To refine the methods of developing clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for integrative Chinese-Western medicine (ICWM), promoting the formation of trustworthy, implementable recommendations that integrate the strengths of Chinese and Western medicine. Using a nominal group technique (NGT) approach, a multidisciplinary expert panel was established. The panel identified key methodological issues in ICWM-CPG development through literature review and iterative discussions, and formulated methodological proposals to address these issues. The final set of proposals was achieved through consensus among the panel members. The collaborative effort resulted in the identification of five pivotal methodological issues and the subsequent establishment of 22 specific recommendations. These encompass strict adherence to renowned standards, such as those proposed by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) and Guidelines International Network (G-I-N), the employment of methodologies like the GRADE approach and RIGHT statement, the strategic constitution of a balanced development group, the adept identification of ICWM-focused clinical inquiries, the nuanced integration of diverse evidence sources, and the detailed crafting of transparent, implementable recommendations. This study concentrates on the most crucial and prevalent methodological issues in ICWM-CPG development, proposing a series of recommendations. These suggestions result from a multidisciplinary expert consensus, aiming to provide methodological guidance for ICWM-CPG developers, building upon the current foundational methodologies.

A systematic review (SR) with meta-analysis (MA) was conducted to investigate acupuncture's efficacy in treating migraine and its impact on quality of life. PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Chinese Biomedical Databases, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, VIP, and Wanfang were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from database inception to May 31, 2024. Statistical analyses were performed with Review Manager 5.4.1. We included 23 RCTs comprising 2295 patients. Compared with sham acupuncture, acupuncture reduced migraine duration (MD: − 4.36 h; 95% CI: − 8.07, − 0.64), the number of mean migraine attacks (MD: − 0.82; 95% CI: − 1.57, − 0.08), days with migraine per 4 weeks (MD: − 1.38; 95% CI: − 2.16, − 0.60), improved MSQ restrictive subscale (MD: 13.73; 95% CI: 5.60, 21.87) and MSQ emotional function (MD: 9.93; 95% CI: 2.64, 17.22). Compared with pharmacological treatment, acupuncture improved MSQ restrictive subscale (MD: 5.69; 95% CI: 2.15, 9.23) and MSQ emotional function (MD: 7.14; 95% CI: 1.62, 12.66). Compared with waiting lists, acupuncture reduced the number of mean migraine attacks (MD: − 0.80; 95% CI: − 1.12, − 0.48), days with migraine per 4 weeks (MD: − 2.10; 95% CI: − 2.74, − 1.46), and improved MSQ restrictive subscale (MD: 9.40; 95% CI: 4.82, 13.98) and MSQ emotional function (MD: 9.00; 95% CI: 4.52, 13.48). Acupuncture was significantly associated with reduced migraine duration, number of migraine attacks, number of migraine days, and improved quality of life. However, due to language restrictions and potential bias, further rigorous trials are needed to identify its efficacy and relevant exploratory trials are also warranted.

Background. MCM3AP antisense RNA 1 (MCM3AP-AS1) is a newly identified potential tumor biomarker. Nevertheless, the prognostic value of MCM3AP-AS1 in cancer has been inconsistent in the available studies. We performed this meta-analysis to identify the prognostic role of MCM3AP-AS1 in various cancers. Methods. We searched PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library databases to screen relevant studies. Hazard ratios (HR) or odds ratios (OR) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used to evaluate the relationship between aberrant MCM3AP-AS1 expression and survival and clinicopathological features (CFS) of cancer patients. A meta-analysis was performed using STATA 12.0 software. Additionally, results were validated by an online database based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Subsequently, we analyzed the MCM3AP-AS1-related genes and molecular mechanisms based on the MEM database. Results. Our results showed that overexpression of MCM3AP-AS1 was related to poor overall survival (OS) ( , 95% CI, 1.52–2.64, ) and relapse-free survival (RFS) ( , 95% CI 1.56–6.88, ). In addition, MCM3AP-AS1 overexpression was associated with TNM stage, differentiation grade, and lymph node metastasis, but not significantly with age, gender, and tumor size. In addition, MCM3AP-AS1 overexpression was verified by the GEPIA online database to be associated with poorer survival. The further functional investigation suggested that MCM3AP-AS1 may be involved in several cancer-related pathways. Conclusions. The overexpression of MCM3AP-AS1 was related to poor survival and CFS. MCM3AP-AS1 may be considered a novel prognostic marker and therapeutic target in various cancers.