Abstract
Abstracts and Commentaries on Key Articles in the Literature
Address correspondence to:
Gerhard Litscher, MSc, PhD, MDsc
Research Unit of Biomedical Engineering
in Anesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine
Medical University of Graz
and TCM Research Center
Auenbruggerplatz 29
8036 Graz
Austria
E-mail:
Bokmand S, Flyger H. Breast. 2013;22:320–323.
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The effect of acupuncture was tested against a sham-acupuncture group and a no-treatment control group. Plasma estradiol was measured to rule out this as cause of effects. Side-effects of the treatment were registered. Bokmand and Flyger randomized 94 women into the study: 31 had acupuncture; 29 had sham acupuncture; and 34 had no treatment.
In the acupuncture group, 16 patients (52%) experienced a significant effect on hot flashes, compared with 7 patients (24%) in the sham group (P<0.05). The researchers stated that this effect occurred after the second acupuncture session and lasted for at least 12 weeks after the last treatment.
A statistically significant positive effect was noted on sleep in the acupuncture group, compared with the sham-acupuncture and no-treatment groups. The effect was not correlated with increased levels of plasma estradiol. In this study, no side-effects of acupuncture were registered.
The researchers stated that they found acupuncture significantly relieves hot flashes and sleep disturbances and is a good and safe treatment for women who are treated for breast cancer.
Posadzki P, Moon TW, Choi TY, Park TY, Lee MS, Ernst E. Support Care Cancer. 2013;21:2067–2073.
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Posadzki et al. searched fourteen databases from their respective inceptions to November 2012. Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) of AT or EA for treating CRF were considered for inclusion in the analysis. The risk of bias/methodological quality was assessed, using the method suggested by the Cochrane Collaboration.
Seven RCTs met the eligibility criteria for the review. Most were small pilot studies with serious methodological flaws. Four of the RCTs showed effectiveness of AT or AT in addition to usual care (UC) over sham AT, UC, enhanced UC, or no intervention for alleviating CRF. Three RCTs showed no effect of AT/EA over sham treatment.
Posadzki et al. concluded that, overall, the quantity and quality of RCTs included in the analysis were too low to draw meaningful conclusions. Even in the positive trials, it remained unclear whether the observed outcomes were the results of specific effects of AT/EA or the results of nonspecific effects of care. The researchers stated that further research is required to investigate if AT/EA produces specific effects on CRF.
Zhang G, Qu S, Zheng Y, Chen J, Deng G, Yang C, Huang Y. Acupunct Med. 2013;31:383–388.
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Twelve healthy volunteers received 30 minutes of electroacupuncture (EA) at the Baihui (GV20) and Yintang acupuncture points and then underwent two fcMRI scans, one each at 5 and 15 minutes after needle removal. Related brain networks were analyzed centered at different seeds (centers that connect the other cerebral regions functionally in an organized network, such as the anterior frontal lobe, anterior cingulate gyrus, parahippocampal gyrus, amygdala, hypothalamus, head of the caudate nucleus, and anterior lobe of the cerebellum). The researchers explained that the networks were analyzed based on their resting cerebral functional connections, and the differences in the activities of the brain networks between the two timepoints were compared.
Zhang et al. noted that, at 5 minutes after needle removal, twelve brain functional regions were involved in organizing the network centered at the caudate nucleus seed. This number was greater than the number of related brain networks centered at the other seeds. At 15 minutes after needle removal, 15 and 14 brain functional regions were involved in organized networks centered at the parahippocampal and hypothalamus seeds, respectively; these numbers were greater than the numbers of other related brain networks centered at the other seeds.
The researchers concluded that a brain network composed of a large number of cerebral functional regions was found after EA at GV 20 and Yintang in healthy volunteers. The key brain seed supporting the largest brain network changed between 5 and 15 minutes after needle removal.
Shi X, Wang H, Wang L, et al. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2014;2014:329746.
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Twenty patients with a mean age of±standard deviation of 42.9±11.2 years were randomly divided into 2 groups (n=10 patients each), with 1 group receiving BA (Zusanli, Sanyinjiao, Neiguan, Shenting, Yintang, and Baihui points) and the 1 receiving BA+TA (Liver, Heart, and Brain). The quantitative and qualitative outcome measures were heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV), and different clinical scores.
Shi et al. found that, in both groups, all scores and HR improved significantly, whereas HRV increased partially significantly. It appears that TA can enhance acute and treatment effects of BA in patients with depression. The researchers stated that the investigation of the De Qi sensation in TA needs further attention.