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016, gender differences in treatment 2008;26:33–45. USA; davidcarr@doctors.org.uk Carr DJ. Acupunct Med 2016;34:327. doi:10.1136/acupmed-2016-011256 327 http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Acupuncture in Medicine SAGE

In this Issue

Acupuncture in Medicine , Volume 34 (5): 1 – Oct 1, 2016

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References (5)

Publisher
SAGE
Copyright
© 2016 British Medical Acupuncutre Society
ISSN
0964-5284
eISSN
1759-9873
DOI
10.1136/acupmed-2016-011256
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Highlights 1,2,3 doi:10.1136/acupmed-2016-011256 David John Carr This issue of Acupuncture in with oxaliplatin-induced peripheral response to acupuncture within the Medicine includes a relatively rare neuropathy. central nervous system using func- look at the technique of laser acu- Four of the remaining articles in tional magnetic resonance imaging, puncture (LA) courtesy of two ori- this issue follow a neuropsychiatric thus expanding the existing evidence ginal reports. Although the primary theme. Among them, the editor’s base in support of differential effects focus of the journal is on needle acu- choice article for this issue is another of needling in men versus women. puncture, i.e. manual and electroacu- systematic review, by Deng and Elsewhere in this issue, you will find puncture (EA), current editorial Wang, that evaluated the effectiveness original articles detailing a novel policy allows consideration of reports of EA for treatment of the amnestic acupuncture-related technique com- of related, non-penetrating techni- subtype of mild cognitive impairment bining needling with vibrational stimu- ques, such as LA, moxibustion and (AMCI), which is a precursor to lation (called vibro-acupuncture) and transcutaneous electrical acupuncture dementia. Although the quality of the the effects of EA on skeletal muscle point stimulation (TEAS), that are of available evidence is relatively poor, mass and glucose transporter 4 levels “significant clinical or academic inter- there appears to be a beneficial effect in rats undergoing resistance training. est” (www.aim.bmj.com/site/about/ of EA on clinical outcomes when These are followed by clinical observa- guidelines.xhtml). The comprehen- used as an alternative or adjunctive tions of the effects of EA on levels of sive and detailed open access system- treatment to conventional therapy oestradiol, luteinising hormone and atic review by Glazov et al. certainly (nimodipine), which warrants further follicle-stimulating hormone in subfer- satisfies these criteria, presenting a investigation through further, higher tile women with diminished ovarian thorough evaluation of the efficacy quality randomised controlled trials reserve, and the effects of manual acu- of LA and non-acupuncture type low (RCTs). Secondly, Liu et al. present puncture on trigger finger. level laser therapy (LLLT) for lower their pilot RCT of acupuncture for Twitter Follow David Carr at back pain, one of the most prevalent patients experiencing a first episode @IntegratedOBGYN symptoms encountered in clinical of acute ischaemic stroke and Competing interests None declared. practice and a common indication for demonstrate the feasibility of their Provenance and peer review Not acupuncture and related techniques. methodology, treatment protocol and commissioned; internally peer reviewed. Their meta-analysis identified three primary outcome measure, namely key factors associated with therapeutic change in the National Institutes of REFERENCES benefit, specifically higher dose laser Health stroke scale (NIHSS) score 1 Glazov G, Yelland M, Emery J. interventions (>3J/point), shorter over a four-week period. A recent Low-dose laser acupuncture for durations of low back pain (<30 systematic review of 17 other trials non-specific chronic low back pain: a double blind randomised controlled months) and, arguably most interesting highlighted a significant risk of bias trial. Acupunct Med 2014;32:116–23. for our readers, a non-acupuncture ap- and a need to explore characteristics 2 Vados L, Ferreira A, Zhao S, et al. proach to LLLT. Regarding the latter of the treatment including duration, Effectiveness of acupuncture combined observation, the authors noted that LA acupuncture point selection and with rehabilitation for treatment of acute trials overall have tended to use low neurophysiological dose. A or subacute stroke: a systematic review. doses of laser, which was indeed the follow-up RCT recruiting the full Acupunct Med 2015;33:180–7. case in their most recent trial, which sample size calculated by Liu et al. 3 Dias M, Vellarde GC, Olej B, et al. failed to demonstrate significant would be a welcome addition to the Effects of electroacupuncture on benefit of verum LA over sham. The literature and might help clarify the stress-related symptoms in medical second laser paper of this issue is a role of acupuncture as an adjunct to students: a randomised prospective cohort study by stroke rehabilitation. Thirdly, Guo placebo-controlled study. Acupunct Med Hsieh et al. showing positive effects of et al. present a non-randomised trial 2014;32:4–11 . LA in gastrointestinal cancer patients of EA with or without cognitive 4 Klausenitz C, Hesse T, Hacker H, et al. behavioural therapy for subsyndro- Auricular acupuncture for pre-exam mal depression, a precursor to clin- anxiety in medical students: a prospective ical depression, in undergraduate New York University School of Medicine, observational pilot investigation. New York, NY, USA; UCL Institute for Women’s students, thereby extending the exist- Acupunct Med 2016;34:90–4. Health, University College London, London, UK; ing literature on EA for stress and 5 Lund I, Lundeberg T. Is it all about sex? Institute of Medical and Biomedical Education, pre-examination anxiety in this par- Acupuncture for the treatment of pain St George’s, University of London, London, UK ticular population. Finally, Yeo et al. from a biological and gender Correspondence to Dr David Carr, NYU School of provide novel insights into potential perspective. Acupunct Med Medicine, 550 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016, gender differences in treatment 2008;26:33–45. USA; davidcarr@doctors.org.uk Carr DJ. Acupunct Med 2016;34:327. doi:10.1136/acupmed-2016-011256 327

Journal

Acupuncture in MedicineSAGE

Published: Oct 1, 2016

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