Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35116567›Full record

ArticleTranslational cancer research2021

Effect of electroacupuncture on chemotherapy-induced diarrhea: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Yuhang Wang, Mingfei Zhou, Jianmei Shen, Dongsheng Wang, Na Xu, Yafang Song, Mengzhu Sun, Lu Chen, Lixia Pei, Jianhua Sun

Open access · diamondAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Translational cancer research, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
0.5field-weighted citation impact, top 29% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 2 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Yuhang Wang *Department of Acupuncture and Rehabilitation, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.
Mingfei Zhou *Department of Oncology, Nanjing Xiaohang Hospital, Nanjing, China.
Jianmei ShenDepartment of Oncology, Nanjing Red Cross Hospital, Nanjing, China.
Dongsheng WangDepartment of Oncology, Nanjing Red Cross Hospital, Nanjing, China.
Na XuAcupuncture and Tuina Academy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.
Yafang SongAcupuncture and Tuina Academy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.
Mengzhu SunDepartment of Acupuncture and Rehabilitation, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.
Lu ChenDepartment of Acupuncture and Rehabilitation Province Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.
Lixia PeiDepartment of Acupuncture and Rehabilitation Province Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.
Jianhua SunDepartment of Acupuncture and Rehabilitation Province Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.
Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine · CNNanjing University · CNNanjing Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital · CN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundChemotherapy-induced diarrhea (CID) is one of the side effects of chemotherapy. Diarrhea not only affects the overall treatment effectiveness but also reduces patients' quality of life. Severe diarrhea can lead to electrolyte imbalance and even be life-threatening. Although acupuncture has been widely used in clinical practice and its effectiveness for managing functional diarrhea has been recognized, there is no sound evidence of its efficacy in managing CID. Therefore, the aim of the proposed randomized controlled trial is to examine the effectiveness and potential risks of using acupuncture for the management of CID and to describe its protocol herein.

methodsThis trial will be conducted in a double-blinded manner and comprise two arms that will be investigated across multiple centers in parallel. The study cohort will comprise 168 outpatients who have CID from six Chinese hospitals. The patients will be randomly and equally divided between an intervention group (electroacupuncture) and a control group (micro-electroacupuncture). In the former, acupuncture will be performed with the conventional method to induce the de qi sensation, and in the latter group, acupuncture will be performed with a sham procedure that does not involve the insertion of needles. The acupoints ST25, SP14, SP6, and ST37 will be applied in the two methods. These procedures will be performed three times a week for four consecutive weeks. The number of days on which CID occurred, the incidence of CID, and fecal characteristics are considered as the primary outcomes, and the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy for Patients with Diarrhea subscale score and the World Health Organization Quality of Life assessment are considered as secondary outcomes. The patients will be closely observed for complications and fluctuations in vital signs. DISCUSSION: If the findings from the trial demonstrate the effectiveness and safety of using acupuncture to treat CID, they could serve as evidence for the clinical application of acupuncture as a complementary treatment for cancer patients during chemotherapy.

trial registrationChinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR2000035715, registered on August 16, 2020.

Indexed as

acupuncturecancerChemotherapy-induced diarrhea (CID)randomized controlled trial

Identifiers

PMID35116567
PMCPMC8798306
OpenAlexW3153623131

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.