UNASSIGNED: Drawing on the principles of wrist-ankle acupuncture (WAA), our research team has developed a portable device for WAA point compression, termed the acupressure wrist-ankle strap (AWA). The current study aims to evaluate the efficacy of the AWA in alleviating pain associated with primary dysmenorrhea.
UNASSIGNED: A single-blind, randomized clinical trial was conducted from April 1, 2019, to December 31, 2019. 78 participants with primary dysmenorrhea were recruited from Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. All participants were treated on the first day of menstruation for 30 min. Participants in the AWA group used the AWA, the internal side of which is equipped with a tip compression component, while participants in the non-acupressure wrist-ankle acupuncture(NAWA)group used the NAWA, with the inside tip pressing parts removed. The main outcome was the difference in visual analogue scale (VAS) score between baseline and 30 minutes after randomization.
UNASSIGNED: A total of 78 participants aged 18 to 30 years were included in the intention-to-treat analyses. The VAS scores (mean [standard deviation]) in the AWA group were significantly lower than those in the NAWA group at each time point of intervention (5 minutes: 95% CI, [-1.27 to -0.68], p < 0.001; 10 minutes: 95% CI, [-2.34 to -1.51], p < 0.001; 30 minutes: 95% CI, [-3.74 to -2.72], p < 0.001). In the AWA group, 16 participants reported \"obvious relief\" of dysmenorrhea pain while 23 did not; the average onset time of analgesia they reported were (21.50 ± 3.65) min, while no subjects in NAWA group reported obvious pain relief. The pain threshold (mean [standard deviation]) at SP9 of both sides in AWA group decreased significantly after intervention that in NAWA group (Left: 95% CI, [-5.02 to -1.81], p < 0.001; Right: 95% CI, [-7.67 to -4.24], p < 0.001). There was no significant change in the temperature at CV4 in either group (95% CI, [-0.63 to -0.66], p = 0.970).
UNASSIGNED: This trial substantiates our hypothesis that the AWA provides immediate analgesic effects. The AWA represents an effective and safe non-invasive physical therapy option, which patients can self-administer to alleviate abdominal pain.

UNASSIGNED: Propofol is a widely used intravenous anesthetic in clinic. However, it is easy to cause serious circulatory fluctuation in elderly patients, so the dose should be reduced as appropriate. Studies have shown that wrist-ankle acupuncture (WAA) can reduce the dosage of propofol in patients undergoing painless endoscopy. Unfortunately, there is no report on whether WAA will reduce the dosage of propofol when used for anesthesia in elderly patients. The purpose of this study is to observe the effect of WAA on propofol dosage in elderly patients, and to provide a new method for maintaining circulatory stability in elderly patients under general anesthesia.
UNASSIGNED: From October 2022 to December 2022, Hebei Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine was selected. Forty-four elderly patients undergoing general anesthesia in urology department were randomly divided into two groups according to the complete random method with WAA group, consisting of 22 individuals, and non-WAA (NWAA) group, also consisting of 22 individuals. Both groups were treated with WAA or false needle acupuncture at the same site before anesthesia, respectively, and the needle was kept until the operation was finished. During the operation, the dosage of propofol was adjusted according to the depth of field monitoring density spectrum array (DSA) and anesthesia consciousness index (Ai) with anesthesia monitor.
UNASSIGNED: A total of 44 patients participated in this study, and all of them completed the experiment. There were no significant difference in sex, age, height, weight, duration of anesthesia, liver and kidney function, score of Fried frailty scale, activity of daily living (ADL), age-adjusted Charlson comorbidity index (aCCI) and mini-cognitive test (Mini-Cog) between the two groups (P>0.05), but the total dose of propofol (WAA =121.5, NWAA =170.5) mg and maintenance dose (WAA =1.02±0.55, NWAA =1.76±0.67) mg/kg/h, utilization rate of vasoactive drugs during operation, recovery time after anesthesia (WAA =2, NWAA =3) min and surgeon satisfaction (WAA =9, NWAA =8.5) had significant differences (P<0.05).
UNASSIGNED: Compared with NWAA group, WAA group could reduce the dosage of propofol in anesthesia for elderly patients with exocrine secretion and was beneficial to circulatory stability.
UNASSIGNED: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ID: ChiCTR2100054132).

UNASSIGNED: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is an age-related condition and its prevalence has increased as China\'s population ages. Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) remains the gold standard for treating moderate to severe BPH. Routine placement of a urinary catheter after TURP is often associated with catheter-related bladder discomfort (CRBD). The development of CRBD is related to an increased synthesis of prostaglandin (PG), and wrist-ankle acupuncture (WAA) can inhibit the expression of PG at the site of inflammation, thus alleviating CRBD symptoms. Here we evaluated the efficacy of WAA in alleviating CRBD in patients undergoing TURP.
UNASSIGNED: A total of 46 patients who underwent elective TURP in Hebei Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from June 2022 to July 2022 were randomly divided into two groups according to the complete randomization method. The WAA group (n=23) and the control group (n=23). The WAA group received WAA, and the needles were retained for 24 h. The control group was treated with sham needles that did not penetrate the skin, and the needles were also retained for 24 h. At T1 (0 h after entering the ward), T2 (0.5 h after entering the ward), T3 (6 h after entering the ward), and T4 (24 h after entering the ward), CRBD severity score, visual analogue scale (VAS) and vital signs monitor were used for assessment. Accidents were recorded in the case report form. Graded data using Wlicoxon signed rank sum test, repeated measures using repeated measures analysis of variance.
UNASSIGNED: A total of 46 patients participated in this study, and 44 patients completed the experiment. At T2, T3, and T4, the severity of CRBD in the WAA group was significantly lower than that in the control group (all P<0.05), and the VAS pain score was significantly lower in the WAA group than in the control group (all P<0.05). In contrast, the vital signs, including mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), and blood oxygen saturation, showed no statistical significance (all P>0.05). No accident occurred in both groups.
UNASSIGNED: WAA can effectively relieve CRBD symptoms after TURP. WAA deserves further research and assessment for clinical practice.
UNASSIGNED: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry identifier: ChiCTR2200061525..

BACKGROUND: Primary dysmenorrhea (PD) is one of the most common health complaints all over the world, specifically among young females. Acupuncture has been employed to relieve the pain-based symptoms and to avoid the side effects of conventional medication, and wrist-ankle acupuncture (WAA) has confirmed analgesic efficacy for various types of pain. The aim of this study is to evaluate the immediate analgesia effect of WAA on PD of young females.
METHODS: This study will carry out a randomized parallel controlled single-blind trial to observe the immediate analgesia effect of WAA in PD of young females. Sixty participants who meet inclusion criteria will be recruited from September 2016 to September 2017 in Changhai hospital of China. They are randomly assigned to WAA therapy or sham acupuncture groups (30 patients for each group), and then receive real or sham acupuncture treatment, respectively. In this trial, the primary outcome measure is simple form of McGill pain questionnaire (SF-MPQ), while expectation and treatment credibility scale (ETCS), safety assessment, the COX menstrual symptom scale (CMSS), questionnaire about the feeling of being punctured are included in the secondary outcomes.
CONCLUSIONS: This trial will be the first study protocol designed to evaluate the immediate analgesia effect of WAA in PD of young females. The strengths in methodology, including rigorous randomized, sham-controlled, participants-blinded and assessors-blinded, will guarantee the quality of this study. WAA doesn\'t require any needling sensation, so non-penetrating sham acupuncture can serve as an effective placebo intervention in this trial.
BACKGROUND: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (identifier: ChiCTR-IOR-16008546 ; registration date: 27 May 2016).