• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• 제40권2호
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• pp.129-134
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• 2023

In this review, we searched for clinical and experimental studies related to acupuncture-related therapy (ART) on the microbiome in musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) through the electronic databases of MEDLINE via PubMed, EMBASE, and Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System up to May 2023, without language restriction, and after the selection/exclusion process, the study design, target disease, intervention details, treatment period, outcomes, and study results were extracted. A total of 8 articles were selected. Two randomized controlled trials and 6 animal studies evaluated knee osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, spinal cord injury, ankylosing spondylitis, and osteoporosis. ART, including electroacupuncture, thread-embedding acupuncture, and moxibustion, affected microbiome modulation in MSDs. The results reveal that ART could be a potential treatment for regulating the microbiome in MSDs. However, further high-quality studies are needed.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• 제22권2호
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• pp.163-170
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• 2005

Background : Over the last thirty years, majority of researches on clinical effectiveness of acupuncture have been explanatory (or experimental) randomized controlled trial. The benefits of acupuncture in clinical trials are still controversial and most studies concluded that further control studies were required. Standardized combinations of acupuncture points for all the experimental subjects in various past studies have been criticized because such treatments do not reflect current routine clinical treatment. Objective : This paper aims to review pragmatic clinical trials on the effect of acupuncture treatment and to develop the ideal clinical research methodology of acupuncture study. Method : Clinical studies of acupuncture relevant with pragmatic or individualized trials were searched mainly in Pubmed and Science direct databases. All articles were fully reviewed by researchers, and data were evaluated by usage of a standardized form. Results & Suggestion : Pragmatic acupuncture researches were tried for various symptoms (eg. low back pain, hypertension, depression during pregnancy, sleep quality in HIV disease, chronic poststroke leg spasticity, headache, etc). Individualized acupuncture treatments based on oriental disease pattern diagnosis reflexes practical treatments which is more effective than unified and fixed acupuncture treatments without any theoretical basis of oriental medical philosophy. Conclusion : To overcome the controversies and limitations of past explanatory acupuncture trials, more individualized and tailored acupuncture trials with the theoretical basis of oriental medical diagnosis is highly recommended. Also clear definition and categorization of pattern identification should be established for further active clinical researches and applications of acupuncture.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• 제38권3호
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• pp.205-218
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• 2021

Background: Korean medicine treatment was assessed in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) according to subgroups of: sex, age, cause of knee OA, body mass index, hospitalization period, history, OA compartment, phenotype, and comorbidity. Methods: A retrospective review was performed of 122 inpatients who were admitted to the Hospital of Korean Medicine for Korean medicine treatment of knee pain, and were diagnosed with knee OA based on magnetic resonance imaging findings. Analysis of patient subgroups (sex, age, cause of knee OA, body mass index, hospitalization period, history, OA compartment, phenotype, and comorbidity) was carried out and treatments including acupuncture, cupping, pharmacopuncture, herbal medicine, chuna therapy, medicinal steaming therapy, manual therapy, and extracorporeal shock wave therapy were listed. The numeric rating scale (NRS), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), and 5-level EuroQol- 5 Dimension (EQ-5D-5L) scores were measured before and after treatment to assess the effects of treatment on pain and quality of life. Results: Seventeen males and 105 females were included in this study. Most patients were in their 60s. In the total study population, NRS, WOMAC, and EQ-5D-5L scores were improved statistically significant when comparing before and after treatment. The NRS and WOMAC scores improved statistically significant in the medial, patellofemoral, medial + patellofemoral, medial + lateral + patellofemoral compartment. Conclusion: Korean medicine treatment significantly reduced pain, stiffness, and physical dysfunction, and improved the quality of life of patients with knee OA, suggesting that it may be an effective alternative to the current conservative treatments.

• 혜화의학회지
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• 제15권1호
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• pp.41-45
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• 2006

Aims: This overview summarizes the existing evidence on acupuncture for cancer-related pain. Methods: Literature searches were conducted in 7 databases. All clinical studies of acupuncture, electroacupuncture, ear acupuncture and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) in cancer patients with the main outcome measure of pain were included. Results: Of the 8 studies included, one high quality randomized clinical trial (RCT) of ear acupuncture showed statistically significant pain relief in comparison with placebo ear acupuncture. All the other studies were either non-blinded (n = 2) or uncontrolled clinical trials (n = 5). Most investigations suffered from methodological flaws such as inadequate study design, poor reporting of results, small sample size and overestimation of the results. Conclusions: The current evidence does not support the use of acupuncture as an adjunctive analgesic method for cancer patients. Only one high quality RCT showed promising results thus warranting further investigation into this under-researched area.

• 한방재활의학과학회지
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• 제24권4호
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• pp.49-60
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• 2014

Objectives The purpose of this study is to research current trends of acupuncture treatment of lumbar herniated intervertebral disc using the PubMed database. Methods We set up the search strategy and investigated clinical trials on acupuncture treatment of lumbar herniated intervertebral disc through PubMed search. This study analyzed previous researched papers published from January 1st, 2000 to April 30th, 2014, and classified them by publication year, journal names, types of literature, treatment methods and evaluation scales. To assess the quality of the reviewed literature, randomized controlled trial (RCT) studies were assessed by Cochrane's risk of bias (ROB) tool and non-RCT studies were assessed by risk of bias for non-randomized studies (RoBANS). Results We found 35 studies on the acupuncture treatment of lumbar herniated intervertebral disc. Papers on this topic have been published, on average, three to four times annually in 9 journals since the mid-2000's. The journal with the largest number of publications was Chinese Acupuncture & Moxibustion, and most of articles were classified as RCT. Acupuncture treatment was performed individually or together with other treatments. The most frequently used pain evaluation index was visual analogue scale (VAS). The index of effective rate was used frequently but there was a lack of objectivity. In regards to the quality of the studies, outcome assessment in RCT showed that random sequence generation, allocation concealment, and the blinding of participants and personnel increase potential of risk of bias. For non-RCT assessment, outcome showed that confounding variable, measurement of intervention were at high risk of bias. Conclusions In order to obtain objective clinical evidence of acupuncture treatment of lumbar herniated intervertebral disc, further clinical studies should be designed to minimize the risk of bias, using STRICTA with larger sample sizes.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• 제39권3호
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• pp.151-158
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• 2022

Changes in symptoms and dysfunction related to meniscus tears following the use of Korean medicine for ≥ 4 days were studied. The medical charts of 53 cases of diagnosed meniscus tears (magnetic resonance imaging) with an admission Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) score ≥ 4, between 2017 and 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. Treatments included acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, herbal treatment, Chuna therapy, and physiotherapy. The NRS, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index, and European Quality of Life 5 Dimensions were performed at admission and discharge. There were 42 females and 11 males in this study. Patients were more likely to be in their 60s (38.18%), have an unknown etiology (81.13%), and have complex tears (50.94%). After receiving a combination of alternative Korean medicine during hospitalization, the mean NRS score improved from 6.82 ± 1.19 to 3.66 ± 1.83 (p < 0.001), the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index score improved from 46.47 ± 20.99 to 37.98 ± 19.23 (p < 0.001), and the mean European Quality of Life Five Dimensions score improved from 0.61 ± 0.18 to 0.68 ± 0.14 (p < 0.001) after treatment. These results suggest that Korean medicine treatment of meniscus tears alleviated pain and improved physical function.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• 제37권1호
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• pp.49-58
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• 2020

Background: This study aimed to investigate the clinical effectiveness of treatment of Korean medicine on superior labrum anterior to posterior (SLAP) lesions. Methods: A total of 55 inpatients diagnosed with SLAP lesions by magnetic resonance imaging, were investigated from May 1^st, 2014 to May 31^st, 2019 at Haeundae Jaseng Hospital of Korean Medicine. The patients were sorted by gender, age, causing factor, illness duration, period of hospitalization, SLAP lesion type, complications, and treatments. Treatments included acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, Chuna therapy, herbal treatment, and physiotherapy. After treatment, the Numeric Rating Scale, Shoulder Pain and Disability Index, and European Quality of Life 5-Dimension questionnaire were used to evaluate treatment effect. Results: There were more males than females in this study (1:0.83). Patients were more likely to be in their 50s (38.18%), have an unknown etiology (70.91%), and be in the subacute disease stage (41.82%). According to the SLAP lesion type, most of the inpatients had Type 2 lesions (69.09%). For inpatients diagnosed with SLAP lesions, the mean shoulder numeric rating scale score decreased from 5.55 ± 0.90, to 4.07 ± 1.18 (p < 0.001), the mean Shoulder Pain and Disability Index score decreased from 50.35 ± 18.36, to 39.90 ± 19.34 (p < 0.001), and the mean European quality of life 5-dimension index increased from 0.70 ± 0.16, to 0.75 ± 0.13 (p < 0.01) after treatment. Conclusion: Treatment of Korean medicine effectively decreased pain and increased the quality of life of the patients with SLAP lesions in this study.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• 제35권2호
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• pp.88-94
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• 2018

Background: Length of hospitalization for patients with lower back pain sustained in road traffic accidents was assessed clinically. Methods: In total, 170 patients with lower back pain injury sustained in road traffic accidents, were included in the study. They were divided into 2 groups: Group A with a shorter hospitalization period (1-7 days) and Group B with a longer hospitalization period (8-14 days). Each group was treated daily with traditional Korean medicine including: acupuncture, herbal acupuncture, herbal decoction medicine, and chuna treatment. To compare the treatment effects between the 2 groups, health-related quality of life, Oswestry disability index, and numeric rating scale were used. Statistical analysis between the 2 groups was assessed using Chi-square test, independent t test, and paired t test. Results: After hospitalization, Group A and Group B both showed a significant increase in their health-related quality of life scores and significant decreases in Oswestry disability index and numeric rating scale scores. In addition, Group B, with a longer hospitalization period than Group A, showed a significant improvement over Group A in its health-related quality of life and numeric rating scale scores. Conclusion: This study suggests that control of pain caused by lower back injury sustained in a road traffic accident, may be more effectively achieved in patients receiving 8-14 days of hospitalization and traditional Korean medicine treatment, compared to those receiving < 7 days of hospitalization treatment. In the future, more systematic and large-scale studies are needed to ascertain the effects of other variables.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• 제23권1호
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• pp.63-70
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• 2006

Objectives : This study was designed to evaluated the effect of electroacupuncture on Quality of life of patients with urinary incontinence Methods : Subjects were voluntarily recruited by newspapers and internet. Electroacupuncture was performed three times a week for 3 weeks. Acupuncture point for EA group was B32, Electrical stimulation frequency was 2Hz, duration 20 minutes, and intensity was up to pain threshold according to patients. The patients's symptoms were assessed before, after 3 weeks of treatment by QOL item of International Prostate Symptom Score(IPSS), Medical Outcomes Study(MOS) 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey(SF-36). Results : QOL score of IPSS were significantly improved after 3 weeks(p<0.05) compared to the pre-treatment. There were significant changes in Social functioning(SF), role-physical(RP), role emotional(RE), mental health(MH), bodily pain(BP) score of SF-36 after 3 weeks(p<0.05), but there were no significant changes in physical functioning(PF), vitality(VT), general health(GH) score of SF-36. Conclusion : This study suggests that electroacupuncture treatments can be applicable to improve symptoms in patients with urinary incontinence.

• 대한한방내과학회지
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• 제41권3호
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• pp.350-361
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• 2020

Objective: This study aimed to report the therapeutic effect of acupuncture on chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). Methods: The articles were sourced from databases including PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, CNKI, CiNii, WHO ICTRP, JSOM, KMBASE, KISS, NDSL, and OASIS as of July 2019. The main search keywords were peripheral neuropathy and acupuncture, and only randomized controlled trials using acupuncture for therapeutic purposes were included. Cochrane's risk of bias was used to assess the risk of bias, and the Review Manager 5.3 program was used for meta-analysis. Results: Six studies with a total 394 participants were included. When combined treatment of acupuncture and usual care was compared with usual care alone, quality of life improved more significantly in the combination treatment group (SMD=-2.71, 95% CI: -5.01 to -0.41, P=0.02, I²=97%). The CIPN pain score was lower among the combination treatment group, but not to a significant degree (SMD=-2.55, 95% CI: -5.14 to 0.04, P<0.05, I²=98%). There were no severe side effects in any studies. Conclusion: Acupuncture combined with usual care may be considered to safely relieve CIPN pain and improve quality of life for cancer patients. However, as there are few randomized controlled trials studying the effect of acupuncture on CIPN, further well-designed research is needed.