Key Points Question What is the efficacy of electroacupuncture in treating insomnia among patients with depression? Findings In this randomized clinical trial including 270 patients with insomnia and depression who underwent 8 weeks of electroacupuncture with a 24-week observational follow-up, electroacupuncture with standard care significantly improved patients’ quality of sleep compared with sham acupuncture with standard care and standard care alone. Meaning This study found that electroacupuncture with standard care significantly alleviated insomnia among patients with depression.

Objective To evaluate the short- and long-term effects of acupuncture on perimenopausal insomnia (PMI) and quality of life. Patients and Methods We designed a semi-standardized, patient-blinded, randomized placebo-controlled trial. A total of 84 patients were recruited, all of whom met the criteria for diagnosis of PMI. Either acupuncture therapy or a noninvasive placebo acupuncture therapy designed to treat insomnia was implemented 18 times over the course of 8 weeks (3 times per week for 4 weeks, twice per week for 2 weeks, once per week for 2 weeks). The primary outcome was the change in Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scores from baseline to the end of treatment, week 8. Secondary outcomes included climacteric symptoms and quality of life measured by the Menopause Quality of Life (Men-QoL), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), sleep parameters recorded in the actigraphy and adverse events. The PSQI and Men-QoL were assessed at weeks 0, 4, 8, 12 and 20. Other assessments were performed at week 0 and week 8. Results The participants were randomly assigned to either acupuncture (n=42) or sham acupuncture (n=42) groups. The mean difference from baseline of PSQI score at the end of treatment between real acupuncture and sham acupuncture group was −2.38 (95% CI, −3.46 to −1.30; P<0.001). The acupuncture group was associated with significantly lower scores than the sham acupuncture group at week 12 and during the 20-week follow-up visits (all P <0.001). Acupuncture was also associated with significantly higher quality of life in vasomotor and other physical dimensions (all P <0.001). At the end of treatment, researchers found a significantly higher total sleep time (TST), sleep efficiency (SE) and lower number of average awakenings (AA) ( P =0.007 0.023 and 0.011, respectively) in the acupuncture group than in the sham acupuncture group. No severe adverse events were reported. Conclusion The findings suggest that acupuncture may be a safe and effective treatment for PMI and improving quality of sleep in patients with menopause and could have a long-lasting effect. Trial Registration Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR); Trial ID: ChiCTR1800018645. URL: http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=31482 .

Background Cancer-related insomnia (CRI) is one of the most prevalent complaints among cancer survivors and severely impairs patients’ quality of life. As a popular non-pharmacological alternative treatment, acupuncture provides a good clinical curative effect on insomnia. The aim of this trial is to evaluate efficacy and safety of electro-acupuncture on insomnia in patients with lung cancer. Method This is a protocol for a multicenter randomized single-blinded sham-controlled trial. We will randomly assign 252 eligible patients with lung cancer-related insomnia into two groups at a ratio of 1:1, the treatment group (EA) and the control group (sham EA). All treatment will be given 3 times per week for 8 weeks, and a 12-week follow-up will be conducted. The primary outcome will be measured by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The secondary outcomes will include sleep parameters recorded from the actigraphy, scores from Quality of Life Questionnaire Core-30 (QLQ-C30), and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). All adverse effects during the trial will be assessed by the Treatment Emergent Symptom Scale (TESS). All analyses will be based on ITT principle and performed with the statistical software SPSS (version 24.0) by t test, rank-sum test, chi-square, and so on. A two-sided significance level will be set at 5%. Discussion This large-sample trial protocol will evaluate the efficacy of electro-acupuncture on insomnia in patients with lung cancer. This protocol, if proven to be effective, will contribute to filling the gap in treatment options in the CRI field and provide a promising intervention for insomnia in lung cancer survivors. Trial registration ChiCTR ChiCTR1900026395. Registered on 8 October 2019, http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=44068

Previous studies showed that selenoprotein S (SELS) was associated with a range of inflammatory markers, and its gene expression was influenced by a polymorphism in the promoter region. The genetic basis of the ischemic stroke has now been largely determined, so the aim of the study was to examine the role of SELS genetic variants in the ischemic stroke risk in a Chinese population. We conducted a case-control study with 239 ischemic stroke patients and 240 controls. Two single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in SELS genes were analyzed for association with the risk of ischemic stroke in the Chinese Han population. No evidence of ischemic stroke association was observed with the SNP rs34713741. Interestingly, the strongest evidence showed that SELS SNP rs4965814 was associated with ischemic stroke (P < 0.05). We found a significant association with increased ischemic stroke risk in women carrying the CC genotype of rs4965814 [hazard ratio: 2.43(1.03-5.75)]; a similar trend was also found in men carrying the TC genotype of rs4965814 [hazard ratio: 1.81(1.06-3.08)]. SNP rs4965814 of SELS may affect the susceptibility to ischemic stroke. Understanding the inflammatory mechanisms of ischemic stroke may give new therapeutic targets to pharmacologists.

Background: Postoperative pain is a common disorder that interferes with the quality of sleep after nasal endoscopic surgery and delays postoperative recovery. Acupuncture is an effective tool for pain management. However, electroacupuncture specifically for the relief of postoperative pain after nasal endoscopic surgery has not yet been studied through a randomized controlled trial. Method/Design: A pilotrandomized, sham-controlled, patient- and- assessor-blind trial is designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of electroacupuncturein managing postoperative pain following nasal endoscopic surgery of sinusitis with nasal polyps. There will be 30participants randomly allocated to an electroacupuncture or non-invasive sham control in a 1:1 ratio. Treatment will be done within 2 hours before operation, immediately after the operation upon arrival to the recovery ward, and once daily for 3 days. The primary outcome of the Pain Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) will be analyzed using the area-under-the-curve (AUC) method. The secondary outcome measures include Heart Rate (HR) and Blood Pressure (BP) after operation, the sleep quality during the hospital stay (Actigragh),Quality of Recovery-15 (QoR-15), and the MOS item short form health survey (SF-36). ITT analysis will be used in this RCT. Discussion: This pilot randomized controlled trial will explore the feasibility of further clinical application for the management of postoperative pain using electroacupuncture treatment, and it will inform the design of a further full-scale trial. Trial Registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR1900024183, Date: 2019-06-29. URL: http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=40573 Keywords: Electroacupuncture; postoperative pain;nasal endoscopic surgery; RCT; randomized controlled trial; clinical trial