This outcome assessor-blinded, randomized controlled clinical trial investigated the effects of electroacupuncture combined with computer-based cognitive rehabilitation (EA-CCR) on mild cognitive impairment (MCI). A per-protocol analysis was employed to compare the efficacy of EA-CCR to that of computer-based cognitive rehabilitation (CCR). Thirty-two patients with MCI completed the trial (EA-CCR group, 16; CCR group, 16). Patients received EA-CCR or CCR treatment once daily three days per week for eight weeks. Outcome (primary, ADAS-K-cog; secondary, MoCA-K, CES-D, K-ADL, K-IADL, and EQ-5D-5L) measurements were performed at baseline (week 0), at the end of the intervention (week 8), and at 12 weeks after completion of the intervention (week 20). Both groups showed significant changes in ADAS-K-cog score (EA-CCR, p < 0.001; CCR, p < 0.001) and MoCA-K (EA-CCR, p < 0.001; CCR, p < 0.001). Only the EA-CCR group had a significant change in CES-D (p = 0.024). No significant differences in outcomes and in the results of a subanalysis based on age were noted between the groups. These results indicate that EA-CCR and CCR have beneficial effects on improving cognitive function in patients with MCI. However, electroacupuncture in EA-CCR showed no positive add-on effects on improving cognitive function, depression, activities of daily living, and quality of life in patients with MCI.

This study was designed to assess the quality of reporting on randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of scalp acupuncture for the treatment of stroke. The following 8 databases were systematically investigated from their inception to December 2015: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, National Institute of Informatics Scholarly and Academic Information Navigator, National Digital Science Library, Korean Traditional Knowledge Portal, and Korean Studies Information Service System. RCTs utilizing scalp acupuncture as an intervention for stroke were selected, and the quality of reports was assessed based on the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials 2010 statement (CONSORT) and Standards for Reporting Interventions in Controlled Trials of Acupuncture 2010 (STRICTA). For each study, the overall quality score (OQS) of 13 CONSORT items, a combined key methodological index score (MIS) of 5 CONSORT items, and the OQS of 17 STRICTA items were measured. The original reports of 63 RCTs were ultimately obtained, and the median CONSORT OQS was 7 (minimum 2, maximum 11). Particularly, the items ‘trial design’, ‘sample size’, ‘ancillary analyses’, and ‘harms’ had a positive rate of less than 10%. The median MIS was 1 (minimum 0, maximum 5), with ‘allocation concealment and implementation’ and ‘intent-to-treat analysis (ITT) analysis’ having a positive rate of less than 10%. The median STRICTA OQS was 11 (minimum 6, maximum 14), and only the items ‘sample size’ and ‘intent-to-treat analysis’ were reported, with a positive rate of less than 10%. The mean CONSORT OQS increased by approximately 0.81 for each 5-year period in which manuscripts were published (95% confidence interval: 0.43 to 1.19; p < 0.001). No variable was significantly associated with MIS in the ordinal regression model. The quality of reports on RCTs investigating scalp acupuncture treatment for stroke was moderate to low. Furthermore, reporting of some items was either insufficient or inadequate in the majority of studies. In order to improve and standardize the quality of RCTs investigating scalp acupuncture for stroke, CONSORT and STRICTA guidelines should be utilized more frequently.

This study investigated the synergistic effects of scalp acupuncture (SA) and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), known to be effective for cerebral infarction. This outcome-assessor-blinded, randomized controlled clinical trial included a per-protocol analysis to compare the efficacy of SA and electromagnetic convergence stimulation (SAEM-CS) and single or no stimulation. The trial was conducted with 42 cerebral infarction patients (control group, 12; SA group, 11; rTMS group, 8; SAEM-CS group, 11). All patient groups underwent two sessions of CSRT per day. SA, rTMS, and SAEM-CS were conducted once per day, 5 days per week, for 3 weeks. The primary outcome was evaluated using the Fugl–Mayer assessment (FMA). FMA Upper Extremity, FMA total, MBI, and FIM scores significantly increased in the rTMS group compared with the control group. Additionally, FMA Upper Extremity, FMA total, MBI and FIM scores significantly increased in the rTMS group compared with the SAEM-CS group. However, there were no significant changes in the SA or SAEM-CS groups. In conclusion, low-frequency rTMS in the contralesional hemisphere may have long-term therapeutic effects on upper extremity motor function recovery and improvements in activities of daily living. SAEM-CS did not show positive synergistic effects of SA and rTMS.

Scalp acupuncture (SA) and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) are effective for treating cerebral infarction. This study aims to examine the efficacy and safety of SA and electromagnetic convergence stimulation (SAEM-CS), which was developed through collaboration between conventional medical physicians and doctors who practice traditional Korean medicine. SAEM-CS was designed to improve function in patients with cerebral infarction, compared to the improvement after conventional stroke rehabilitation, SA, and rTMS therapeutic approaches. This study is a prospective, outcome assessor-blinded, randomized controlled clinical trial with a 1:1:1:1 allocation ratio. Participants with motion or sensory disabilities caused by a first-time cerebral infarction (n = 60) that had occurred within 1 month of the study onset will be randomly assigned to control, SA, rTMS, or SAEM-CS groups. All groups will receive two sessions of conventional rehabilitation treatment per day. The SA group will receive SA on the upper limb area of MS6 and MS7 (at the lesional hemisphere) for 20 min, the rTMS group will receive low-frequency rTMS (LF-rTMS) treatment on the hot spot of the M1 region (motor cortex at the contralesional hemisphere) for 20 min, and the SAEM-CS group will receive LF-rTMS over the contralesional M1 region hot spot while receiving simultaneous SA stimulation on the lesional upper limb area of MS6 and MS7 for 20 min. SA, rTMS, and SAEM-CS treatments will be conducted once/day, 5 days/week (excluding Saturdays and Sundays) for 3 weeks, for a total of 15 sessions. The primary outcome will be evaluated using the Fugl‐Meyer Assessment, while other scales assessing cognitive function, activities of daily living, walking, quality of life, and stroke severity are considered secondary outcome measures. Outcome measurements will be conducted at baseline (before intervention), 3 weeks after the first intervention (end of intervention), and 4 weeks after intervention completion. This study aims to explore the efficacy and safety of SAEM-CS on cerebral infarction. Collaborative research combined traditional Korean and conventional medicines, which can be useful in developing new treatment technologies. KCT0001768 . Registered on 14 January 2016.

This study aimed to evaluate the quality of reports about randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of scalp acupuncture (SA) for the treatment of vascular dementia (VD). A systematic search of reports published through to December 2015 was performed in eight databases. The quality of RCTs that used SA as an intervention for VD was evaluated based on the 2010 Consolidated Standards for Reporting of Trials (CONSORT) and 2010 Standards for Reporting Interventions in Controlled Trials of Acupuncture (STRICTA) guidelines. Thirteen items from the CONSORT guideline were scored to give an overall quality score (OQS, range 0–13), and a combined key methodological index score (MIS) (range 0–5) of five key methodological items was measured. The OQS of 17 items from the STRICTA guideline (range 0–17) was also measured. In total, 26 reports were evaluated. The median OQS based on the CONSORT guideline was 8 (minimum 5, maximum 11), and “trial design,” “sample size,” “ancillary analyses,” and “harms” had a positive rate of less than 10%. The median MIS was 2 (minimum 0, maximum 5), with “allocation concealment and implementation,” “blinding,” and “intent-to-treat analysis” having a positive rate of less than 15%. The median OQS based on the STRICTA guideline was 12 (minimum 8, maximum 14), with “extent to which treatment was varied (1c),” “number of needle insertions per subject per session (2a),” and “setting and context of treatment (4b)” having a positive rate of less than 10%. The overall quality of reports on RCTs of SA treatment for VD was moderate to low. The quality of methodological items was markedly lower than that of other items. The CONSORT and STRICTA guidelines should be used more frequently to standardize the quality of RCT reports of SA treatment for VD.

Background: Evidence for the add-on effect of kinesiotape (KT) with acupuncture for treating ankle sprains remains insufficient. We assessed the add-on effect of KT on ankle sprains by comparing acupuncture combined with KT (AcuKT) with acupuncture alone in patients with acute lateral ankle sprain (ALAS). Methods: This study was a multicenter, randomized controlled clinical trial that included a per-protocol analysis of the add-on effect of KT on ALAS. The randomization was software based and only the assessors were blinded. Sixty participants (20 each from three centers) with grade I or II ALAS were randomly assigned to acupuncture (n = 30) or AcuKT (n = 30) groups. Both groups received acupuncture treatment once daily, 5 days per week for 1 week. The AcuKT group received additional KT treatment. Visual analog scale (VAS) scores for pain and the Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS) were obtained, and edema measurements were performed at baseline (week 0), at the end of the intervention (week 1), and at 4 weeks after intervention (week 5). The European Quality of Life Five Dimension-Five Level Scale (EQ-5D-5 L) measurements were conducted at week 0, week 1, week 5, and week 26 after the intervention. The number of recurrent ankle sprains was determined at 4, 8, 12 and 26 weeks after the intervention. Results: Fifty-six patients with ALAS completed the trial (AcuKT group, n = 27; acupuncture group, n = 29). There were significant changes in visual analog scale score (AcuKT, P < 0.001; acupuncture, P < 0.001), the FAOS (AcuKT, P < 0.001; acupuncture, P < 0.001), and EQ-5D-5 L measurements (AcuKT, P < 0.001; acupuncture, P < 0.001) within both groups. There were no significant differences between groups in terms of any outcome or in a subanalysis based on symptom severity. Conclusions: These results indicate that AcuKT did not show a positive add-on effect of KT with acupuncture in terms of pain reduction, edema, recovery of function, activities of daily living, quality of life or relapse of ALAS. Trial registration: Clinical Research Information Service (cris.nih.go.kr), KCT0002257. Registered on 27 February 2017.