No abstract

Although referred pain or hypersensitivity has been repeatedly reported in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients and experimental colitis rodents, little is known about the neural mechanisms. Spinal long-term potentiation (LTP) of nociceptive synaptic transmission plays a critical role in the development of somatic hyperalgesia in chronic pain conditions. Herein, we sought to determine whether spinal LTP contributes to the referral hyperalgesia in colitis rats and particularly whether electroacupuncture (EA) is effective to alleviate somatic hyperalgesia via suppressing spinal LTP. Rats in the colitis group (induced by colonic infusion of 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid, TNBS), instead of the control and vehicle groups, displayed evident focal inflammatory destruction of the distal colon accompanied not only with the sensitized visceromotor response (VMR) to noxious colorectal distension (CRD) but also with referral hindpaw hyperalgesia indicated by reduced mechanical and thermal withdrawal latencies. EA at Zusanli (ST36) and Shangjuxu (ST37) attenuated the severity of colonic inflammation, as well as the visceral hypersensitivity and referral hindpaw hyperalgesia in colitis rats. Intriguingly, the threshold of C-fiber-evoked field potentials (CFEFP) was significantly reduced and the spinal LTP was exaggerated in the colitis group, both of which were restored by EA treatment. Taken together, visceral hypersensitivity and referral hindpaw hyperalgesia coexist in TNBS-induced colitis rats, which might be attributed to the enhanced LTP of nociceptive synaptic transmission in the spinal dorsal horn. EA at ST36 and ST37 could relieve visceral hypersensitivity and, in particular, attenuate referral hindpaw hyperalgesia by suppressing the enhanced spinal LTP.

Objectives. To study the influence of electroacupuncture (EA) and moxibustion on the hippocampus astrocyte and microglia activation in the ulcerative colitis model and to evaluate the mitochondria activity. Methods. 2.5% dextran sodium sulfate-induced colitis mice were treated by EA or moxibustion. Intestinal pathological structure was observed by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining; the expression of GFAP or S100b (markers for astrocyte), Iba-1 (a marker for microglia), and Mitofilin (a marker for mitochondria) in hippocampus was detected by immunofluorescence staining or western blot. Results. The results demonstrated that both EA and moxibustion could improve the morphology of distal colonic mucosal epithelia in DSS-induced colitis mice. Expression of GFAP in the hippocampus was significantly increased after EA or moxibustion treatment. The effects were further supported by WB results. Meanwhile, expression of mitofilin in the hippocampus CA1 and CA3 regions showed the same trend as that of GFAP. Expression of Iba-1 in the hippocampus showed no significant difference after EA or moxibustion treatment, while the state of microglia changed from resting in control mice to activated state in colitis mice. Conclusion. EA and moxibustion were able to modulate the activation of astrocyte, microglial, and mitochondria in the hippocampus area in the colitis model.

Background Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is the most common chronic complication of diabetes mellitus that has a considerable impact on quality of life, but there are few effective therapeutic strategies. The aim of this trial is to determine the efficacy and safety of manual acupuncture (MA) versus sham acupuncture (SA) for DPN. Methods/design This is a study protocol for a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial. A total of 118 patients with DPN will be recruited and randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either the MA group or SA group. All patients will receive 24 sessions over 12 weeks. Participants will complete the trial by visiting the research center at month 6 for a follow-up assessment. The primary outcome is peroneal motor nerve conduction velocity (peroneal MNCV) at week 12 compared with baseline. Secondary outcomes include peroneal motor nerve action potential amplitude (peroneal MNAP) and latent period (peroneal MNLP), sural sensory nerve conduction velocity (sural SNCV), action potential amplitude (sural SNAP) and latent period (sural SNLP), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), 2-h postprandial blood glucose (2hPG), glycated hemoglobin (HbAlc) at week 12 compared with baseline, Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument (MNSI) score and Diabetes Specific Quality of Life scale (DSQL) at week 12 and month 6 compared with baseline. Safety will be assessed during the whole trial. Masking effectiveness will be assessed by patients. Discussion This trial may provide high-quality evidence for evaluating the efficacy and safety of MA treatment for DPN compared with SA treatment. Results of this study will be published in peer-reviewed journals. Trial registration Chinese Clinical Trials Registry ChiCTR1800020444. First registered on 29 December 2018, retrospectively registered, http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?Proj=31063.

Background Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is the most common chronic complication of diabetes mellitus that has a considerable impact on quality of life, but there are few effective therapeutic strategies. The aim of this trial is to determine the efficacy and safety of manual acupuncture (MA) versus sham acupuncture (SA) for DPN. Methods/design: This is a study protocol for a randomized, two-arm, single centre, clinical trial. A total of 118 patients with DPN will be recruited and randomly assigned to the MA group or the SA group in a 1:1 ratio. All patients will receive 24 sessions over 12weeks. Participants will complete the trial by visiting the research centre at month 6 for a follow-up assessment. The primary outcome is the peroneal motor nerve conduction velocity (peroneal MNCV) at week 12 compared with baseline. Secondary outcomes include the peroneal motor nerve action potential amplitude (peroneal MNAP) and latent period(peroneal MNLP), the sural sensory nerve conduction velocity (sural SNCV), action potential amplitude (sural SNAP) and latent period (sural SNLP), fasting plasma glucose(FPG), 2-hour postprandial blood glucose (2hPG), glycated hemoglobin (HbAlc) at week 12 compared with baseline, the Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument (MNSI) score and Diabetes Specific Quality of Life scale(DSQL) at week 12 and month 6 compared with baseline. Safety is assessed during the whole trial. Masking effectiveness is assessed by patients. Discussion This trial may provide high-quality evidence for evaluating the efficacy and safety of MA treatment for DPN compared with SA treatment. The results of this study will be published in peer-reviewed journals. Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trials Registry, ID: ChiCTR1800020444. First registered on 29 December 2018 - Retrospectively registered, http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?Proj =31063

Background: Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is the most common chronic complication of diabetes mellitus that has a considerable impact on quality of life, but there are few effective therapeutic strategies. The aim of this trial is to determine the efficacy and safety of manual acupuncture (MA) versus sham acupuncture (SA) for DPN.Methods/Design: This is a study protocol for a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial. A total of 118 patients with DPN will be recruited and randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either MA group or SA group. All patients will receive 24 sessions over 12 weeks. Participants will complete the trial by visiting the research center at month 6 for a follow-up assessment. The primary outcome is peroneal motor nerve conduction velocity (peroneal MNCV) at week 12 compared with baseline. Secondary outcomes include peroneal motor nerve action potential amplitude (peroneal MNAP) and latent period (peroneal MNLP), sural sensory nerve conduction velocity (sural SNCV), action potential amplitude (sural SNAP) and latent period (sural SNLP), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), 2-hour postprandial blood glucose (2hPG), glycated hemoglobin (HbAlc) at week 12 compared with baseline, Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument (MNSI) score and Diabetes Specific Quality of Life scale (DSQL) at week 12 and month 6 compared with baseline. Safety will be assessed during the whole trial. Masking effectiveness will be assessed by patients.Discussion: This trial may provide high-quality evidence for evaluating the efficacy and safety of MA treatment for DPN compared with SA treatment. Results of this study will be published in peer-reviewed journals.Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trials Registry, ID: ChiCTR1800020444. First registered on 29 December 2018 - Retrospectively registered, http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?Proj =31063

No abstract

Background: Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is the most common chronic complication of diabetes mellitus that has a considerable impact on quality of life, but there are few effective therapeutic strategies. The aim of this trial is to determine the efficacy and safety of manual acupuncture (MA) versus sham acupuncture (SA) for DPN.Methods/Design: This is a study protocol for a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial. A total of 118 patients with DPN will be recruited and randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either MA group or SA group. All patients will receive 24 sessions over 12 weeks. Participants will complete the trial by visiting the research center at month 6 for a follow-up assessment. The primary outcome is peroneal motor nerve conduction velocity (peroneal MNCV) at week 12 compared with baseline. Secondary outcomes include peroneal motor nerve action potential amplitude (peroneal MNAP) and latent period (peroneal MNLP), sural sensory nerve conduction velocity (sural SNCV), action potential amplitude (sural SNAP) and latent period (sural SNLP), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), 2-hour postprandial blood glucose (2hPG), glycated hemoglobin (HbAlc) at week 12 compared with baseline, Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument (MNSI) score and Diabetes Specific Quality of Life scale (DSQL) at week 12 and month 6 compared with baseline. Safety will be assessed during the whole trial. Masking effectiveness will be assessed by patients.Discussion: This trial may provide high-quality evidence for evaluating the efficacy and safety of MA treatment for DPN compared with SA treatment. Results of this study will be published in peer-reviewed journals.Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trials Registry, ID: ChiCTR1800020444. First registered on 29 December 2018 - Retrospectively registered, http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?Proj =31063