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. 2025 Nov 12;16:1668688. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2025.1668688

Table 2.

Details of the TEA using the STRICTA 2010 checklist.

Item Details
1. Acupuncture rationale 1a. Style of acupuncture TEA
1b. Reasoning for treatment provided By the consensus of a group of clinical experts, modified from that used in a previous study.
1c. Extent to which treatment was varied No variation
2. Details of needling 2a. Number of needle insertions per subject per session 20 acupoints
2b and 2c. Names of points used and depth of insertion, based on a specified unit of measurement or on a particular tissue level

  1. with 29G × 25 mm (affected side): BL2 to EX-HN 4, EX-HN 4 to TE23, ST1 to EX-HN 7, ST3 to LI19, LI19 to ST4, ST4 to ST6, ST6 to ST7, CV24 to ST4, mental tuberosity to CV24.

  2. with 29G × 38 mm (affected side): ST4 to LI20, LI20 to BL1, ST7 to ST4, ST4 to ST6, SI18 to LI20, SI18 to LI19, SI18 to ST4.

  3. with 29G × 38 mm (unaffected side): ST4 to ST6, ST7 to ST4.
2d. Response sought Thread embedding can produce sensations similar to acupuncture, such as soreness, distension, or heaviness, but the reactions tend to be more pronounced due to the thicker and longer threads used in the procedure.
2e. Needle stimulation Thread embedding
2f. Needle retention time No retention time
2g. Needle type TEA (29G × 25 mm and 38 mm)
3. Treatment regimen 3a. Number of treatment sessions 6 sessions
3b. Frequency and duration of treatment sessions Once a week for 6 weeks
4. Other components of treatment 4a. Details of other interventions administered to the acupuncture group Electroacupuncture
4b. Setting and context of treatment, including instructions to practitioners, and information and explanations to patients Minimized conversation between practitioner and patient.
5. Practitioner background 5a. Description of participating acupuncturists Specialists of the acupuncture and moxibustion department with at least 3 years of clinical experience.
6. Control and comparator intervention 6a. Rationale for the control or comparator in the context of the research question, with sources that justify this choice Electroacupuncture will be used as a comparator, in this manner, the specific therapeutic effect of TEA will only be displayed.
6b. Precise description of the control or comparator 0.20 × 30 mm sized acupuncture will be used within 5–20 mm depth. After the administration of acupuncture, electro-stimulation will be applied for 20 min.

TEA, thread embedding acupuncture; STRICTA, standards for reporting interventions in clinical trials of acupuncture.