Recent Medline Abstracts on AP

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Hi All,

 

What does " penetration needling " of earpoints mean relative to

" straight needling " ? See Abstract 1, below.

 

Jia CS, Li XF, Ma XS, Shi J, Liu EJ. [Comparison of analgesic effects

between subcutaneous penetration needling and straight needling of

otopoints in the treatment of scapulohumeral periarthritis] [Article

in Chinese] Zhen Ci Yan Jiu. 2008 Oct;33(5):339-42. Dept of

Foundation Requirements Teaching, Hebei Medical Univ, Shijiazhuang

050017, China. jia7158 OBJECTIVE: To confirm the better

analgesic effect of subcutaneous penetration needling of otopoints

for treatment of scapulohumeral periarthritis (SHPA) patients.

METHODS: Sixty-six SHPA patients were randomized into penetration-

needling group (n = 33) and straight needling group (n = 33) by using

pairing principle according to the sex and state of disease.

Penetration needling was adopted for patients of penetration-needling

group, while straight needling was used for those of straight

needling group. Simplified McGill Scale was used to evaluate the

patients' pain reactions. The pain integral scores were analyzed by

using sequential test and pairing t test. RESULTS: Sequential test

showed that the analgesic effect of penetration needling was

significantly superior to that of straight needling 30 min after the

treatment (P < 0.05). Pairing t test results displayed that

penetration needling had a marked analgesic effect 5 min and 30 min

after the treatment compared with straight needling (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: The rapid analgesic effect of penetration needling is

superior to that of straight needling in the treatment of

scapulohumeral periarthritis. Publication Types: Comparative Study

English Abstract Randomized Controlled Trial Research Support, Non-

U.S. Gov't PMID: 19097508 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

 

Beissner F, Henke C, Unschuld PU. Forgotten Features of Head Zones

and Their Relation to Diagnostically Relevant AP Points. Evid Based

Complement Alternat Med. 2009 Jan 12. [Epub ahead of print] Dept of

Neuroradiology, Brain Imaging Center, JW Goethe Univ, Schleusenweg 2-

16, 60528 Frankfurt, Germany. beissner In the

1890s Sir Henry Head discovered certain areas of the skin that

develop tenderness (allodynia) in the course of visceral disease.

These areas were later termed 'Head zones'. In addition, he also

emphasized the existence of specific points within these zones, that

he called 'maximum points', a finding that seems to be almost

forgotten today. We hypothesized that two important groups of AP

points, the diagnostically relevant Mu and Shu points, spatially and

functionally coincide with these maximum points to a large extent. A

comparison of Head's papers with the Huang Di Neijing (Yellow

Thearch's Inner Classic) and the Zhen Jiu Jia Yi Jing (Systematic

Classic of AP and Moxibustion), two of the oldest still extant

Chinese sources on AP, revealed astonishing parallels between the two

concepts regarding both point locations and functional aspects. These

findings suggest that the Chinese discovery of viscerocutaneous

reflexes preceded the discovery in the West by more than 2000 years.

Furthermore, the fact that TCM uses Mu and Shu points not only

diagnostically but also therapeutically may give us new insights into

the underlying mechanisms of AP. PMID: 19141490 [PubMed - as supplied

by publisher]

 

Cho SH, Lee JS, Thabane L, Lee J. AP for obesity: a systematic review

and meta-analysis. Int J Obes (Lond). 2009 Jan 13. [Epub ahead of

print] 1Hospital of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee Univ Medical Center,

Seoul, Korea. Background and Objective: AP is widely used in

complementary and alternative medicine to reduce body weight.

However, a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess an effect of

AP has not yet been performed. Aim of this study is to critically

assess evidence for reduction of body weight and to evaluate adverse

events of AP therapy based on the results of randomized controlled

trials (RCTs) that evaluate the effect of various types of AP

therapies.Data sources:A total of 19 electronic databases, including

English, Korean, Japanese and Chinese databases, were systematically

searched for RCTs of AP for reduction of body weight or improvement

in obesity up to March 2008 with no language restrictions.

Methods:RCTs for AP compared either with placebo controlled or with

comparator intervention were considered. Studies' methodological

qualities were assessed using the Jadad scale. If no evidence of

heterogeneity existed across study results, statistical pooling of

data was performed using a fixed effects model; otherwise, a random

effects model was used. Publication bias was assessed using funnel

plots. Subgroup analyses were performed according to types of

AP.Results:A total of 31 studies, which comprised a total of 3013

individual cases, were systematically reviewed. Owing to insufficient

data in 2 RCTs, 29 RCTs were used for meta-analysis. About two-thirds

of the trials (20 out of 31) showed the lowest score of the Jadad.

Compared to control of lifestyle, AP was associated with a

significant reduction of average body weight (95% confidence

interval, CI) of 1.72 kg (0.50-2.93 kg) and associated with an

improvement in obesity (relative risk=2.57; 95% CI, 1.98-3.34). AP

significantly reduced a body weight of 1.56 kg (0.74-2.38 kg), on

average, compared to placebo or sham treatments. AP also showed more

improved outcomes for body weight (mean difference=1.90 kg; 1.66-2.13

kg), as well as for obesity (relative risk=1.13; 1.04-1.22), than

conventional medication. Only four RCTs reported AP-related adverse

events, which were mostly minimal.Conclusions:Our review suggests

that AP is an effective treatment for obesity. However, the amount of

evidence is not fully convincing because of the poor methodological

quality of trials reviewed. In conclusion, there is an urgent need

for well-planned, long-term studies to address the effectiveness of

AP for treating obesity. International Journal of Obesity advance

online publication, 13 January 2009; doi:10.1038/ijo.2008.269. PMID:

19139756 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

 

Carrasco TG, Mazzetto MO, Mazzetto RG, Mestriner W Jr. Low intensity

laser therapy in temporomandibular disorder: a phase II double-blind

study. Cranio. 2008 Oct;26(4):274-81. Dept of Restorative Dentistry,

Faculty of Dentistry, Ribeir?o Preto, Univ of Sao Paulo, Brazil. The

purpose of this study was to evaluate the analgesic effect of Low

Intensity Laser Therapy (LILT) and its influence on masticatory

efficiency in patients with temporomandibular dysfunction (TMD). This

study was performed using a random, placebo-controlled, and double-

blind research design. Fourteen patients were selected and divided

into two groups (active and placebo). Infrared laser (780 nm, 70 mw,

60s, 105J/cm2) was applied precisely and continuously into five

points of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) area: lateral point (LP),

superior point (SP), anterior point (AP), posterior point (PP), and

posterior-inferior point (PIP) of the condylar position. This was

performed twice per week, for a total of eight sessions. To ensure a

double-blind study, two identical probes supplied by the manufacturer

were used: one for the active laser and one for the inactive placebo

laser. They were marked with different letters (A and B) by a

clinician who did not perform the applications. A Visual Analogue

Scale (VAS) and a colorimetric capsule method were employed. Data

were obtained three times: before treatment (Ev1), shortly after the

eighth session (Ev2), and 30 days after the first application (Ev3).

Statistical tests revealed significant differences at one percent

(1%) likelihood, which implies that superiority of the active group

offered considerable TMJ pain improvement. Both groups presented

similar masticatory behavior, and no statistical differences were

found. With regard to the evaluation session, Ev2 presented the

lowest symptoms and highest masticatory efficiency throughout

therapy. Therefore, low intensity laser application is effective in

reducing TMD symptoms, and has influence over masticatory efficiency

[Ev2 (0.2423) and Ev3 (0.2043), observed in the interaction

Evaluations x Probes for effective dosage]. Publication Types:

Clinical Trial, Phase II Comparative Study Randomized Controlled

Trial Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't PMID: 19004308 [PubMed -

indexed for MEDLINE]

 

Best regards,