To estimate the effect of acupuncture on idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia (ITN), we recruited 116 patients with ITN from December 2016 to April 2018 and further divided into them into two groups: acupuncture intervention group (n = 62) and sham control group (n = 54). Clinical pain, cognitive function, and quality of life (QoL) assessed with the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) were evaluated at the initial time of treatment, at the end of treatment, and 6 weeks after the treatment. Pain intensity, headache, and generalized body pain showed significant decrease both at the end of treatment and after 6 weeks of treatment when compared with initial time. The scores of the cognitive tests (Mini-Mental State Examination, Trail Making Test, Verbal Fluency Test, tracing score, and memory score) and five aspects of the SF-36 assessment (role emotional, general health, body pain, role physical, and mental health scores) showed significant improvement at the end of treatment compared with the initial time. Whereas after 6 weeks of treatment, the Mini-Mental State Examination, memory score, and Trail Making Test-A score and four aspects of the SF-36 assessment (vitality, bodily pain, mental health, and role physical) showed significant improvement when compared with the end of treatment. Acupuncture can be used as an alternative treatment to improve cognitive function and QoL of patients with ITN.

Background SF-6Dv2, the latest version of SF-6D, has been developed recently, and its measurement properties remain to be evaluated and compared with the EQ-5D-5L. The aim of this study was to assess and compare the measurement properties of the SF-6Dv2 and the EQ-5D-5L in a large-sample health survey among the Chinese population. Methods Data were obtained from the 2020 Health Service Survey in Tianjin, China. Respondents were randomly selected and invited to complete both the EQ-5D-5L and SF-6Dv2 through face-to-face interviews or self-administration. Health utility values were calculated by the Chinese value sets for the two measures. Ceiling and floor effects were firstly evaluated. Convergent validity and discriminate validity were examined using Spearman’s rank correlation and effect sizes, respectively. The agreement was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). Sensitivity was compared using relative efficiency and receiver operating characteristic. Results Among 19,177 respondents (49.3% male, mean age 55.2 years, ranged 18–102 years) included in this study, the mean utility was 0.939 (0.168) for EQ-5D-5L and 0.872 (0.184) for SF-6Dv2. A higher ceiling effect was observed in EQ-5D-5L than in SF-6Dv2 (72.8% vs. 36.1%). The Spearman’s rank correlation (range: 0.30–0.69) indicated an acceptable convergent validity between the dimensions of EQ-5D-5L and SF-6Dv2. The SF-6Dv2 showed slightly better discriminative capacities than the EQ-5D-5L (ES: 0.126–2.675 vs. 0.061–2.256). The ICC between the EQ-5D-5L and SF-6Dv2 utility values of the total sample was 0.780 (p < 0.05). The SF-6Dv2 had 29.0–179.2% higher efficiency than the EQ-5D-5L at distinguishing between respondents with different external health indicators, while the EQ-5D-5L was found to be 8.2% more efficient at detecting differences in self-reported health status than the SF-6Dv2. Conclusions Both the SF-6Dv2 and EQ-5D-5L have been demonstrated to be comparably valid and sensitive when used in Chinese population health surveys. The two measures may not be interchangeable given the moderate ICC and the systematic difference in utility values between the SF-6Dv2 and EQ-5D-5L. Further research is warranted to compare the test–retest reliability and responsiveness.

Background: Herpes zoster is an acute infectious skin disease that is induced by the re-activation of the virus incubated in nerve ganglions following initial infection with varicella-zoster virus in childhood. Herpes zoster mainly affects sensory nerves, resulting in severe acute pain, which is also the most common reason for medical intervention in this patient group. The concurrent involvement of motor nerves could induce the symptoms of segmental zoster paresis, which is manifested by localized asymmetric myasthenia, whose range generally follows the distribution of myomere with skin rashes. Due to the low incidence and unspecific clinical manifestations, segmental zoster paresis has not been sufficiently recognized by clinicians, and can easily be misdiagnosed. Objective: To summarize the previous studies on segmental zoster paresis and analyze the pathogeneses, diagnosis, and treatment of this disease, as well as stress the challenges in current treatment, which could provide useful evidence for the clinical diagnosis and better the treatment of patients with segmental zoster paresis in the future. Study Design: We conducted a narrative review. Setting: Hospitals, neurology departments, pain departments, and private practices. Methods: We searched PubMed and Chinese CNKI libraries using the terms “herpes zoster,” “muscle paresis,” “segmental zoster paresis,” and “motor nerve.” Clinical trials, reviews, and case reports were collected and reviewed. Results: As a rare complication following varicella-zoster virus infection, segmental zoster paresis has not been sufficiently recognized by clinicians, and there are still no guidelines available to guide the clinical treatments. The exact mechanism of segmental zoster paresis is still unclear. Electromyographic and magnetic resonance imaging examinations could be used as auxiliary diagnostic methods for segmental zoster paresis. Early regular anti-viral therapy could substantially decrease the risk of herpes zoster related complications. Combined application of glucocorticoids and some other physical therapy may also be useful in certain patients. The general prognosis of segmental zoster paresis is relatively good, with 67% patients achieving complete or almost complete recovery of the muscle function. Limitations: More clinical trials are needed to clarify the exact mechanisms and best treating methods. Conclusion: As the symptom in most segmental zoster paresis patients is self-limited, and the patients’ prognosis is generally good, early diagnosis of the disease is especially important, due to the avoidance of unnecessary diagnostic procedures and incorrect treatments. Standard treatment guidelines regarding the functional rehabilitation are still needed for patients with refractory segmental zoster paresis. Key words: Herpes zoster, postherpetic neuralgia, segmental zoster paresis, muscle strength, motor nerve, spinal dorsal ganglion, zoster infection, muscle paresis

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