• Journal of Acupuncture Research
• /
• v.23 no.5
• /
• pp.219-228
• /
• 2006

Objectives : To observe the effect of acupuncture treatment on Digital Infrared Thermographic Imaging(DITI) in frozen shoulder patients. Methods : 17 voluntary patients received acupuncture treatment on LI15, TE14, GB21 and Master Dong's acupuncture points, Shin-gwan and Gyun-joong, twice a week for 4 weeks. The patients were instructed to practice self exercise during their daily lives. Evaluations were made before treatment, after 1 week of treatment, after 2 weeks, 3 weeks and after 4 weeks of treatment. Constant Shoulder Assessment(CSA), Shoulder Pain and Disability Index(SPADI), Range of Motion(ROM) and the patient's satisfaction concerning the treatment was measured by Visual Analogue Scale(VAS). DITI was measured before treatment and after 4weeks of treatment. The obtained data was analyzed. Results : CSA, SPADI, VAS, adduction and extension showed significant(p<0.05) improvement. Abduction and flexion both improved after 4 weeks of treatment, but the improvement was statistically insignificant(p>0.05). DITI showed improvement but the improvement was insignificant(p>0.05). Conclusion : 4 weeks of acupuncture treatment significantly improved CSA, SPADI, VAS, adduction and extension in frozen shoulder patients(p<0.05). The improvement of abduction and flexion after 4 weeks of acupuncture treatment was insignificant(p>0.05). DITI results improved after 4 weeks of acupuncture treatment. But the change of thermal difference was insignificant(p>0.05).

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
• /
• v.32 no.2
• /
• pp.11-21
• /
• 2015

Objectives : To improve quality of clinical research for acupuncture and moxibustion, a guideline for clinical research protocol is needed. While developing a guideline for acupuncture and moxibustion clinical research, we reviewed the ethical and scientific aspects of protocols pointed out by the institutional review board. This will offer practical assistance to the researchers. Methods : Ethical and scientific aspects of acupuncture and moxibustion research protocols reviewed by Kyung Hee University Korean Medicine Hospital Institutional Review Board were gathered and reviewed. Results : Ethical and scientific aspects of protocol review was reported. Conclusions : The example of review will be helpful for new researchers when developing acupuncture and moxibustion clinical research protocol.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
• /
• v.34 no.4
• /
• pp.209-230
• /
• 2017

Objectives : The aim of this study was to describe the details and to assess the clinical evidence of acupuncture and moxibustion for non-specific chronic neck pain. Methods : We searched seven databases including Korean, English, and Chinese databases through July 2016. Studies using acupuncture, moxibustion, pharmacopuncture, electroacupuncture, auricular-acupuncture, acupressure for non-specific chronic neck pain were included. Only controlled clinical trials or randomized clinical trials were assessed. Study design, number of subject, inclusion criteria, intervention, and results were extracted. In addition, details of intervention including needle type, retention time, acupoints were analyzed. Results : Total 64 studies(39 acupuncture, 9 laser, 6 pharmaco-acupuncture, 3 electro-acupuncture, 3 auricular-acupuncture, 3 moxibustion, 1 acupressure) were included. Among 39 acupuncture studies, 35 used acupuncture as sole intervention. Sham treatment was the most common intervention for control group, followed by no intervention. Various outcome including pain, disability, quality of life, range of motion was used as outcome measurement. The effect of acupuncture and moxibustion was different depending on the type of control and outcome measurement. The most commonly used method in acupuncture for neck pain was GB21, SI3, GB20, LI4, BL11 acupoints, 10~30 mm insertion depth, 20~30 retention time, and 1~2 times per week. Conclusions : Analyzing the details of acupuncture and moxibustion treatment could be helpful for researches and clinics. Further studies should consider the characteristics of study design, intervention, and outcome to assess the effect of TKM.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
• /
• v.28 no.6
• /
• pp.1-17
• /
• 2011

Objectives : This study aimed to review randomized controlled trials of acupuncture performed in South Korea that used sham acupuncture as a control group. Methods : The following databases were searched through the end of September 2011: Koreanstudies information service system (KISS), Korean medical database (KMbase), national discovery OR science leaders (NDSL), oriental medicine advance searching integrated system (OASIS), and research information service system (RISS). The following search terms were used: acupuncture AND (sham or placebo). The reference lists of searched articles and Korea institute of oriental medicine (KIOM) reports(2005~2009) were identified. The following data were extracted: year/first author, disease, number of participants, blinding, intervention, outcome, and result. Where appropriate, we performed meta-analysis. The methodological quality was assessed according to the Jadad scale and 'risk of bias' by Cochrane Handbook procedure. Results : Twenty-nine studies were included in this review. In eighteen studies, penetrating sham controls were used as the control intervention, whereas the remaining eleven studies adopted non-penetrating sham controls such as the Park Sham Device or blunt auricular acupuncture. Nine studies showed statistically significant difference in outcomes. Twelve studies concerning insomnia after stroke, chronic tension-type headache, idiopathic Parkinson's disease, Hwa-Byung, and smoking cessation were included in meta-analysis. A meta-analysis of insomnia after stroke only found significant difference(MD -4.31, 95% Cl -6.19 to -2.42, $p$<0.00001). In general, all of the studies showed low methodological quality(Jadad score: mean 2.1). Risk of bias by Cochrane Handbook procedure varied. Conclusions : The results of this study could not suggest conclusive evidence that acupuncture is more effective than sham acupuncture in several diseases. In the future, more studies with rigorous acupuncture trials using sham controls should be conducted.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.19-27
• /
• 2006

Objectives: Although Korean Acupuncture (KA) in Korean Medicine (KM) shares its origins with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), it has made its own contribution to the field of acupuncture and general medicine. This study reviews characteristics of KA. Methods: Representative theories of KA were reviewed in light of a constitutionally individualized and practically integrated approach. Individualized approach in KA is based on constitutional energy traits recognized in Saam, Taegeuk, and Eight Constitution acupuncture theories. New practically integrated therapeutic modalities, such as herbal, and bee venom acupunctures, have also been developed in KA. Results: As a form of natural medicine, KA along with KM put emphasis on the vitality and self-correcting mechanism of an individual, which led to the refinement of constitutional approach. KA along with KM theories features a summarized understanding and practical application of integrated therapeutics, which produced creative development of new modalities. Conclusions: KA is expected to make significant contributions to the individualized and practical medicine, based on basic research and clinical trials.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
• /
• v.38 no.1
• /
• pp.10-22
• /
• 2024

Objectives This bibliometric analysis aimed to determine the status of pediatric acupuncture research. Methods Relevant bibliographic information up to January 9, 2024, was collected through searches in the Web of Science Core Collection. Bibliographic information was preprocessed for data analysis and analyzed using VOSviewer software. Network maps of the authors and their affiliated institutions in the included studies were constructed and visualized, and clusters for each major node were identified. In addition, the latest research keywords were visualized using an overlay visualization function. Results The field of pediatric acupuncture research has shown a 20.5-fold quantitative increase in the number of publications over the past 30 years (1991 - 2023). In the field of pediatric acupuncture research, the United States has the highest productivity and influence, and South Korea ranked 7th in productivity and 10th in influence. Through keyword analysis in the field of pediatric acupuncture research, four clusters were identified. Pain management, use in pediatric oncology, and use in postoperative management were identified as important clinical topics. There is a lack of exchange among researchers in the field of pediatric acupuncture. Conclusions Pediatric acupuncture research continues to show quantitative growth and western countries have shown high productivity and influence in this field. In this study, the major keywords in the field of pediatric acupuncture research were identified, and the results can be used to establish the research direction of the Korean medicine community.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
• /
• v.22 no.5
• /
• pp.195-199
• /
• 2005

The Working Group on the revision of Clinical Research Methodology for Acupuncture met in Seoul, Republic of Korea from 24 to 26 August 2005. The main objectives of the meeting were to review the regional publication guidelines for Clinical Research on Acupuncture, to make necessary revisions in the guidelines, to make recommendations on further collaboration and activities in the field of research on acupuncture, and to discuss scientific evidence-based approaches in the clinical research on acupuncture. Fourteen members from the eight Member States, one secretariat staff from the WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific and ten observers from the Republic of Korea attended the meeting. The members presented their papers to review the current status of clinical research on acupuncture. The drafts of proposed revision to the previous guidelines for clinical research methodology on acupuncture were discussed extensively. The issues covered during the discussion included: the definition of the new terms; reorganization of clinical research design; revision and update of contents (e.g., control group); introduction of Institutional Review Board (IRB) on the section of ethical approval; additional outcomes including health-related quality of life (HRQOL), qualitative measures, etc. In the course of these discussions, the working group developed the revised guidelines for clinical research on acupuncture and made recommendations for promoting the dissemination of the revised guidelines.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.1-15
• /
• 2011

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of massive clinical research and to make a basic analysis on the effectiveness and safety of moxibustion treatment on knee osteoarthritis compared to usual care. Methods and Results : This study is a protocol for a pilot randomized controlled trial. Forty participants are assigned to the moxibustion group (n=20) and usual care group (n=20). Participants assigned to the moxibustion group receive moxibustion treatment on the affected knee(s) at six standard acupuncture points (ST36, ST35, ST34, SP9, Ex-LE04 and SP10) three times per week for four weeks (total of 12 sessions). Participants in the usual care group don't receive moxibustion treatment during the study period and follow-up are made on the 5th, 9th and 13th weeks after random allocation. Both groups are allowed to use any kind of treatment, including surgery, conventional medication, physical treatment, acupuncture, herbal medicine, over-the-counter drugs and other active treatments. Education material that explains knee osteoarthritis and current management options and self-exercise is provided for each group. The pain scale of the Korean Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Questionnaire (K-WOMAC) is the primary outcome measurement used in this study. Other subscales of the K-WOMAC, the Short-Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Physical Function test, Patient Global Assessment, and Pain Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) are used as outcome variables to evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture. Safety is assessed at every visit. Conclusions : The result of this trial will provide a basis for the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture treatment for knee osteoarthritis.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.18-28
• /
• 2003

Objective : To research the trends of study related to osteoarthritis with acupuncture in PubMed, and to establish he hereafter direction of acupuncture for osteoarthritis. Methods : We searthed in PubMed, with osteoarthritis and acupuncture limited by abstract, human, English. Results : 1. The pattern of study was as follow: Review article(2), Clinical Trials(13), randomized controlled trials(13). bee venom acupuncture(1), electroacupuncture(1). We further estimated 15 articles. 2. The lesion of osteoarthritis & kinds of acupuncture were as follows: knee(12), hip(2), cervical vertebral(1), bee venom acupuncture(1), electroacupuncture(1). 3. Most clinical trials are related to decrease of pain, functional improvement. 4. 10 of clinical studies provide affirmative result. And they recommend acupuncture for osteoarthritis. 5. 4 of clinical studies provide negative result. And these studies are designed by sham acupuncture method.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
• /
• v.30 no.2
• /
• pp.114-121
• /
• 2013

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture treatment on the inflammatory lesions and body image disturbances in patients with vulgaris acnes. Methods : Fifteen inflammatory acne patients were enrolled and treated with facial acupuncture during 4 treatment sessions. We evaluated the number of papules and nodules using the Korean Acne Grading System (KAGS). We also evaluated patients' general subjective satisfaction and objective changes of inflammatory acnes symptoms using DermaVision-pro. Moreover, we observed the skin quality-of-life scale with skindex-29 and body image disturbance questionnaire (BIDQ) as secondary outcome. Adverse events were recorded as well at every visit. Results : After 4 treatment sessions, there were significant reductions in the number of papules and nodules of the patients. We found that subjective satisfactions of patients were enhanced as well as the objective inflammatory symptoms. We also found significant improvements in the quality of life and BIDQ. No serious treatment-related adverse events were reported. Conclusions : This study demonstrated that standardized facial acupuncture were effective and safe in the treatment of facial inflammatory acnes.