Table 2.
Details of acupuncture method.
| References | Style of acupuncture | Number of needle (main acupoints) | Treatment points | Depth of insertion | Response sought | Needle stimulation | Needle retention time | Needle type | Number of treatment session | Frequency and duration | Qualification or experiences on acupuncture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chen et al. (26) | MA | Unclear | ST36, PC6 | NR | NR | NR | 30 min | NR | 28 | 1 session/day for 4 wks | NR |
| Chen et al. (28) | MA | Unclear | ST36, PC6 | NR | NR | NR | 30 min | NR | 28 | 1 session/day for 4 wks | NR |
| Chen et al. (37) | Auricular acupuncture | 5 | Spleen, stomach, large intestine, triple energizers, cardia |
NR | NR | Press once every 4 h about 1 min, 3 times a day to the extent that the soreness or fever can be tolerated | 2 days | 0.20 × 1.5 mm | 14 | Every other day for 4 wks (alternating the left and right ears) |
NR |
| Chen et al. (41) | MA | Unclear | CV6, CV4, CV11, ST36, CV12, PC6 -liver qi invading the stomach: LR3, LR14 -food damage to spleen: CV10, ST21 -spleen-stomach deficiency cold: SP6, LR13, BL20, BL21 |
NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | 30 | 1 session/day for 1 mon | NR |
| Chung et al. (42) | EA | 15 | Bilateral ST34, ST36, ST40, ST42, CV12, PC6, BL20, BL21 | Depends on the patient's body type | De qi | EA for all acupoints except BL20, BL21, ST42, and CV12. 2 Hz, continuous wave, acceptable to the patient (0.5–1.5 mA) |
30 min, no retention for BL20 and BL21 |
0.20 × 25–40 mm | 20 | 2 sessions/wk for 10 wks | Full licensure from the Chinese Medicine Council of Hong Kong |
| Fan (33) | MA | Unclear | BL21, BL20, CV11, ST36, ST23 -deficiency pattern: SP9, SP4 -excess pattern: ST44, LR3 |
NR | NR | Neutral supplementation and draining, needle manipulation every 15 min | 30 min | Disposable acupuncture needle | 24 | 1 session/day, 6 day/wk for 4 wks | NR |
| Gao (34) | MA | Unclear | ST36, PC6 | NR | NR | NR | 30 min | NR | 28 | 1 session/day for 4 wks | NR |
| Han (44) | EA | 9 | Bilateral ST36, CV12, SP6, LR3, PC6 | 15–45 mm | De qi | G6805 EA therapy device, 2–100 Hz, patient's perception of mild muscle tremor | 15 min | Huatuo needles, 0.38 × 50–80 mm, 28 gauge acupuncture |
56 | 2 sessions/day for 4 wks | NR |
| Han (44) | MA | Unclear | ST36, ST44, LR3, PC6, BL20, BL21, BL18, BL15, CV12, et al. | NR | De qi | NR | 15–30 min | NR | 28 | 1 session/day for 4 wks | NR |
| He (29) | MA | 15 | Bilateral BL20, BL21, PC6, CV12, ST25, ST36, ST34, ST40 -deficiency pattern: Bilateral GB34, SP4 -excess pattern: Bilateral ST44, LR3 |
NR | De qi | NR | 30 min | NR | 20 | 5 sessions/wk for 4 wks |
NR |
| Jiang (38) | MA | 6 | Bilateral ST36, PC6, ST25 | NR | De qi | NR | 20–30 min | NR | NR | 4 wks | NR |
| Liu and Shu (27) | EA | 7 or 9 | CV12, bilateral PC6, ST36, CV6, LR3, LR14, BL18, ST37, ST25 | NR | De qi | 20 Hz, continuous wave, acceptable to the patient | 20 min | 0.25 × 40 mm | 24 | 6 sessions/wk for 4 wks | NR |
| Mao (31) | EA | Unclear | ST36, PC6 -deficiency pattern: SP4, SP9 -excess pattern: LR3, ST44 |
NR | De qi | Sparse and dense wave, 2/100 Hz, 0.1–1.0 mA | 30 min | Disposable acupuncture needle, 0.25 × 40 mm | 30 | 1 session/day for 1 mon | NR |
| Mei (40) | Abdomen acupuncture | 6 | CV10, CV12, CV4, CV6, bilateral ST25 | NR | Not de qi | NR | 30 min | NR | 12 | 6 sessions/wk for 2 wks | NR |
| Wang (43) | MA | 8 | CV12, CV10, bilateral ST36, ST21, PC6 | NR | NR | Neutral supplementation and draining, needle manipulation for 1 min every 10 min | 30 min | Disposable acupuncture needles, Huatuo needles, 0.30 × 50 mm | 28 | 1 session/day for 4 wks | NR |
| Yan (35) | MA | Unclear | CV12, CV13, CV10, CV6, ST25, ST36, PC6, GV20, GV24, EX-HN3 -liver qi stagnation: LR3 -liver qi invading the stomach: SP4 -spleen-stomach weakness: CV4 -dampness-heat stasis and stagnation: GB34 |
NR | De qi | NR | 30 min | NR | 20 | 5 sessions/wk for 1 mon |
NR |
| Yang et al. (36) | MA | Unclear | CV12, ST25, ST36, HT7, PC6, EX-HN1, SP6 -liver qi depression: CV17, LR13 -spleen-stomach qi deficiency: BL20, BL21 -liver qi invading the stomach: LR14, LR3 -dampness-heat stagnating in stomach: SP9, ST44 |
NR | Numbness, soreness, distention, and heaviness | 60–90 times/min (lifting frequency), 90–180°(twisting angle), 60–90 times/min (twisting frequency) | 30 min | Disposable stainless steel acupuncture needle | 14 | 1 session/day for 2 wks | NR |
| Yang and Huang (39) | MA | 12 | Bilateral BL13, BL15, BL18, BL20, BL23, BL17 | 0.5–0.8 cun (寸) | De qi | Neutral supplementation and draining | 30 min | Stainless steel acupuncture needles, Huatuo needles, 0.32 × 50–70 mm | 24 | 3 sessions/wk for 8 wks |
NR |
| Yu (24) | MA | Unclear | CV12, ST36 -liver qi stagnation, stomach qi failing to bear downward: BL18, LR14, ST34, PC6 -spleen deficiency: CV10, ST25 |
NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | 2 wks | NR |
| Zhang (25) | Abdomen acupuncture | 7 | CV4, CV12, CV10, bilareral ST25, SP15 -liver qi invading the stomach: Right CV4, ST23, up wind-dampness -spleen deficiency and qi stagnation, spleen-stomach deficiency cold: Left CV4, ST23, ST28, ST26 -vomiting: KI18, ST24 -insomnia: KI19, bilareral down wind-dampness |
To the abdominal wall | Diffuse pain in the abdominal wall | NR | 25 min | 0.22 × 40 mm, 0.22 × 25 mm | 15 | 1 session/day for 15 days |
NR |
| Zhang (30) | MA | 7 | CV12, bilateral ST36, PC6, LR3 | 1–1.5 cun (寸) | De qi | Neutral supplementation and draining | 30 min | Disposable sterile filiform needle | 28 | 1 session/day for 4 wks | NR |
| Zhang (46) | MA | Unclear | PC6, ST36 | NR | NR | NR | 30 min | NR | 28 | 7 sessions/wk for 4 wks | NR |
EA, electro-acupuncture; MA, manual acupuncture; NR, not recorded.