EA for NVP 2023

Stimulated by Wu et al 2023.[1] EA – electroacupunctureNVP – nausea and vomiting of pregnancyPCOS – polycystic ovarian syndromeLisa SV – Professor Elisabet Stener-Victorin, Karolinska InstitutetPUQE – pregnancy unique quantification of emesisIF – impact factorGWAS – genome wide association studyhCG – human chorionic gonadotrophinGDF15 – growth/differentiation factor 15 key to acronyms This is the largest … Continue reading EA for NVP 2023

Acupuncture in ICH 2023

Stimulated by Li et al 2023.[1] BDNF - Microswitch at the English-language Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. ICH – intracerebral haemorrhageRCT – randomised controlled trialEA – electroacupunctureSAH – subarachnoid haemorrhagemRS – modified Rankin Scale (a 0 to 6 scale measuring disability)GCS – Glasgow coma scale (measures conscious level up to a maximum of … Continue reading Acupuncture in ICH 2023

Acupuncture for endometriosis pain 2023

Stimulated by Li et al 2023.[1] Figure 2 from Li et al 2023.[1] RCT – randomised controlled trialVAS – visual analogue score key to acronyms This is the second moderately large (n=106) controlled trial of acupuncture in endometriosis. It is a sham controlled trial. The first was a similarly sized (n=101) cross-over trial using acupuncture … Continue reading Acupuncture for endometriosis pain 2023

EA for OIC

Stimulated by Wang et al 2023.[1] EA protocol used for OIC in Wang et al 2023.[1]Diagram by MC. EA – electroacupunctureOIC – opioid-induced constipationCSFC – chronic severe functional constipation5-HT – 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin)TEAS – TENS applied to acupuncture points (ie TENS)TENS – transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulationSCC – severe chronic constipationCSBM – complete spontaneous bowel movementSBM – … Continue reading EA for OIC

Sham devices impede real acupuncture 2023

Stimulated by Lee et al 2023.[1] Photo by Iai_man_nung on Unsplash. NMA – network meta-analysisRCT – randomised controlled trialOAK – osteoarthritis of the kneeMA – manual acupunctureEA – electroacupunctureSMD – standardised mean differenceMCID – minimum clinically important differenceNICE – National Institute for Health and Care Excellence key to acronyms I first wrote about this on … Continue reading Sham devices impede real acupuncture 2023

EA after CS 2022

Inspired by Jin et al 2022.[1] EA protocol used in Jin et al 2022 (left), and what I would do in the same circumstances (right). EA – electroacupunctureCS – caesarean sectionNAPC – number of analgesic pump compressionsPCIA – patient controlled intravenous analgesiaIL-6 – interleukin 6 (a proinflammatory cytokine)TAP – tranversus abdominis plane key to acronyms … Continue reading EA after CS 2022

Acupuncture for LBPGP 2022

Inspired by Yang et al 2022.[1] Photo by Pavel Danilyuk on Pexels.com LBPGP – low back or pelvic girdle pain during pregnancyNICE – National Institute for Health and Care ExcellenceRCTs – randomised controlled trialsQoL – quality of lifeLBP – low back painPGP – pelvic girdle pain key to acronyms I did see this review paper … Continue reading Acupuncture for LBPGP 2022

Aromatase inhibitors, joint pain and acupuncture 2022

Inspired by Hershman et al JAMA Network Open 2022.[1] AI – aromatase inhibitorBPI – brief pain inventoryBPI-WP – brief pain inventory worst pain key to acronyms When this paper popped up on my searches, I was surprised to find that I had not written about AI-related joint pain since the JAMA paper by the same … Continue reading Aromatase inhibitors, joint pain and acupuncture 2022

EA for CIPN 2022

Inspired by Chan et al 2022.[1] Photo by How-Soon Ngu on Unsplash. EA – electroacupunctureMA – manual acupunctureCIPN – chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathyAiM – Acupuncture in MedicineFACT/GOG-Ntx – Functional Assessment of Chronic illness Therapy (Gynecologic Oncology Group) Neurotoxicity subscaleMSKCC – Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center key to acronyms This week we stay on the topic of … Continue reading EA for CIPN 2022