Table 1.
Characteristics of studies about VA and SA.
| Numbers | References | Subjects | Intervention | Groups | Were HC intervened (Y/N) | Acupoints | Data analysis | Experimental design | Type of SA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tactile stimulation | |||||||||
| 1 | Li et al., 2006 | 12 stroke/12 HC | EA | VA/SA | Y | LI4, LI11 | SPM | Block/R(45s)-S(45s), 3 times | / |
| Blunt needling | |||||||||
| 2 | Napadow et al., 2007 | 13 Carpal Tunnel Syndrome/12 HC | MA | VA/SA | Y | LI4, SJ5, PC7 | FC | RS, 3 times/week for 3 weeks and 2 times per week for the remaining 2 weeks. | Non-insertive cutaneous stimulation over the acupoint |
| 3 | Schaechter et al., 2007 | 7 stroke | MA | 4 VA/3 SA | / | N | GLM | RS, twice/week for 10 weeks. | Streitberger needle |
| 4 | Chae et al., 2009 | 10 Parkinson's Diseases/10 HC | MA | VA/covert placebo/overt placebo | N | Left GB34 | SPM | Block, R(2min)-S(1min), 3 times | Park needle |
| 5 | Chen et al., 2015 | 30 knee osteoarthritis | MA | 10 high dose VA/10 low dose VA/10 SA | / | ST35 and Xi yan (extra point), GB34, SP9, GB39 and SP6 | FC, left posterior medial prefrontal cortex (pMPFC), Cortical thickness analysis | RS, 6 acupuncture treatment sessions in 1 month (twice/week for the first 2 weeks, once/week for the last 2 weeks | Non-acupoints, Streitberger needle |
| 5 | Hashmi et al., 2014 | 40 knee osteoarthritis | EA | 20 VA/20 SA | / | LI3 and LI4 | Graph-theoretic metrics of network topology | RS (real or sham acupuncture), lasted 25 min. | Streitberger needle |
| 7 | Gollub et al., 2018 | 43 knee osteoarthritis | MA | 21 MA/22 SA | / | Right Liv3 and LI4 | ReHo | RS, five times/week, for 4 consecutive weeks. | Streiberger needle |
| 8 | Chu et al., 2012 | 30 irritable bowel syndrome | EA | 15 EA/15 SA | / | Bilateral ST36, ST37 and SP6 | SPM | Block, 30 min EA | Foam cubes |
| 9 | Yeo et al., 2012 | 12 Parkinson's Disease/12 HC | MA | VA/SA | Y | Right GB34 | SPM | R(4min)-sham(S(1min)-R(1min-S(1min)-R(1min))-R(4min)-T1(10min)-verm(S(1min)-R(1min)-S(1min)-R(1min)-R(4min) | The blunt type needle was not inserted into the skin |
| 10 | Yeo et al., 2014 | 12 Parkinson's disease/12 HC | MA | VA/SA | Y | GB34 | SPM | Block, SA: R(60s)-S(60s)-R(60s)-S(60s)-R(60s)-structural images(15min); then RA: R(60s)-S(60s)-R(60s)-S(60s)-R(60s) | Park needle |
| 11 | Wang et al., 2016b | 46 depression | MA | 22 MA and fluoxetine/24 SA and fluoxetine | / | RN12, RN10, RN6, RN4, KL 17, ST24, and Qipang. | FC, bilateral amygdala as the seed region | RS, once a day for the first 3 days and subsequently once every 3 days for the remainder of the 8-week trial. | Short plastic tubes |
| Needling at non-acupuncture points in close proximity to acupuncture points | |||||||||
| 12 | Huang et al., 2011 | 12 ischemic stroke | MA | 6 VA/6 SA | / | SJ5 | SPM | Block, S(30s)-R(30sn), 6 times | / |
| 13 | Liu et al., 2012 | 41 myopia | MA | 11 VA and TI/ 11 VA and NI/10 SA and TI/9 SA and NI | / | LR3 | GLM | RS, R(186s)-S(180s) | / |
| 14 | Maeda et al., 2013 | 59 carpal tunnel syndrome | EA | 22 local VA/18 distal VA/19 SA | / | Local VA: PC7, SJ5; distal VA: SP-6, LV-4; SA: SH1 and SH2. | GLM | RS, event-related/2-s stimulation events with randomized interstimulus interval (ISI), 6–12 s, and total scan time 5 min and 6 s | / |
| 15 | Kang et al., 2013 | 25 smoke | MA | 12 VA/13 SA | / | Left HT7 | SPM | Block, S(60s)-R(60s), 3 times | / |
| 16 | Qi et al., 2014 | 16 ischemic stroke | MA | 8 VA/8 SA | / | SJ5 | SPM | Block, R(30s)-S(30s), total 6min6s | / |
| 17 | Zhao et al., 2014 | 40 migraine | MA | 20 active point/20 inactive point | / | Active point: bilateral SJ5,GB20, GB34, and GB40 inactive point: bilateral SJ22, PC7, GB37, and SP3 | ReHo | RS, 4 times/week for 30 min each for 8 weeks | / |
| 18 | Chen et al., 2014 | 6 ischemic stroke | MA | VA/SA | / | SJ5 | SPM | Block, R(5 min)-SAstimulus(6 min30s)-R(6mmin2s)-VA(6 min30 s). | / |
| 19 | Zhu et al., 2014 | 28 irritable bowel syndromes | Mox | 15 VA/13 SA | / | ST25, RN6, and RN12 | ICA | RS, three times/week for 4 weeks | 2 cm in diameter, 1.14 g in weight |
| 20 | von Deneen et al., 2015 | 19 overweight | MA | 10 MA/9 SA | / | Bilateral ST 36 and SP 9 | SPM | Block, R(5 min)-S(21min)-S(1min)-R(7 min) anatomical scan -(9 min) postscan | / |
| 21 | Egorova et al., 2015 | 41 knee osteoarthritis | MA | 6 acupoints/2 acupoints/SA | / | 2 acupoint: ST35 and Xi yan (extra point) and 6 acupoints: additionally, at GB34, SP9, GB39 and SP6 | FC, periaqueductal gray (PAG) as the seed | RS, 6 times 25 min acupuncture sessions in 1 month | / |
| 22 | Li et al., 2016 | 62 migraine/46 HC | MA | 11 VA1/11 VA2/13 VA3/11 SA/16 WT | N | VA1: GB34, GB40 and SJ5; VA2: GB33, GB42 and SJ8; VA3: ST36, ST42 -and L16; SA: NAP1, NAP2 and NAP3 | FC, periaqueductal gray (PAG) as the seed region | RS, 30 min, 5 times/week, 4 weeks. | / |
| 23 | Zheng et al., 2016 | 28 hypertension | MA | 14 MA/14 SA | / | LR3 | FC, hypothalamus as the seed | RS, 30 min, three times/week for 2 week | / |
| 24 | Tan et al., 2017 | 32 mild cognitive impairment | MA | 16 MA/16 SA | / | EX-HN1, EX-HN3, PC6, KI3, ST40, and LR3 | FC, pregenual ACC, sub-ACC, MTL-hippocampus, IPL, and anterior insula as the seed region | RS, 5 times/week, for 4 consecutive weeks. | / |
| 25 | Li et al., 2018 | 35 Parkinson's disease | MA | 14 MA/11 SA/10 WT | / | DU20, bilateral GB20, and the Chorea-Tremor Controlled Zone | DC,ReHo,ALFF | RS, 30 min, 2 times/week, for 12 weeks | / |
| 26 | Wang et al., 2020 | 45 primary insomnia | MA | 15 S-Acu/15 M-Acu/15 N-Acu | / | S-Acu: bilateral HT7; M-Acu: combination of bilateral HT-7, bilateral SP6 and single DU20; N-Acu: sham point | fALFF | RS, 30 min, 5 times/week, for 5 weeks | / |
ACC, anterior cingulate cortex; DC, degree centrality; EA, Electroacupuncture; fALFF, fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations; FC, functional connectivity analysis; GLM, general linear model; HC, health controls; ICA, independent component analysis; MA, manual acupuncture; M, multiple; /, irrelevant; NAP, non-acupoint; NI, non-treatment instruction; N, no; NRER, non-repeated event-related; RS, resting state; ReHo, regional homogeneity; SA: sham acupuncture; S, single; TI, treatment instruction; WT, waiting list; VA, verum acupuncture; Y, yes; Acupoints: BL23, Shenshu; BL25, Dachangshu; BL40, Weizhong; BL62, Shenmai; BL26, Guanyuanshu; BL36, Chengfu; BL54, Zhibian; BL60, Kunlun; BL58, Feiyang; BL27, Xiaochangshu; BL37, Yinmen; DU3, Yaoyangguan; DU20, Baihui; DU23, Shangxing; DU29, Yintang; EX-HN5,Taiyang; EX-HN1, Sishenchong; GB8, Shuaigu; GB30, Huantiao; GB31, Fengshi; GB33,Xiyangguan; GB39, Xuanzhong; GB40, Qiuxu; GB41, Zulinqi; HT3, Shaohai; HT5, Tongli; HT7, Shenmen; KI3, Taixi; LI3, Sanjian; LI4, Hegu; LI6, Pianli; LI7, Lieque; LR8, Ququan; LR14,Jimen; LR3, Taichong; PC6, Neiguan; PC7, Daling; PC8, Laogong; RN4, Guanyuan; RN6,Qihai; RN10, Xiawan; RN12, Zhongwan;RN14, Juque; SJ6, Zhigou; SJ5, Waiguan; SJ8, Sanyangluo; SJ22, Erheliao; SJ23, Sizhukong; SP6, Sanyinjiao; SP8, Diji; SP9, Yinlingquan; SP3, Taibai; SP14, Fujie; SP11, Jimen; SP13, Fushe; SP15, Daheng; ST6, Jiache; ST9, Renying; ST21,Liangmen; ST24, Huaroumen; ST25, Tianshu; ST26, Wailing; ST27, Daju; ST35, Dubi; ST36, Zusanli; ST37, Shangjuxu; ST38, Tiaokou; ST39, Xiajuxu; ST40, Fenglong; ST42, Chongyang; ST44, Neiting.