Pre-natal EA for MIA 2025

Stimulated by Zhang et al 2025.[1] Visual abstract from Zhang et al.[1] EA – electroacupunctureMIA – maternal immune activationIF – impact factorAPC – author processing chargeUSD – US dollarsPoly (I:C) – polyinosinic-polycytidylic acidRNA – ribose nucleic acidIL6 – interleukin 6 (a proinflammatory cytokine)MCP-1 – monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (a downstream chemokine of IL6)α7nAChR – the … Continue reading Pre-natal EA for MIA 2025

Acupuncture, haemodialysis and depression

Inspired by Yu et al 2025.[1] Photo by jason hu on Pexels.comThis island is at the top of Poyang Lake, approximately 7km below where it opens into the Yangtze River just east of Jiujiang. IF – impact factorHAM-D – Hamilton depression rating scaleWHOQOL-100 – World Health Organisation quality of life 100MCID – minimum important clinical … Continue reading Acupuncture, haemodialysis and depression

IA plus SSRI in MDD

Stimulated by Wu et al 2024.[1] IA – intradermal acupunctureSSRI – selective serotonin reuptake inhibitorMDD – major depressive disorderEA – electroacupunctureMA – manual acupunctureIF – impact factorZung SDS – Zung self-rating depression scalePSQI – Pittsburgh sleep quality indexFC – functional connectivityMCID – minimal clinically important differenceGPT – generative pre-trained transformer – key to acronyms I … Continue reading IA plus SSRI in MDD

Acupuncture in Alberta 2 2024

Inspired by Lu et al 2024.[1] Moraine Lake, Alberta, by John Lee on Unsplash. ABCHIP – Alberta Complementary Health Integration ProjectEQ-5D-5L – EuroQol Group 5D-5L instrument [2]QALY – quality adjusted life yearQoL – quality of lifeCEA – cost effectiveness analysisCBA – cost benefit analysisCAD – Canadian dollars – key to acronyms This paper reports the economic … Continue reading Acupuncture in Alberta 2 2024

Acupuncture in Alberta 2024

Inspired by Lu et al 2024.[1] Moraine Lake, Alberta, by John Lee on Unsplash. ABCHIP – Alberta Complementary Health Integration ProjectBPI – brief pain inventoryPSQI – Pittsburgh sleep quality indexPHQ9 – patient health questionnaire 9PROMIS – patient-reported outcomes measurement information system [2]SF – short formEQ-5D-5L – EuroQol Group 5D-5L instrument [3]NRS – numerical rating scaleQoL – … Continue reading Acupuncture in Alberta 2024

Acupuncture for MMT reduction 2024

Stimulated by Lu et al 2024.[1] MMT – methadone maintenance treatmentIF – impact factorOUD – opioid use disorderVAS – visual analogue scaleQoL – quality of lifeNMA – network meta-analysisPOAS – protracted opioid abstinence syndrome – key to acronyms This is the second sham controlled trial of acupuncture published in Annals of Internal Medicine (IF 39.2) … Continue reading Acupuncture for MMT reduction 2024

EA vs escitalopram for PSD

Stimulated by Ma et al 2024.[1] Photo by Julius Carmine on Unsplash.This image came up when I searched for Yancheng on Unsplash. Just to the right of centre, between the two central pillars you can just see a fluid level – I guess that is the Yellow Sea. EA – electroacupuncturePSD – post stroke depressionRCT … Continue reading EA vs escitalopram for PSD

KOR and depression after CSDS

Stimulated by Wang et al 2023.[1] Supplemental Figure 2 from Wang et al 2023 showing development of animal models of SDS. KOR – κ opioid receptorCSDS – chronic social defeat stressSSDS – subthreshold social defeat stressSDS – social defeat stressAAV – adeno-associated virus key to acronyms This is a potentially important paper that describes, for … Continue reading KOR and depression after CSDS

Acupuncture for perimenopausal GAD

Stimulated by Liu et al 2023.[1] Photo by Finn on Unsplash. GAD – generalised anxiety disorderHAMA – Hamilton anxiety scaleGAD-7 – general anxiety disorder scale (7-item)PSQI – Pittsburgh sleep quality indexACTH – adrenocorticotropic hormoneEA – electroacupunctureCTS – carpal tunnel syndrome key to acronyms This paper reports the first sham controlled trial of acupuncture in perimenopausal … Continue reading Acupuncture for perimenopausal GAD

Acupuncture dysmenorrhoea and depression 2023

Stimulated by Liao et al 2023.[1] Photo by Polina Zimmerman on Pexels.com LGTD – longitudinal generation tracking databaseNHIRD – national health insurance research database (Taiwan)aHR – adjusted hazard ratioIL6 – interleukin 6IL1β – interleukin 1βTNF – tumour necrosis factorALB – albuminVEGFA – vascular endothelial growth factor ACRP – C-reactive proteinPTGS2 – prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthetase 2 (aka … Continue reading Acupuncture dysmenorrhoea and depression 2023